Bengaluru musician Konarak Reddy launches a new album, titled, Marathahalli Rani

The album produced by his wife and theatre artiste, Kirtana Kumar, is an ode to the spirit of Bengaluru
Konarak Reddy and Kirtana Kumar
Konarak Reddy and Kirtana Kumar

When the black and white visuals of MD Pallavi singing a Kannada song played on the huge screen at the Bangalore Poetry Festival, earlier this year, it made audiences sit up and take notice of this unusual musical experiment. The song, What Can I Say, from the album Marathahalli Rani, is a blend of soft rock notes and contemporary beats with accompanying Kannada lyrics.

This is the first song from this album that is produced by theatre artiste Kirtana Kumar and her husband, musician Konarak Reddy. The couple, who is well-known in the arts circuit, worked on the album with a purpose. “It’s an ode to the city and how women experience it,” says Kirtana. It may sound like a simple idea, but Konarak adds, “The bigger thought was to communicate and reconnect with young people who have lost touch with their roots.”

All eight songs on the album were penned in English by Konarak, and popular singer MD Pallavi translated them to Kannada and has even lent her voice to the tracks. The music is a combination of Indian ragas, American folk, Western Classical and ’70s rock. “Every song has a different mood, ethos and approach,” offers Kirtana.

The couple is working on a video for the second track, Surya, that talks about arranged marriages. “It’s a fun take on the idea. A girl is in love with a geeky guy but ends up marrying an accountant chosen by her parents,” says Konarak. Both tracks are available on YouTube and iTunes, and the couple plans to tour Karnataka with the Marathahalli Rani concert once four videos are released.

ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com
@aishatax

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com