When Swayam Siddha Priyadarshi stepped on stage at Medai in Chennai last week for his solo concert Swayam, it marked his debut concert in the city and a turning point in his journey as a solo sitarist. “The audience was one of the warmest I’ve ever played for,” he says. “What struck me most was how classically educated and musically aware they were, but also how young the crowd was. That combination made for an incredible energy in the room.” The show was part of an ongoing multi-city tour that’s already seen packed houses across cities like Mumbai and Bangalore. With half the journey still ahead of him, the sitarist is now preparing for his next stops.
Belonging to the Etawah Gharana, Swayam has been playing the sitar for over a decade now. But his approach to performance moves beyond traditional frameworks. A product designer at Microsoft for over five years, he brings a UX lens to his concerts, one that prioritises experience and connection. “For the longest time, I’ve been creating music via screens, but I’ve always wanted to take that energy and emotion into a live space. Not at a wedding or corporate event, but for the people who actually know my music and want to experience it in person.”
Every element of his live set is intentional. “Because I come from a design background, I couldn’t just go up and play ragas. I wanted the entire show to feel designed, from the setlist to the flow of emotions, to the visuals and the stage,” he explains.
This aesthetic instinct has also shaped his distinctive onstage presence. “I style myself for most of my shows,” he shares. “We’ve even brought in plants as part of the set. They’re such a personal part of who I am, and my audience knows that side of me from my online content.”
It’s a sensibility that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Over the years, his work has caught the attention of names like Anoushka Shankar, AR Rahman, Ayushmann Khurrana, Dia Mirza and Raveena Tandon. Several bespoke fashion brands have also collaborated with him on projects that blur the line between classical music and contemporary design. He’s performed for global names like Gucci and Tata, played shows at institutions like IIT and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy, and delivered talks at TEDx platforms, all while maintaining a sharp visual identity and sound rooted in classical tradition.
At the heart of this tour is a carefully crafted setlist, one that blends original compositions with reinterpretations of classical gats, familiar film tunes, and renditions that fans may recognise from Instagram. “Some pieces are ones people have seen in fragments online, but they sound completely different in a live setting. It’s like presenting the full, immersive story.”
Even though it’s a solo sitar performance, it rarely feels minimal. “I perform on top of backing tracks that I’ve arranged, produced and mixed myself. So it’s never just the sitar you’re hearing, it’s a culmination of all the sounds that make up my musical identity.”
He describes the show as immersive, layered and intentionally accessible. “It’s not just a concert. It’s a curated experience. You’ll get bits of my personality, my interests, even a gentle onboarding into classical music for those who might be new to it.”
Unlike traditional classical concerts, where improvisation takes centre stage, Swayam’s current tour has a more defined structure. “Since it’s a solo set, without live accompaniment, I focus on crafting a clear narrative. That said, I do try to weave in local elements, melodic ideas or familiar tunes, depending on the city.”
The tour, which has seen performances in black box theatres, intimate homes and curated public venues, is being documented across cities. “We’re capturing a lot of photo and video content, and plan to release a few concert videos soon,” he says. “I’m also working on releasing my original compositions. The idea is to let the audience connect with these pieces live, so that when they’re officially released, they already carry a shared memory.”
Looking ahead, Kolkata is one stop he’s particularly excited about. “We’re doing something completely unconventional there, a moving venue. The audience in Kolkata has always been emotionally invested in my work, so this setup will feel like the city itself is part of the performance.”
His pre-show ritual, much like the concert itself, is about grounding and clarity. “A solid soundcheck is non-negotiable. Then it’s about good sleep, eating well, and a little caffeine before going on stage. I warm up on the sitar before the show, and do some last-minute checks on jewellery and outfits I’ve styled myself.”
It’s a process that reflects his hybrid creative practice, one that exists at the intersection of sound, space, identity and design. “Touring has been eye-opening. I’m learning what it truly means to be a performer, not just a musician,” he says. “And to hear people talk about the distances they travel to see me, the stories they bring, it inspires me in new ways every day.”
Even his plants have a role to play. “It all started during COVID, when I moved into my own space. I got a few plants, and then a few more, and now they’re everywhere, in my home, my content, and even on stage,” he says with a laugh. “They’re not just décor. They’re part of the vibe I bring into my music and my storytelling. Sometimes my cat Pookie even runs through the frame and adds her own twist.”
For Swayam, that attention to detail, to mood, to setting, to the smallest visual, is what completes the experience. “I want people to leave not just remembering the music, but feeling like they got a deeper sense of who I am. Musically, emotionally, and aesthetically.”
The ongoing tour will continue through August with stops in Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata, Udaipur, and Delhi.
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