Prudhvi Chandra: Music is my first love

Singers are aplenty. Good singers are several. And great singers? Rare. Well, singer Prudhvi Chandra definitely has a seat at the third table; with his powerful voice and energetic performances, he captivates audiences everywhere he goes. Whether on stage or in the studio, Prudhvi continues to push boundaries and redefine what it means to be a true artiste. Ahead of his live performance at Urban Mayabazar in LB Nagar, the singer expresses his excitement, saying, “My songs are jumpy and passionate. I have started to perform at nightclub events and am enjoying it. Such performances are a transfer of energy; if I enjoy myself, so will my audience.”

Prudhvi reveals his top three musical favourites

While his powerfully magnetic voice never fails to amaze us in every song he sings, Prudhvi reveals his top three favourites: “Crazy Feeling from Nenu Shailaja, as it is the biggest hit in my career. The other is Bheemla Nayak from the movie of the same name, and finally, Ra Ra from Gang Leader.” After a little thought, he adds, “Etthara Jenda from RRR is another I hold very close to my heart.” And for us listeners, the list will go on and on, won’t it?

As a child, Prudhvi mainly trained in Carnatic music and additionally, Hindustani Classical music. But like any young lad, he wasn’t too keen on the rigorous hours of practice that were needed in order for him to hone his skills. “My gurus were always pushing me to practise, and my parents would wake me up every day at 4 am to do so. Naturally, I would crib and whine,” he says, laughing. This practice session would go on for another three or four hours, and while it annoyed the young Prudhvi, who envied his cricket-playing peers, the successful musician today thanks his gurus.

He has such a strong command over Carnatic music that when asked what his favourite raga is, he doesn’t just say it is Kalyani raga but goes on to depict why it is his favourite: “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa…” he sings in one manner, before singing it slightly differently, with an evident change in the way Madhyamam (Ma) is rendered. The first, he says, is the Shankarabharanam raga, which he loves, but the second, he adds, is Kalyani raga. “I love it very much because of how expressive it is. In fact, it has been used for decades in the industry and continues to be used even today,” he states.

The confidence Prudhvi possesses today comes from the years he has spent in the industry, facing every challenge head-on. “When I recorded my first song in 2008, I was terribly scared — it was the fear of rejection. There are always people waiting to judge and mock you. But the moment I accepted that rejection is something we face every day, the fear vanished. Now, I perform like no one is watching me,” he shares.

In an industry rife with competition, with the old and new tussling for fame and recognition at all times, Prudhvi doesn’t worry much, noting, “Competitors are never a worry for me because each of us has our unique strengths. I believe in collaboration, not competition.”

Indeed, this is a voice that moves masses in both Telugu-speaking states, but Prudhvi confesses that after each power-packed show, he loses his voice. “My wife keeps telling me to control myself, especially if I have a recording the next day. But I just don’t listen!” he says, laughing. While most people pride themselves on having a way with words, Prudhvi has a way with music, singing goofy songs for his beloved to irritate her. “If she is upset, I sing Telugu love songs to apologise,” he quips.

But Prudhvi hasn’t limited himself just to the realm of music; he developed a deep interest in filmmaking and has been harnessing it for a while now. “I know my place is in the film industry. A few small projects will be released soon, but I cannot reveal more than that,” he teases.

Though his interests are diverse, Prudhvi states that music is his first love. “And it will be my love forever,” he says, even this sentence carrying a resplendent rhythm of its own. And perhaps that is how a great musician sounds.

One line to describe some greats:

MM Keeravani: An extremely wonderful musician and a walking library on so many topics

Anirudh Ravichander: He is very down-to-earth; they say don’t meet your idols, but I’m glad I met and worked with him

Thaman S: Music is his God; he is very hardworking and one of the best musicians of our time

Devi Sri Prasad: I am a huge fan; he is a wonderful performer

— Story by Nitika Krishna