Latest news with #Varijashree
The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Carnatic vocalist Varijashree Venugopal's musical outing in France
Carnatic vocalist, Varijashree Venugopal, recently wrapped up a tour of France, where she performed at some of the country's most celebrated music festivals, in collaboration with EYM Trio — a French jazz group, featuring Elie Dufour, Marc Michel and Yann Phaphet. This summer tour marked another milestone in Varijashree's long-standing collaboration with EYM, which is into exploring new musical territories, blending Jazz and Indian classical music. 'France has a great audience for Jazz and world music, and we enjoyed playing at various venues,' says Varijashree. 'Our music is a blend of jazz compositional elements and Indian singing. With EYM, I find myself exploring the relationship between ragas and jazz harmonies with interesting compositional structures.' What began as an unexpected invitation, turned into a strong musical bond. 'The trio reached out to me six years ago to fill in for a singer. I still remember our first concert in Vienna in 2019. Our connection was immediate and we have continued to perform together since. Our collaboration even led to our album Bangalore, released in 2023.' The EYM Trio and Varijashree share a mutual admiration for each other's work. 'We explore each other's styles, find a meeting point and allow space for individual expression.' She adds, 'As a student of Carnatic music, I've always been fascinated by the Western harmony. For jazz musicians, Indian ragas offer something new and exciting to discover. Learning from each other has been fundamental in this journey' Lyon opera experience One of the highlights of her tour was performing at the Lyon Outdoor Opera (Peristyle), curated by the Opera House, for the city's residents. 'Playing in a half-indoor, half-outdoor setting, right in front of the Opera House in the heart of Lyon, added a vibrant energy to the experience,' she shares. 'The hustle and bustle of the city added a spark to the vibe. We played two sets for two consecutive nights, ' says Varijashree. 'It gave us a chance to perform most of our songs, including new ones that might soon become part of a new album.' Having performed in France several times in the past few years, Varijashree says, 'People are always open and appreciative. Their response makes me proud to represent the rich tradition of Indian music and carry it with me wherever I go.' Varijashree was also a part of Mahabharata, a project by Riccardo Nova in Italy. This European contemporary classical production blends rhythms, Sanskrit lyrics and storytelling. 'Working with the EYM Trio has opened up new ways of music-making for me, and that reflects in projectslike Mahabharata,' she says. 'Every project has its own feel. Moving between them takes focus and emotional involvement. But being part of such different worlds has helped me grow as an artiste,' she adds. Musical roots Varijshree's global experiences are extensions of her musical grounding. Daughter of Bengaluru-based flautist H.S. Venugopal and Carnatic vocalist Rama Venugopal, Varijashree credits her parents for her early initiation into music. 'Music was always part of our household. I was exposed to it constantly, either by attending concerts or simply sitting through my father's lessons with his students. ,' she shares. She had her formal training under her parents, and later, trained under H. Geetha and Salem Sundaresan. From Hindustani and light classical to Sugama Sangeeta, devotional songs, ghazals and fusion Varijashree — she was exposed to all forms of music. 'As a child, I used to notate everything I heard using Indian notation, always trying to incorporate those elements into my singing. I still do that,' she says. 'Most of my compositions are now voice-trumental, tunes without lyrics. The Indian sargam (the seven notes) remains my anchor.' For Varijashree, music has always been about emotional expressions. While technique is important, she believes, it is the feeling that lingers. 'Everything I create must lead to that emotional impact and the story the artiste wants to tell. That magical moment for me is when the artiste and audience connect. What I try to explore with my music and voice goes beyond genres and cultures. It is an expression of who I am.'
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Varijashree Venugopal performs at International Jazz Day function in Abu Dhabi
John Beasley, Varijashree, Emmet Cohen, John Patitucci, Kendrick Scott Vari with Arturo Sandoval Musician Varijashree Venugopal performed at the closing ceremony of the All-Star Global Concerts in Abu Dhabi on April 30, International Jazz Day 2025 . The Grammy-nominated artiste became one of the few Indian artistes to perform at this event, sharing the stage with some of the biggest legends in jazz 2025 edition featured a notable lineup of jazz artists, including John McLaughlin, Arturo Sandoval, Kenny Barron, Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Herbie joined these musicians for the celebration of jazz as a unifying art her performance, Varijashree presented her interpretation of John Coltrane's Giant Steps, incorporating Indian Sargam. This blend of jazz harmony and Indian classical vocal techniques showcased her unique musical approach. She also contributed to the finale, performing a Kannada verse in Herbie Hancock's rendition of John Lennon's on the experience, Varijashree said, "Performing at International Jazz Day Abu Dhabi 2025 was a great honour. Sharing the stage with such talented musicians and presenting a bit of India's musical sound was a wonderful experience. It highlights how music can connect different cultures." Varijashree Venugopal, known for her Carnatic roots and innovative fusion of Indian and global music, has gained international recognition as a singer, flautist, and composer.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Musician Varijashree Venugopal on her latest single ‘Jaathre'
For Varijashree Venugopal, the stage has been a second home since the age of four. 'Music runs in my blood,' says the Grammy-nominated musician. With the release of her first single 'Jaathre (Live)' from the album Vari (The Live Sessions), Varijashree reflects on her musical journey so far. 'This album is a spin-off to my previous album Vari, which was released last year. That was my first original music album,' she says. 'After we played a few live concerts, we decided to record and film the sound and energy of the performance.' Top of the crop The upcoming album is a live performance curation of seven selected songs from Vari, arranged for a six-piece band, of which 'Jaathre' is the seventh track. 'The song is quite dear to the team,' she says. 'We received a lot of lovely responses, especially for this song.' On the choice of the term jaathre, which generally refers to a village carnival, Varijashree explains, 'This song is a meeting between the Carnatic raga Hemavathi and Indian grooves. We always enjoy playing it live.' The album, Varijashree says is more than a project. 'It is a memory that documents the entire journey.' Live energy is so different from what is produced and recorded, says Varijashree. 'It has to be condensed, restructured, and formatted into a live group set.' The band was directed by Grammy-winning artiste Michael League and includes a stellar lineup of musicians including Pramath Kiran (percussions and co-arrangement), Jayachandra Rao (mridangam), Apoorva Krishna (violin), Vivek Santhosh (keys and synths), and Praveen Rao (harmonium). Firm foundation Varijashree describes her relationship with music as 'organic' and considers herself lucky to have been raised in an atmosphere that turned her passion into a profession. 'Both my parents are musicians. That is where it started, and I am blessed to have such a strong foundation in Carnatic music.' Apparently responding to music when she was 18 months old, Varijashree says, 'I've been told that I would repeat musical phrases, even though I couldn't speak properly. By the age of four, I was giving little stage performances.' A curious student of music, Varijashree says her willingness to explore beyond boundaries has helped her constantly rediscover her voice. 'I believe an artiste's growth lies in how much they are ready to reinvent and experiment.' This latest project is the result of that mindset, Varijashree says. 'It's a way of expanding while staying rooted in our Indian classical structure.' Her exploration has led her to jazz and vocal-instrumental styles, where the voice acts like an instrument. 'That fascinated me.' Joint effort On working with Michael League, she says, 'I love his child-like passion. Michael is contributing to the history of music development in many ways. When we met, we realised we had similar instincts. He is quite open to learning different musical cultures.' Having had the honour of meeting some of the most brilliant musicians from different cultures, Varijashree says they have connected over a single thread — our passion for music. Even if we're from different geographical spaces, we are all traveling the same path. The universe has a beautiful way of bringing like-minded people together.' Varijashree performed in Abu Dhabi for International Jazz Day, where she was the only Indian artiste to be featured. Being an independent artiste in India is a challenge, Varijashree says. 'It is a struggle to build both an audience and a space, apart from the need for financial and logistical support. Even after all that, you don't know how it will be received. Live concerts are one of the few ways independent artistes can be heard.' Jaathre (Live) was released on April 11, while the album Vari (The Live Sessions) is set to drop on June 20 under the label GroundUp Music.
