Chennai-born

Vidya Iyer

, popularly known as

Vidya Vox

, was back in her hometown recently. The

musician

sat down with us for a chat that involved topics about her upbringing, her

music

career, blending different cultures into her music, and more.
“Growing up, I listened to a lot of Carnatic music. Mandolin U Srinivas, Ranjani Gayatri, Priya Sisters, Nithyasree Mahadevan, P Unnikrishnan, and Bombay Jayashri were all on my roster. Then, I forayed into listening to AR Rahman sir, Ilaiyaraaja sir’s classics, and music that my mom and my grandma were into,” says the Los Angeles-based musician.
‘I would love to collaborate with AR Rahman and Dhee’
I have been dipping my toes into the current Tamil indie music scene. It’s super cool that Tamil music is having its moment right now because people primarily think of Hindi when they think of Indian music. But we are a country of so many dialects and languages. AR Rahman sir and Dhee are artistes I would love to collaborate with. I recently collaborated with GV Prakash Kumar. He has a knack for melody that’s catchy and different from the melodies I would compose.

“There is nostalgia associated with Chiku Buku Raile (Gentleman) and Urvasi Urvasi (Kadhalan). I also love the albums of Dil Se.. (Uyire) and Kandukondain Kandukondain. My sister and I know all the songs and the lyrics and would even try to do some of Prabhudeva sir’s dance moves (from Chiku Buku Raile). Music is so transformative in that sense because it roots you to a memory, place, or time,” she says.
‘NOW MORE ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO TELLING SOUTH ASIAN STORIES’
I don’t face racism directly anymore in America. But South Asian music is still lagging behind there. People have told me, ‘You’re too Indian, so we don’t know how to fit you in our agency or label’. And I’m like, ‘That makes no sense. I’ve spent most of my life in the USA!’ Just because I’m singing in a different language or have Indian influences, all of a sudden they are like, ‘I don’t know what to do with you’. That definitely was a challenge in the beginning and it still is but there is more attention given to telling South Asian stories now. We have South Asian actors who are the leads in mainstream shows like Bridgerton and that makes a difference.
‘INSECURITIES BECOME MORE MUTED WITH EXPERIENCE’
It’s hard not to compare yourself with others. So, it’s important to be rooted in yourself, take time away from social media, and focus on your art. Your insecurities will be a bit more muted with more experience as you develop an innate confidence. Then no matter what people say, you are like, ‘I know I can perform and be comfortable on stage.’
‘HOPEFULLY, WOMEN WHO COME AFTER ME CAN STAND ON MY SHOULDERS’
There are so many women who have inspired me. From Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj to Nithyasree Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal, and KS Chithra ma’am, they have pushed the boundaries a lot. Hopefully, women who come after me can stand on my shoulders. Also, it’s always been my dream to collaborate with Shreya Ghoshal and Chithra ma’am.
‘Mom raised my sister & me as a single parent in USA’
My recent album, Sundari, was inspired by my mom and was probably my hardest album to create. It was particularly difficult because I drew inspiration for it from my childhood which was really tough due to my abusive father. My mom raised my sister and me as a single parent. We had no money and were even homeless. Thus, all the songs in Sundari are about resilience, strength, womanhood, and how we still came out on top even though everything was stacked against us.
‘Chennai always has a special place in my heart’
I was born in Chennai and did a lot of my early schooling here. So it’s always been my home and the city has a special place in my heart. My grandma still lives here, and when I come back to the city, I feel I’m back where I belong. I know the language, I’m familiar with Chennai’s food, and I have many friends here. So, being invited to perform in the city by Rotary feels like an amazing return to my roots. My mom was insistent that I hang on to our roots. She played Carnatic music at home and took me to Bharatanatyam lessons.