The night before this interview, I fell down a pleasant rabbit hole — of the auditory kind.
It began with songs from Malayalam cinema from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, all of which had a voice that was different from the crystalline voice that the typical South Indian youth has grown up with. One particular song was played repeatedly that night: ‘Malayam’ from the 1995 Malayalam film starring Mohanlal Thacholi Varghese Chekavar,
Composed by Sharath, the song was a response to the sensual longing and blind love of the time. Incorporating contemporary influences, it was, in fact, the perfect manifestation of how the sound of Malayalam film music evolved around the turn of the millennium. At the centre of it all was the melodious, deeply emotional voice of singer KS Chithra.
Today, whenever this song is mentioned, she simply says, “It’s a very evergreen song, isn’t it?” as if she had no role in making it evergreen; as if she too was one of the listeners.
This is K. S. Chithra – a six-time National Award winner, over four decades of experience in the music industry, over 25,000 songs, and yet extremely humble.
Turning 61 on July 27, she tells us she has no interest in celebrating. But she knows her beloved listeners never miss a chance to celebrate. “I sometimes sing to the people around me too,” she says amid her distinctive, almost playful, laughter.
Over the years, more than 40 years have been spent in recording studios with legends of Indian playback music. There were times when more than 1,000 songs were recorded in a single year (in 1998, ’99 and 2000), she recalls, “I would eat my food and sometimes even change clothes in the car ride to different studios for shows and concerts.”
Now the busiest phases of his life are being recorded for future generations. “We are now scanning all my diaries [where notes and appointments were recorded] and uploading them to iCloud. About seven to eight diaries were destroyed due to termites. But the rest are being documented now,” she adds.
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Times have changed and life has slowed down, according to Chitra. But how does this veteran singer stay curious even as she navigates the ups and downs of the changing music landscape? “I have never felt bored or fulfilled, and that is only because the art form is music which is integral to my existence. Even when I don’t sing regularly, I listen to a lot of music and thoroughly enjoy doing it. That is probably what keeps me curious.” Even today, the interaction with the art form continues, whether it is in the form of recordings, concerts or mentoring young musicians in the reality show she is a part of.
More than opportunity, fame and even global recognition, Chitra believes her audience is her biggest asset
Times have changed in the world of playback music too. Chitra remembers a time when film songs had a defined, sometimes clinical structure, often told through a three-stanza narrative. “That is not the case anymore. The length of songs has now come down to two minutes. Though the attention span of listeners is cited as a reason, I believe that if a song is good, listeners will be very happy to hear it, no matter its length. But good tunes are still very much there.”
Chitra says listeners have also changed over time. “Earlier songs were available on the radio, but now music is being streamed on platforms like Spotify. Streaming culture is not my cup of tea right now. But music is in everyone’s life in some form or the other.” Streaming is how younger audiences, including Gen-Z, are exposed to seasoned musicians. According to Spotify, the singer currently has over 11.5 million monthly listeners. “I was really surprised to find that out,” she laughs. The singer recently collaborated with Spotify to create a film that elaborates on her universal appeal.
A big supporter of the independent music ecosystem that is ever-growing in the country’s soundscape, Chitra says, “Independent music has a lot of potential to grow. Musicians who compose, write, sing and record their own music need to be appreciated for their talent.”
She says these are all signs of the times, just as the approach to recording changed from “pre-AR Rahman to post-AR Rahman”. “I would be on the mic and he would be on the piano, and later he would create background music and orchestration inspired by what was already recorded. Many music directors who came after him did the same,” she says. From ‘Veera Raja Veera’Ponniyin Selvan 2 After several hits like ‘Kannalane’, this was his latest composition for the composer Bombay and ‘Kannamuchi Yenada’ Kandukondan Kandukondan.
Today, with new composers, she requests the song to be sent to her in advance to check if she understands the tune. Her modesty once again comes through in a singer renowned for her ease in handling high notes, as she says, “If the range is too high, I won’t try to spoil the song! Someone else can sing it better.”
Chitra believes that more than opportunities, fame and global recognition, her audience is her biggest asset. “Music has given me people around me. Even strangers who are always ready to help me and deal with the challenges of life.” Having spent her life well in the company of music, she now guides many children who call her ‘Amma’.
As we finish our conversation, she laughs at me describing her time in music as great. “I don’t consider myself great, it’s just that the real greats are no longer around, and coincidentally… maybe I am considered great too.”
