Eleven-year-old Maya Neelakantan stunned the world when she performed on stage at America’s Got Talent on June 25. Simon Cowell called her a ‘rock goddess’, the video of her performance went viral and Maya Neelakantan became a household name in India. Renowned industrialist Anand Mahindra went a step further and called her a ‘rock goddess from the land of goddesses’ and said he wants her to perform at the Mahindra Blues Festival in Mumbai soon. (Also read: Anand Mahindra impressed by ‘guitar goddess’ Maya Neelakantan at America’s Got Talent. Watch)
In this exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, the young and talented guitarist Maya Neelakantan talks about her passion for music and more.
At what age did you realize you liked playing guitar and how did you start learning it?
Well, I wanted to play guitar since I was five, but I actually started playing guitar at the age of six. I’ve loved music since I was two and my dad played guitar as a hobby. I started learning my favorite songs with my dad and he taught me to learn on my own through YouTube videos and guitar tabs. Now, I can learn any song on my own!
What was your first public performance? Do you remember how you felt in front of an audience?
The first time I performed on stage was recently in the world’s number 1 talent show America’s Got Talent (AGT). But the first time I performed in public was in an ashram with about 50 people watching. I loved it and it was a very new experience, but AGT was completely different as there were more than 1000 people in the audience. The only thing that made me nervous before going on stage was the crowd screaming and shouting, but as soon as I started performing, I started enjoying it and I am not nervous anymore.
When did you start training professionally and how much training did you do for AGT?
I have been learning Carnatic music from Guitar Prasanna for the past two years. I have always been doing this, only now I am learning more difficult techniques. I trained for about two to three weeks for AGT. Many people helped and gave advice for AGT. Guitar Prasanna helped me compose the song and finally I rearranged it.
Also, Jessica Pimentel, the award-winning actress from the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, trained me on the movements for AGT and also helped me mentally prepare for the show as it was my first stage show. The guitar I used on stage was gifted by Adam Jones from Tool. And all my guitar heroes gave advice for AGT and Gary Holt, who is the guitarist for Exodus and Slayer, came to watch me play on stage, support me and cheer me on. Gary came to Los Angeles from Sacramento to support me and that helped me a lot in reducing my nervousness.
What was that moment like for you when you performed on AGT and the audience went wild?
When I was performing on AGT, a two-minute song felt like 30 seconds. But as soon as I finished the song and everyone stood up and started calling my name, it felt like I had been there for hours. I was feeling everything at that moment and now I completely understand why everyone says they want to go on stage again and again after the first time. I had never experienced anything like that before, but now I want to continue performing on stage. When I perform on stage the next time, I know what to expect and I want to experience the same feeling.
Simon called you shy, and it was so unlike you when you started playing the guitar.
Yes, I always feel more comfortable when I play music. I was a little more shy than usual because it was my first time on stage and all the cameras were watching me. But once I started playing I felt at home and I just started enjoying it and I didn’t want it to end.
The combination of classical Indian music and rock is not common. How did you develop a passion for it?
My dream is to create my own music by mixing Carnatic music with heavy metal. Since I dream of mixing these genres together, I did a little bit of that for AGT and I am very proud of the result.
How supportive are your parents and what advice do they give you?
My parents are always very supportive of me and have always been throughout my life and it’s because of them that I was able to continue following my passion and meet so many guitar legends. They always tell me that the most important thing is for me to enjoy the process and not worry about the result. I really enjoy everything I do in my life and when I came to AGT, I thought of it as a party and not a competition. I never worry about the result and I make sure I enjoy the process. So, I’ve been doing that throughout my life and it’s helped me get to where I am today.
Who are your role models in the music industry?
My idols are Tool’s guitarist Adam Jones; my Carnatic teacher Guitar Prasanna; Exodus and Slayer’s guitarist Gary Holt; Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson who are Testament’s guitarists; and Metallica, the band that inspired me to play guitar for the first time.
What do you ultimately want to do in the world of music?
I want to create my own music that will have intricate Carnatic slides, thrash metal elements and crafting songs, like Tool’s music. All these different genres activate different emotions for me and I want to mix them together. I think you have to really get into the music to enjoy it, so I want to create music that allows my listeners to go on a journey with me through the song. So, that’s the dream I’m working towards and all these events are bringing me one step closer to creating my own music. It might even become an unheard genre!
Lastly, when will you perform in India, the audience here is cheering you on?
Nothing is officially confirmed as of now but I am looking forward to playing in front of my Indian fans in India and excited to play on stage once again.
