Incipient Confidence#2

Mahathi

Surfing across TV channels, is one of my morning rituals, for some music programs. Yesterday while doing so, I saw a pleasantly looking lady singing in Zee Thamizh. It was Mahathi (hope the spelling is correct). Mahathi was singing pandureethi koluvaiya rama. Believe me she sang the neravals with good creativity (manodharma). I have heard her long ago in some chat show, she sang the bhavapriya kriti sri kaanthanee of thyagaraja saying it’s one of her favourites. She actually sang that kriti well then too.

I was told that she has sung some film songs. I’m not advising just a caveat. Like Jesudas she might end up messing both. For me she comes across as someone with an identity crisis. My take is that she can be a most sought after Carnatic musician if she concentrates and practices Carnatic music. She is naturally talented, that’s what I feel.

Natural singing

For her, sangathis flow with élan. More importantly she has a good pitch/scale range. And she is also able to sing 2 octaves without any strain. She doesn’t show any strain in her face or make it look unpleasant. I was told that she is training under TNS. My only suggestion is to take the best from his music and reproduce in her voice and ease. One shouldn’t try to emulate him.

Mahathi should identify aspects that suit her best and perform. Another important point I want to quote here is that she has got the lyrics memorized and didn’t refer a book, small piece of paper or a laptop. This is very important because multi-tasking on stage doesn’t bring out the best music. You can even afford to sing the lyrics wrong but not the ragam!! And I feel that the performers are not respecting their profession. A professional should be well equipped with the necessary skills to excel.

I’m looking for more of Mahathi’s Carnatic concerts. With what I heard in the 15mts capsule and the talk show may not be the right samples to arrive at an inference. If any of you have recordings of her Carnatic music, pl. forward them to me. I would like to listen to more and write more!!!