My basic grammar is in Indian classical music, Carnatic music, and Hindustani music, but I don't believe that that is the only form of music I will learn. I don't believe in that, because I am a very open minded person.
— Shankar Mahadevan
You can't put a show in a boring format to young kids. They need to relate to it.
I feel there is a song for every occasion, and India is a land full of music.
You will see nowadays TV's Top 20 and Radio's Top 20 tend to be the same. And then there are films that never reach to mass audience, and because of that, their soundtrack also dies a silent death.
I have completed 21 years of composing music in Indian films.
Why English music is being taught in some schools? The government should make arrangements to promote Indian classical music among students.
I want to sing of humanity, friendship, what's happening to the Earth and the like.
Travel is always connected to music, as with travel, we explore the world, and by listening music, we explore ourselves.
Musicians should understand that it is not just about creating one hit but to sustain it at the top.
Learning music must be made easy and fun.
I would like to do some non-film stuff.
Work on not becoming good but excellent.
My sons are my friends, too, and they have introduced me to new technology and new sounds from around the world. I have learnt a lot from them.
I don't think you can have a calculated approach towards learning music.
When you have music in your life, you can never be lonely.
It's hectic at times, but this is what any artiste wants: a hectic life with lot of travelling, performances, lots of love from fans, the opportunity to compose songs back-to-back, and a chance to share the stage with maestros like Zakir Hussain.
Besides training, you need to be focused and not shy away from hard work.
I will be singing till my last breath.
Folk music has been our popular music... There is a myth that youngsters only like heavy metal or rock music, but that's not true.
I don't mind travelling to and fro from Navi Mumbai for work because the calm and serene atmosphere I enjoy here is unparalleled.
You can be successful without learning music, but success has nothing to do with quality.
Despite being a classical musician, I keep poking my nose in other genres of music.
I am associated with Namami Goda Foundation, and I believe rivers are the pulse of our country.
I quit my software engineer job, decided that I would be a singer, and got married. Those days, there were no platforms like the 'Indian Idol.' It was like, you decide to become a singer, and then what do you do? It must have been tough for my wife getting married to a man without a job.
I always believe that you have to give back what you have learnt.
Music is all about creativity.
I have tried to show the influence of folk music in Bollywood, in Tamil movies, in Telugu cinema.
If you are teaching a kid about seasons, you can put it in a song. He will definitely take interest. I wish to put every physics formula into a song, and it will become very easy for the student to learn.
You can't run away from the fact that you cannot ignore hard work.
I have always been fascinated by Krishna, the Indian deity.
I feel that one thing that a businessman can learn is do not follow a path that has already been successful. You will never be a path-breaker then.
I think times have changed, and there's no dearth of talent in the music industry.
It is when you adapt that you truly grow. When you grow, you don't let your art become the breeding ground for inadequacies.
Music is my friend, my constant companion.
The feeling of being able to do something for your own country is unmatchable.
People should feel proud about the music that we have in our country, and that's my objective.
I love Navi Mumbai, and I am proud to be a part of this city. The city has always inspired me to aim higher.
Who are critics? Do they know about music? Have they proved themselves in the field? I remember, when we came up with the music of 'Dil Chahta Hai,' some of the critics said that the songs sounded like jingles.
I can't escape crooning the 'Mitwa... Kahe Dhadkan Tujhse Kya' number wherever I perform. Basically, I am a classically rooted musician.
'Breathless' was an important milestone in my life.
While the concert is instant communication with the audience, composing is a creative process where a song comes up out of nowhere and then transmits happiness to many, translates into money, fame, or whatever.
There are two kinds of music: good music and bad music. Both are and will continue to co-exist.
Fundamentally, if there is any secret, it is about the need to find that peace and calm in our personal space with music, as most of 'learning music' is about listening to music and practicing over and over again.
Bollywood takes up a lot of time.
Music in our schools is considered to be an extra-curricular activity in which you teach your students a few patriotic songs and bhajans that children are not interested in.
I always told my children that if they want to be pilot, go ahead and do it, or if they wanted to get into agriculture, I told them that I will support them. But when they chose music, you feel as if those birds have come back home to the nest.
Before the heart attack, I used to do a lot of work - what's needed and what's not needed. I used to sing songs that leave an impact and those that didn't. I could never say 'No.' Now, I have learnt to say it, though, and believe me, it has not been easy to do so.
Being from a middle-class Indian family, I learned Carnatic music.
Lots of musicians from non-filmi backgrounds and from independent bands are making it to mainstream cinema. Even the music directors are experimenting with different genres.
Music is so abstract; it is a combination of words and melody.
