Get to know... Varijashree Venugopal

Singer, songwriter, flautist Varijashree Venugopal (@Varijashree) loves a hot bowl of soupy noodles and sleeping in late. She'd swipe right on someone honest

Get to know... Varijashree Venugopal

• Currently I am

  Writing new music.

• High point in life

  Showcasing my work Jazz al Parque in Colombia, Herbie Hancock’s International Jazz Day Concert, and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

• Low point in life

  I’ve spent three decades shaping my voice. There have certainly been phases marked by doubt, experimentation and imposter syndrome.

• On my playlist

  Invocation, by Bobby McFerrin; Desafinado, by João Gilberto; Lingus, by Snarky Puppy.

• One thing I would never buy

  Anything that I wouldn’t use, such as a wrist watch.

• Today I’m craving

  A hot bowl of soupy noodles.

• Last thing I ordered online

  Jewellery.

• App I check before going to bed

  The alarm clock.

• Advice I’d give my 18-year-old self

  Don’t give up! Keep going, and it’s all going to be worth it.

• My favourite subject in school

  Geography.

• I’d swipe right on

  Empathy, honesty.

• My secret skill is

  Cooking traditional South Indian food.

• A superpower I wish I had

  To learn more languages.

• My favourite Sunday memory

  Playing Chowka Bhaara and Alugulimane with cousins in the afternoon, and watching music concerts with Appa and Amma in the evening.

• My plans for next Sunday

  Meeting a friend for lunch, and then organising my wardrobe.

• My most star-struck moment

  Meeting Bobby McFerrin in Geneva in 2018. I was fortunate not only to witness his performance but also to be invited on stage for an impromptu session.

• My favourite bad habit

  Sleeping in late.

• The best thing about fame

  You get to use your talent to tell stories and create memories for people. Fame is responsibility too.

• The worst thing about fame

  You can lose sight of your bigger purpose. You can forget that art is greater than the greatest artist.