Music is the unifying factor for us: Kavita Krishnamurthy

Singer Kavita Krishnamurthy on performing with family, and how her husband helped her cope with stage fright

Singer Kavita Krishnamurthy has always managed to mesmerise us with her soulful voice for more than four decades. The Bole Chudiyan (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham; 2001) singer has lent her voice to some melodious tracks in Bollywood and has been performing live with her husband, L Subramaniam, and children, Ambi Subramaniam and Bindu Subramaniam, in different countries around the world.

Singer Kavita Krishnamurthy

My lucky mascot

Not many people are aware that my first recorded song was in Bengali with the legendary Lata Mangeshkar under the tutelage of music director Hemanth Kumar. This was in 1971, and I believe, since then Lata didi has been blessing me. I have told her that she is my lucky mascot and it was her blessings and love that has made my journey possible. I have been in the industry for 45 years and I am in no rat race. I have sung some really great songs and want to continue doing so. But I don’t want to be a part of projects that have seven singers singing one song, and then only one getting picked. My journey is about improving myself and not being competitive.

Ganpati is my best friend

I still get anxious before going on stage and for me every programme is like an exam. You know, a legend like Lataji also shared that she, too, gets nervous before a performance. I remember, my husband once told me, ‘Just say your Ganpati Shloka before you start. Ganpati is your best friend in life, think of him and start’. Trust me, this has been my strength, ever since.

Singing with family

My husband is the main artistic director, but we all pitch in during concerts. I have a Bollywood background, my daughter, Bindu is an English songwriter and son, Ambi is a violinist. My grandaughter, Mahati, has also accompanied us at the concerts. When we meet at the dinner table, we do have our arguments and creative differences. There are some artistes my kids like and my husband doesn’t. However, music is our unifying factor, it binds us all. My husband provides me with a lot of strength and his favourite song of mine is Nimbooda (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam; 1999), he says that it is a very difficult song and is proud of me.

Global music

Lakshminarayana Global Centre of Excellence (LGCE), was initiated by my husband to give global exposure to undergraduate and graduate students with special focus on music. It is named after his guru and late father, V Lakshminarayana. Under this, this year we are presenting the 29th year of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival. We have performed in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and, of course, we have taken it across the globe, too, to 22 countries. We have had international artistes, it is predominantly Indian classical music. I believe our Indian musicians and music are not less than any other. The way our musicians improvise, it rarely happens elsewhere. Our classical musicians decide what raag to sing after sitting down on stage, and yet keep the audience hooked on for over two hours. This is the power of our music.