Artists make style statements
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TREND Kanjeevaram and Khamboji, diamonds and Dhanyasi… the season finds artists giving them equal importance. SAVITHA GAUTAM
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WIDE PALETTE: Aruna Sairam, Unnikrishnan, Nithyashree Mahadevan, S. Sowmya, Sudha Ragunathan, T.M. Krishna, Ranjani-Gayathri, the Priya Sisters, Gayathri Girish and Ghatam Karthick.
The season of RTP, varnam and abhangs has arrived. Music lovers wait for their star performers to unleash their repertoire of new and old kritis. Yes, the eyes too wait to see the sartorial statements each of these musicians make. It’s time when Dhanyasi vies for attention Khambodi and diamonds and rubies make their presence felt. What’s new in their repertoire and their wardrobe? Read on…
ARUNA SAIRAM
There is a story I want to share. During a trip to Dwaraka, I met a shopkeeper who sold costumes meant for the Lord. We got chatting and soon headed for the main temple. We noticed a man dressed in fine clothes, complete with a silk pagdi, standing near the idol in the sanctum sanctorum and performing the arathi. He looked familiar. It suddenly dawned on me that he was the shop keeper. He later told us, “When I am in the shop, I am only dealing with one aspect of the Lord. Here, He is King and I have to dress accordingly, to be able to present myself before Him!” Well, that is my philosophy today. The stage is my temple and the audience, my gods. So I have to present myself accordingly. Silk saris suit the occasion. I am into earth colours. But this season, I may go in for green and blue combinations. Antique jewellery is my favourite, and my prized possession is my great grandmother’s ‘kemp addigai,’ which I wear whenever possible. I carefully plan my concerts, more so when it is the December festival. This season, I have planned some new RTPs, abhangs, and maybe even a new theme (focus on one subject). Wait and watch.
SUDHA RAGUNATHAN
Presentation is very important, especially for artists. My guru, MLV, who was a trendsetter in the way she dressed for a concert, would tell us that we have to package a show well. “You are sitting in one place for more than two hours and people are watching you. So it is important to look pleasant.” I guess I have imbibed all that from her. I love bright colours as they cheer up your appearance. Silk is the apt choice as it adds that right traditional touch and is also easy to maintain while on stage. Yes, I do shop a lot from Pothy’s as I am their brand ambassador. But I also pick up saris from other well-known stores. As for jewellery, I design my pieces. Of the 15 rings that I wear, only two belong to me. The rest are gifts from my well-wishers!
Musically, I am planning to sing some kritis and RTPs which I have not sung in a long while. Also, I have been getting requests to sing songs made popular by MLV, M.S. Subbulakshmi and Vasantakokilam. So I may sing some of their numbers as well.
NITHYASHREE MAHADEVAN
In the last two decades, the trend has changed and people do tend to notice how musicians are turned out. Silk saris and traditional jewellery suit the mood best. My grandmother D. K. Pattammal also loved to dress up. But there was simplicity in way she did it. She loves dark hues such as ink blue and peacock green. The powder kumkum and traditional diamond earrings were the only adornments. I go for bright colours, especially pink and magenta. I love wearing jhumkis and hanging earrings, not too heavy though. Of late, I have been picking up jewellery embellished with coloured stones to match my saris.
This season will see me presenting some new RTPs and heavy kritis. But what they are will remain a surprise.
P. UNNIKRISHNAN
Well, I haven’t planned anything dramatically different for this Season. Just some new ragas and pallavis. Generally, before the onset of the season, I avoid travelling and cut down on my recordings to concentrate on the festival. As for my wardrobe, well, that’s my wife’s department. All my kurtas have been designed by her and she gets them tailored. I am happy wearing dark hues – green, blue and maroon. What matters finally is that you have to look good and sound great.
T.M. KRISHNA
I do not plan my concerts. It’s invariably spontaneous. So, the season is no different for me in that sense. Also, I find myself in a comfort zone during December as I travel less and can stay at home. It’s easier to manage as I find more time to concentrate on my music. As for the kurtas, the credit goes to designer Binu Jha. She is creative and I am willing to experiment with new colours and embroidery. The result is a blend of the aesthetic and the ethnic.
S. SOWMYA
The repertoire for my shows depends on the state of my voice on that day. Most of my concerts are impromptu. The only thing I try to do is not repeat the songs. That’s the challenge for me.
As for my sartorial statement, well, to be honest, I hate dressing up. So planning my concert costumes is quite an effort. I am partial to blue though I am game to wearing all hues. Of late, silk cottons have caught my fancy, so this season will see me draped in that fabric. As for jewellery, less is more for me. I prefer delicate pieces and wear bangles only on left hand. If there is any adornment that I love, it is jadhi malli.
GAYATHRI GIRISH
Presentation has become an important aspect of a concert today thanks to two factors — media exposure and wider opportunities. Those days, most concerts were held in temples or were aired on the radio. But now, the stage has taken the place of LP records and the radio. So the complete picture is taken into account… the music and the way you present yourself. I choose my sari keeping in mind the backdrop of the stage. I prefer to contrast the sari colour with the backdrop. I shop round the year and whenever and wherever I see something I like, I just pick it up. I invariably go in for yellow or mustard, though black is my favourite. If the sari I choose is grand, I go for simple jewellery, and vice versa. My objective is to look pleasant and elegant on stage.
My repertoire this season will consist of ancient Tamil compositions such as Divya Prabhandam and Thevaram. At a friend’s suggestion, I am planning to present the Melaragamalika of Mahavaidyanatha Sivan for the first time at the Music Academy.
GHATAM KARTHICK
For me, the season lasts for 12 months. The only thing that changes is my mindset as I am an accompanist at times and the main artist at others. Finally, my playing depends on what the main artist sings. Now, for my style statement. Since I am not only projecting my music but also myself on stage, packaging is vital. My earrings are my trademark, so is the panchakacham style of wearing my dhoti, which I began after my wedding. I design my kurtas and get them tailored. Most of them are in bright hues with subtle embroidery or self prints. I have opted for the traditional look and feel it makes a strong statement about my music.
RANJANI-GAYATRI
Learning new kritis, creating our own RTPs and revisiting some forgotten melodies… that’s our agenda this season. We are planning to sing two RTPs which we have never sung before and perhaps, some abhangs. We perform at eight or nine places and Our aim is to infuse energy and freshness in each concert.
Sartorially, we contrast our saris i.e. the border colour of one’s sari will be the body colour of the other’s. And vice versa. So, getting our ‘concert costumes’ ready takes a while, as we need to place special orders. As for colours, while Ranjani goes for rich browns and reds, I (Gayathri) am into shades of green. Delicate jewellery, whether antique or contemporary, is our choice. Sophisticated elegance… that’s what we aim to project.
PRIYA SISTERS
Widening our repertoire is our priority every season. We are learning RTPs and pallavis from our guru T.R. Subramaniam. We are competing with ourselves all the time as it is creatively stimulating. Looking good on and off the stage boosts your confidence and makes you feel happy. That’s our style philosophy. We dress up in identical saris; it is a conscious decision. As we have similar tastes, choosing colours is quite an easy task. We go mainly for rare combinations in pastels and young hues, and choose accessories to suit the saris. What matters is the overall effect. It should appeal to the mind and the senses.
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