Independent music lets me call the shots: Sravana Bhargavi

A career in playback singing can bring recognition through songs written and composed by others, but carving out a musical identity of one’s own is a different journey. For Telugu singer Sravana Bhargavi, hits such as Simhamanti Chinnode and Super Machi mark one chapter, while independent music has opened up a more personal, unfiltered creative space. Following her recent performance in the city on Sunday, where she brought together both sides of her musical journey, she speaks to Hyderabad Times about stumbling into playback singing, finding her voice through independent music and taking charge of every aspect of her work.‘I never imagined I would sing for films’Music was never part of Bhargavi’s career plan. An engineering student who had learnt Carnatic vocal music since Class VII, she entered the industry after her mother encouraged her to audition for the reality show Sapta Swaralu, where she emerged as the first runner-up. Her playback debut came with Kadantana from Boni, composed by Ramana Gogula, but recording for established composers initially left her questioning herself. “Mani Sharma, Keeravani sir, all these people… I used to think, ‘Oh my God, why is he calling me? Why do these people think that I am fit for this role?’ I think it is called imposter syndrome. I had that,” she recalls.Her first major breakthrough came with Simhamanti Chinnode from Simha, composed by the late Chakri. “I think I sang about 10 songs before that. But that song was my first hit. Everybody started talking about it. That was my visiting card at that point.”My independent journey brought out my authentic self. I’m unapologetic. Take it or leave it, How I conceive an idea and translate it into music is in my control‘I’m unapologetic about who I am’If playback singing introduced Bhargavi to a world she had never anticipated, independent music has given her greater creative ownership. From conceiving an idea to deciding how it sounds and translates on screen, she has a say in the entire process. Her independent catalogue includes Fukuyama and Devara (The Thirst Trap), while Atagani Aata gave her an opportunity to work with lyrics by Goreti Venkanna.“Whatever ideas or songs have come out in my independent sector, everything started as a thought in my head. My independent journey brought out my authentic self. I’m unapologetic. I am this. Take it or leave it. That’s it,” she says. “My sound, how I express myself, conceive an idea and translate it into a music video or into the track — all that is in my control. It’s a very nice feeling by the end of it.”‘Playback singing pampered me a lot’Creative independence, however, comes with the responsibility of managing an entire project. “Playback has pampered me a lot, in a way. There’s a music director who will take care. There’s someone doing the composing. There’s a lyricist. Everything is taken care of. But right now, I’m everything. Right from the top-end things to the puny-level things, everything I’m supposed to take care of,” Bhargavi says. That shift has not meant turning away from playback. “I can’t ignore my movie songs just because I’m doing indie, or I can’t ignore indie for commercial songs. So I will be doing both,” she says, signing off.- Sanjana PulugurthaGet the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!