On That Note

This globally renowned Carnatic classical vocalist has been nominated for the prestigious JUNO Awards this year

- IRAM ARA IBRAHIM

At 11, Sandeep Narayan took a flight from California to Chennai to learn Carnatic music. Such a decision was unheard of in the 90s. To explore his roots, Narayan left the lure of the West behind, and simply let music guide him home.

"I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I started learning music from my mother, Shubha Narayan. When I turned 11, my parents decided I should learn from a senior artiste in India, and I took a temporary break from school to move to Chennai and learnt from KS Krishnamurthy," Narayan says.

That temporary break became three years, during that time Narayan learnt music from Krishnamurthy, which piqued his interest in Carnatic music.

"After my guru passed away in 1999, I turned to his senior disciple Sanjay Subrahmanyan for a good 15 years or so. Because of my move to Chennai at 11 and subsequent visits during my high school and college years, the permanent move in 2006 was an easier transition," says Narayan.