ALL STRINGS ATTACHED

Music is a language for feelings beyond words. The smile that spreads when someone hums your favourite song, the wandering of eyes when you listen to your favourite singer playing in the vicinity, the lip-sync videos you make for the gram, tapping your hands and feet when the chorus hits just right. Music, without asking, enters and inhabits you.

- SONU M KOTHARI

and the combination of notes makes you react to it. It generally helps you relax and is healthy. And looking at it from the art point of view, leaving science, it is a very beautiful and powerful art form because it attracts everybody.

Senthil sees his music as a means to attract "beautiful people". Hence, he created a community of musicians called On the Streets of Chennai (OTS) in January 2019. Before this, he and his friends played at a few open mics, and the response was always "hard-hitting".

Senthil says, "Inside a cafe, if we can make so many people happy, we just thought we should take it to the streets and then do it for the public, the common man who cannot go to a concert or watch live music."

The jamming journey

Formed as an NGO, OTS works closely with the government, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), and Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). While GCC helps with power supply, CMRL helps with location, such as the Central Metro. Apart from metro stations, the 300-plus members' music community can be spotted at Tower Park, Perambur Park, Pondy Bazaar, Thiruvanmiyur Beach, Palavakkam Beach, and at a few more places in the evenings on weekends.