Mojo Projects gave me a chance to interview Rahul Nambiar is an Indian playback singer and live performer. An MBA and M.Com-graduate, he won the Swapthaswarangal show in 2001 and began singing live.
He later ventured into playback singing, performing for many leading South Indian film composers in various languages, while also launching an independent band named Rahlaap with bass player Aalap Raju.
Rahul has performed more than 400 live shows around India and abroad, and over 350 songs for films, most prominent ones being Mani Sharma's "Vasantha Mullai" (Pokkiri), Yuvan Shankar Raja's "Adada Mazhada" (Paiyaa) which fetched him his first Filmfare nomination for the Best Male Playback Singer Award.
In 2012, he won his first Filmfare award in the Best Male Playback Singer Award category for Thaman's "Guruvaram" song (Dookudu).
1. What success means to you?
Something different in every field of your life. You think when you're a kid that if you fetch the ball that is just lying there, that is a success. I think it is a goal post that keeps shifting.
I won't call something a success at every point of my life. Right now for me, success would mean performing a good concert tomorrow and that's is a success when people like it.
I take it in smaller goals or in shorter goals rather than a huge point where I would say, "Okay you know what, now I am successful." So I am never successful.
I would probably succeed in doing something but I am never successful. If I am successful I am going to sit back and relax.
2. When was your major downfall while going through this beautiful journey?
In 2001, when I won the Saptha Swaranggal and I thought I stand somewhere. I was always sceptical because I barely learned music for a year of Carnatic. I thought I stand nowhere but then I won the competition.
Those days the singing competition was not about reality, it was about singing. I thought I stand somewhere but then a few months down the line I started performing. That's how we enter the industry, right?
I started singing harmonies and Chorus. I saw so many amazing singers who are much more talented people than me who were struggling.
So that's when I told myself, "You know what, this is not the right time or probably this is not the right industry that I should be in ." I went back doing MCom and MBA. and started working and bla.. bla.. blah.
I would say that was the point where I took the backseat and thought, "This industry is not for me." So I took a break about 5 to 6 years till I came back again because there was no way music was going to leave me.
Of course, all of these musicians are different and we express differently. Just like how we express anything like anger or love. So each of us expresses even music differently.
What music is to me is probably is the same to somebody but how we express is different. So there was no point where I said, "Okay, you know what, I am done with music."
I don't think I will ever be done with music. I hope not because it is an amazing energy to have.
So it was about the lifestyle choice rather than something that I really wanted. I was always passionate about music.
3. What is your biggest achievement by far personally?
Every moment of my life is an achievement. Any given moment beyond this I might be disabled to do something that I want to do or I might not have the ability or I might have so many things coming in between what I really want to achieve.
So, every moment is an achievement. Life is all about that. A lot of us think those bigger things are the biggest achievements. Actually, the smallest things are the biggest achievement. That's how I think.
By the way, this is not something that I have thought all these years. I was thinking differently in every phase of my life but I like the phase that I am now. I figured things out over the years.
4. What is the one quote that you hold on to fondly?
Well, I am not a guy who reads books. I hate reading books but I am well read. I know that I am contradicting but I love to gather knowledge whether it is speaking to people or by online or on youtube.
So, I don't go by quotes because I think life itself is so random and so varied that no one quote is enough to hold on to.
Probably, one quote that can summarize everything is question everything and even if you get an answer you sort of end up with a question again. It's as random as that.
Life has so many permutations. Its how you summarize anything.
Rahul Nambiar performed on 5th May 2018 along with Aalaap Raju and the band, Saindhavi, and Ranjith. It was a massive success with a full house crowd for Madras An 80's Musical.
If you're interested to go for the other concerts by MOJO Projects then feel free to use my code (Codename: mojo10, Code ID: mojocb10) to get 5% off for the season pass and 10% off for the individual pass!
If you're interested to go for the other concerts by MOJO Projects then feel free to use my code (Codename: mojo10, Code ID: mojocb10) to get 5% off for the season pass and 10% off for the individual pass!
#MILFF2018
“Malaysian Independent Live Fusion Festival” is the premier Malaysian Indian music festival since 2016, which is brought to you by Mojo Projects Sdn Bhd, a company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This event brings together many Indian international performers to Malaysia drawing in large numbers of the audience from across Malaysia and abroad. This event has been endorsed by the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism and Culture since it’s inception.
This event focuses on independent, live and fusion music namely from independent bands and film playback singers and even music directors.
This year they present the MOJO Concert Series with 3 concerts in total.
Comprising of 3 themed concerts and the Main Stage event.
This event brings together many Indian international performers to Malaysia drawing in large numbers of the audience from across Malaysia and abroad. This event has been endorsed by the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism and Culture since it’s inception.
This event focuses on independent, live and fusion music namely from independent bands and film playback singers and even music directors.
This year they present the MOJO Concert Series with 3 concerts in total.
Comprising of 3 themed concerts and the Main Stage event.
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| Triple Treat - A Battle of the Bands | 9th June | 6pm-1130pm Hotel Istana KL |
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| Rahman Retro - A Tribute | 7th July | 6pm – 11pm Hotel Istana KL |
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| The Mainstage - #MILFF2018 | 8 Sept 2018 6pm -12am | Bukit Kiara Indoor Arena |
If you're interested to go for the other concerts by MOJO Projects then feel free to use my code (Codename: mojo10, Code ID: mojocb10) to get 5% off for the season pass and 10% off for the individual pass!
Watch the video here:
Watch the video here:
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