Varijashree Venugopal on Grammy nomination: 'I could name ragas before I began to speak'

Varijashree Venugopal. PIcs/Instagram

Varijashree Venugopal is often described as the artiste who had the rare ability to identify 40 ragas when she was merely 18 months old. Hailing from a musical family, she recalls being told by her relatives that if she went missing at family gatherings, "it was understood" that she'd be found at the dais, listening to the performing musicians. "In my family, music was appreciated. My father was a banker who also taught music before taking voluntary retirement to pursue it full-time. All the exposure that I had as a kid helped me become the artiste I am. I am told that before I began to speak, I could name ragas. So, my parents realised that I was retaining this information, and gave me the right [education] at the right time. I was blessed to be given the opportunity and the tools [to flourish]," says Venugopal, who, after having spent 30 years pursuing music, has earned a Grammy nomination at the upcoming 2025 gala for having rendered Jacob Collier's A rock somewhere, along with Anoushka Shankar.

It was owing to a chance occurrence that the track, which has been nominated for the Best Global Music Performance, came her way. Having been ‘Instagram friends' with Collier, Venugopal describes the English producer, 30, as one of the "most brilliant, wild, and talented geniuses" she has come across. "I was extremely fascinated by the uniquely different things he does with his music. We had been in touch on Instagram, and, one day, he asked if I would sing this song that is part of his album, because he imagined my voice, and believed I would be perfect for it. Of course, I was extremely happy to record the song, and did so remotely in Bengaluru. If you listen to the entire album, this song stands out owing to its sonic platter. [Multiple sounds] come together; it involves Indian [instruments] like the sitar, which has been showcased in a modern [avatar]. The rest of the songs have different flavours. Perhaps that is why this one stands out - due to the uniqueness of the treatment given to the music."

(From left) Indian musicians Ricky Kej, Radhika Vekaria, and Chandrika Tandon have also earned Grammy nominations this year

Her advice to young musicians who wish to replicate her success is to "be original". "I'm not referring to a genre. Anything that's original and cannot be found anywhere else will definitely be noticed. It may or may not be liked by everyone, but it will be noticed. And that's where I come from too. My roots are in Carnatic music, and that's what made me who I am. [I've achieved success] not just as a Carnatic performer. Whatever I do beyond this genre, including my cross-cultural collaborations, are things I have been able to take ahead owing to this training. I am on a journey in which I am figuring out new things daily. I am trying to identify the different things I can do as an artiste, and present them in unique ways using new methods and skills. What is appreciated is [the effort put in by] an artiste to build something beautiful out of the tools we already have."

The format, she says, has helped her apply the fundamentals of Indian singing to global music. "Not only does this make the music stand out, but it also teaches me ways to write my own music. I am using these beautiful Indian ragas to write tunes that are different from the ones you traditionally hear."

Apart from Venugopal, other Indian artistes who will compete for titles at the 67th edition of the awards night are Ricky Kej (for Vedam Record's Break of Dawn), Anoushka Shankar, who has been nominated in two categories, Radhika Vekaria (for Warriors of Light), and Chandrika Tandon (for Triveni).