With her debut EP, Blowing Sage, city-based singer Shama Kumar blends together soulful R&B with pop melodies and breezy lyrics
Shama sings during an earlier performance
There is something in the experience of heartbreak that can spark musical inspiration. For singer-songwriter Shama Kumar, it has taken a good part of the last year to crystallise the emotions and distill them into an impressive debut. The Chembur-based singer also has some notable names including Bulli Bainbridge (Zain Calcuttawala) and Siddharth Talwar adding to the production. Yet, Blowing Sage, as the EP is titled, is more than just music. It is healing, she says.
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“Things started falling together last year. I had just returned from Chennai, and approached my friends here. Bulli Bainbridge, Siddharth and I started building on the sounds,” she reveals. The five-track EP was released late last month, and captures an evocative mix of harmonious lyrics and musical complexity.
“The first two tracks [42.8% V/V and Bihoelar] were created some time ago; the other three songs were crafted over the last year. They all emerged through different times of my life when I was still trying to discover my sound,” she reveals. The tracks are juxtaposed wonderfully with a strong influence of R&B and pop melodies to highlight the emotional lyrics. The result of a heartbreak, the EP was the singer’s way of catharsis and accepting herself. The title, Blowing Sage, is a reference to the healing and meditation practice. “R&B is the perfect balance between jazz and pop. It lends itself to the stuff I was creating lyrically,” she remarks. Overall, the production is flawless, and marks the arrival of a singer who knows her sound, and uses it well to tap into the emotional range of the music.
A standout track is Bihoelar with its funky and fun rhythm that pops. “It was fun and written after a fun night out, so it reflects the energy,” she laughs. “The beats always come first. It helps to set a direction to explore,” Shama points out. This comes across in tracks such as EDR and 4U that display sophistication in production
and style.
Growing up in the South Indian community of Chembur, Shama followed the usual route of learning Carnatic music for the first 10 years of her life. “That training set the tone, and continues to help me,” she admits. It was at the True School of Music and later, Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music, where she discovered the current influences of jazz, R&B, and pop that loom heavily on her work.
With the debut EP release, the singer is looking ahead. Two more singles will follow in the coming months. “I am still growing as an artiste; I don’t know how my sound will change in the future. I just hope to have fun,” she signs off.
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