Here’s Edition 2 of Kaleidoculture Magazine’s top 5 favourite artists that you should definitely check out!
- Chaandni RMW: I am a playback singer and a performing artiste. I have been singing since the age of 4 and have taken professional training in music from Shri Gautam Mukherjee since the age of 7. I sang the Star Plus Theme Song Rishta Wahi, Baat Nayi composed by Ram Sampath and made my bollywood debut as a co-singer for the song ‘Laila Main Laila‘ from Raees. I have also been a part of MTV Coke Studio Season 4 and MTV Unplugged. I performed at the Indian Sports Honours 2019 and am the female lead and voice of Sania Mirza in the rendition of the Indian National Anthem featuring Indian Sports Heroes. I was recently announced as the winner of #SonuCoverChallenge by singer Sonu Nigam for his online cover contest in October, 2020. I have also given my voice to numerous commercials and digital advertisements. I have worked with various composers from the Indian Music Industry and have performed live for the Indian Army at the Army Day Function in Jalandhar. My other live performances include various private and public venues in Sydney (Australia), Chennai, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
- Sudharshan Shankaran: I am Sudharshan Shankaran. I am 17 years old and I am studying in Saraswati Vidyalaya, Vadapalani. I’ve been learning carnatic music for the past 6 years from Smt. Ramya Navaneeth. I also studied a bit of western music at ARR’s KMMC for two years. I was the Winner of the Oothukaadu Venkata Iyer music competition, 2018 and received special recognition from KMMC for being the youngest violinist in the orchestra. In addition, I have received several prizes at cultural events and was also featured in the Times of India for getting special recognition as an instrumentalist. I also perform as a part of a band called Maadified.
- Jyothsna Akilan: I have been learning Bharatanatyam from Guru. Smt. Anitha Guha for the past 12 years. I have also been trained in Carnatic music by many reputed Gurus for almost 10 years. I was awarded the Visalakshi Chellam Iyer Memorial Award for her Excellence in the Arts by my school, the Bharat Kalachar Scholarship for both carnatic vocal and bharatanatyam as well as the CCRT Scholarship (instituted by the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India) for Bharatanatyam since 2013, among others. After my arangetram in 2013, I have been part of group productions and performed solos in India and abroad and am currently pursuing a degree in Arts Management at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore.
- Sumeet Mohanty: I am a movement practitioner and my practices involve yoga, martial art, street art forms, ballet, contemporary, and somatic and healing practices. I have worked with international artists and choreographers and have also created my own work. I recently created two pieces – Sunyata A Solo Journey (2018) and Sunyata in Samasana (2019). I believe in open and experimental creation where we can involve different kinds of practices to take creative processes to a different dimension, and where everyone can have their voices heard in a healthy way. This is my ongoing journey as a performer and choreographer, but I have spent a major part of my life as a dance/social educator. I believe movement art can reform the lacking part of society and is powerful enough to bring changes. I teach various age groups but mostly I invest my teaching time with kids as they are the base of any community. I named the accumulation of my practices as FLOMENTUM. It has its own different dimensions which are evolving with time and space. As an artist, my art helps me to grow and helps me to come out of my darkness and evolve to be a better human for myself and the community.
- Thea Mathias: I’ve always been known as the creative and competitive kid. From a young age I have been fascinated to learn more. I felt the need to try everything I saw. My father enrolled me in various classes from music to art. I was excited to learn more. This curiosity would lead me to discover my true passion – the drums. I hadn’t thought much of the instrument before, but once I got a taste for it, there was no going back! I felt instantly connected to the instrument as though it was made for me. Since then, I’ve been playing for various battles and also performing solo for a few events. Every time I play, I’m at my happiest! As ironic as it sounds, playing the drums calms me. It’s been 4 years now and I still get excited to play and get better. There’s a long way to go but I’m working on mastering the instrument and playing for huge crowds some day!
