First Person: Sid Sriram’s Five Favourite Songs

Singer and composer Sid Sriram is known for his melodious voice in songs such as 'Ennodu Nee Irunthaal' from I (2015), and 'Thalli Pogathey' from Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada (2016). Here, he speaks about the five songs he loves. 

Pudhu Vellai Mazhai from Roja (1992)

This song has had an incredible influence on my singing and my production style. The melody is obviously beautiful, but the bass (hums), as soon as that comes in, that really grabbed me. Another melody that grasped me the first time I heard it was the "Nathiyae neeyaanaal karai naanae".

Meenakshi Me Mudham: Muthuswamy Dikshitar kriti  in Poorvikalyani 

Apparently, this is the song he wrote as he was leaving this body and moving on. And you can feel that energy in it, it's very sombre and there's depth. There's a line in the Anu Pallavi "mInalOcani pAshamOcani mAnini kadambavanavAsini", that one bit is one of my favourite melodic moments in any composition.

Nee Partha Paarvai from Hey Ram (2000)

This Raja Sir composition is just beautiful and I love the song. And when I need to calm down, I listen to it. 

https://youtu.be/Yk3zJtgUGVY

Kannathil Muthamittal from Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)

The lines "Oru deivam thandhe poove" and that beginning portion (humming)… I remember the first time I heard that, I was visiting Chennai for my December or summer holidays. I remember watching the music video on TV, with the child running on the beach and that song, and it did something to me, the way so many of AR (Rahman) Sir's songs have done.

House of Cards from In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007)

Something about Thom Yorke's voice is very emotionally riveting and that song especially, everything from the lyrics and the melody to the production. Sometimes, I sing that just with my tambura, and it feels special.