SOUTHBOROUGH, MA—She is known as nightingale of South India, and has performed all over the world. Although soft-spoken during face-to-face conversations, Bombay Jayashri’s melodic voice pierces through heart when she sings.
Ms. Jayashri, the award-winning vocalist, composer and teacher of Indian classical music was born to a family of five generations of musicians and entered into a life steeped in music. She recalls that although her house was always filled with music, she wishes that she had done more exploring of music.
How does she feel after her concerts, she says: “I certainly feel it is not good enough.”
In a exclusive video interview on Chai With Manju, Ms. Jayashri talks about her musical journey and favorite place to perform. To watch the full interview, please click here or on the video below.
Under her gurus, TR Balamani and Lalgudi Jayaraman, Ms. Jayashri trained in Carnatic music and imbibed the nuances of melody. Jayashri also trained in Hindustani music under Mahavir Jaipurvale and Ajay Pohankar.
She has performed at festivals and concerts in more than 35 countries. Her compositions amalgamate classical Carnatic music with our rich legacy in literature and other art forms. She believes in experimenting and collaborating between different genres and various forms, diving into both World Music, and the music of film soundtracks of India, according to her official bio.
Ms. Jayashri’s experiences with the power of music have motivated her to start Hitham, a foundation which works to share music with autistic children; exploring the therapeutic value of music in the lives of special children. Through Hitham, she facilitates and conducts music classes for children in rural areas of Tamil Nadu.