WELCOME TO CHENNAI
The year is edging towards 1990. The sea-kissed breeze makes its way across the sultry city, while the summer sun reveals itself in all its glory to the citizens below.
And somewhere within this metropolis, a young girl watches as her father makes his way across the room, positions himself as he cradles a Veena, and with one graceful move of the finger plucks a string.
And the young girl watches and listens, transfixed and mesmerized.
The spell has been cast.
A SPARK
Born into a family of musicians, Sahana grew up viewing the world through Raag and the
mesmeric strings of her father’s Veena. Her uncles were behind the pioneering 70s rock band
Human Bondage and she was no stranger to impromptu music and singing sessions at home.
And she was content playing the part of the willing audience, dabbling in the role of performer
on those rare occasions when the stars aligned. Sahana’s love and appreciation for music and
life is as much cerebral as it is spiritual. Her curiosity and exploration of the human mind led her
down the path of psychology and she eventually found her way to Seattle.
A REVELATION
Traversing the Seattle landscape of art and music, she found herself exploring new dimensions of her own music repertoire. She found herself singing in her spare time, eventually leading to the birth of Treble City - a band she started with a group of like-minded friends.
Over the next few years, Treble City performed at Seattle’s coffee shops and bars as a part of the city’s thriving music scene. It was during this time that she first got a taste for another world of music, one that, like her, began its journey from India. Sahana quickly fell in love with Hindustani music, and it wasn’t long before she was studying under Shree. Arijit Mahalanabis.
Arijitda nurtured Sahana’s love for Hindustani music and introduced her to current guru Vidushi Aditi Kaikini Upadhya, or Tai, as she is fondly referred to as by Sahana.
Sahana’s formal foray into Hindustani music continues to this day. In the last few years she has used the time to perform concerts across Seattle, Chennai and Bangalore, accompanying her guru during performances and music workshops.
A BIRTH
Sahana began collaborating with friends and family to put her own spin on covers, a process that planted the seed that the singer and performer could now be a creator. In 2019, the birth of her daughter led to the birth of something else - an idea. Of this time, Sahana says - “I was so overcome with these powerful feelings of love for my daughter that I was inspired to channel some of that energy into creating an album of my own.” And so Sahana’s upcoming debut EP “Shore Out of Reach” was born.
The spell that had been cast all those years ago continues to weave its magic. Only, this time, it is Sahana Naresh who is casting it.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES
Sahana grew up listening to an eclectic array of music genres thanks to her parents - Carnatic music intertwined with 70’s rock and roll influences like The Beatles. Her cousin Keshav, a talented artist and producer, introduced her to artists such as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and Phoenix, adding more layers to her musical canon. She fell in love with these artists for their energetic sound and versatile vocals - ranging from crazy falsettos to effortless laid-back singing. As she started discovering artists on her own, she fell in love with musicians such as Feist for her whimsical, free spirited music, Norah Jones for her elegance and soulfulness, and Jack Johnson for his meaningful music, percussive style and his ability to foster a sense of togetherness while giving back to the community.