This candid and compelling memoir by Sangita Kalanidhi Sanjay Subrahmanyan offers an intimate, unfiltered look into the life and mind of one of Carnatic music’s most influential contemporary artists. Known for his remarkable mastery, intellectual depth and fearless innovation, Subrahmanyan reflects on his decades-long journey—from childhood lessons to global performances, from strict adherence to tradition to unexpected new explorations, including genres he once believed he would never sing.
With rare honesty, he dismantles romanticised ideas surrounding classical musicians, showing the artist as a real person navigating ambition, livelihood, family and creative curiosity. Written in collaboration with novelist and journalist Krupa Ge, this autobiography offers a vivid, insider’s portrait of the Carnatic music world and the evolving life of one of its most fascinating cult figures.
Sanjay Subrahmanyan is a Chennai-based Carnatic vocalist and a Sangita Kalanidhi awardee, widely recognised for his inventive approach and his ability to seamlessly bridge tradition with contemporary exploration. His recent musical work includes Anbenum Peruveli, an album that experiments with genres such as blues and rock. This book marks his debut as an author.
Krupa Ge is a writer and journalist based in Chennai. She is the author of the novel What We Know About Her (Context, 2021) and the non-fiction work Rivers Remember (Context, 2019).