Vijay Yesudas is among those few voices today that resonates in south, singing in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and – occasionally – in Hindi. After 10 successful years in the music industry, he still yearns to learn and plans to take the legacy of his father, the revered Dr K J Yesudas, to another level.

In spite of relentlessly being compared with his father, he has carved a niche for himself. The multi-lingual singer spoke to us about completing a decade in the music industry, his insatiable quest for music, the varied tastes of listeners, and the unparalled joy of hearing his father hum his songs. 

You have been in the music industry for a decade now. Which has been the high point of your career according to you?

This August I completed 10 years in the industry. I wouldn't celebrate the joy of being here for so long, as a lot is yet to be achieved. As far as a high-point is concerned, in Tamil industry it came with the bunch of hit songs. In the Malayalam music industry, my career got a boost with a beautiful number called ‘Oru Chiri Kandaal’ in 2006 and also the biggest hit of my career came from Malayalam song ‘Kolakuzhal’ from Nnivedyam. This was probably the biggest turning point in my Malayalam career, mainly because until then I was only known in the Tamil arena.

When you look back at musical career, how has the journey been so far?

As my father is a legendary singer of Malayalam music industry, it took everyone by surprise when I was struggling like any ordinary aspirant. Despite my legacy, I had to prove my mettle. But today I’m content knowing that irrespective of the comparisons being made, I am weighed with legendary singers.

Tell us about your first public performance.

I was seven when I made my first stage appearance with my father. I sang a duet called ‘Anbaana Appa ‘ with him, which had originally been sung by my father and a child singer.

Did you anticipate this kind of success when you started out?

I was always a dreamer! I always dreamt of performing on stage and entertaining audiences with my music. Now I’ve started living those dreams, and I can't put in words the joy that I experience when audiences enjoy my performance. There are many more dreams yet to be fulfilled. Success does not stay for long unless you evoke love for your work.

It took seven long years for the Kerala State Film Award to come your way.

Honestly, I don't think there's any time limit to the number of awards one can bag. Although I am extremely happy that I received the state award, the drive to get better is still the same. It's not right to say that the award has made me a star singer with whom every music composer wants to work. I’d recorded much more difficult songs for many music directors before it happened. But I must say that the super-hit song for which I was awarded pinned-up my status as a singer. I couldn't be happier than this and would never say that I don't believe in awards.  

Of late, you have also sung Hindi songs. Was that an attempt to enter the Hindi playback scene or just a one-off thing?

Honestly, my job is to sing irrespective of the language of the song. So far whatever I have achieved did not happen to me overnight; it all happened only when it was destined to. Offers came to me gradually. I got my first break in Hindi with the film Phir Milenge, followed by the movie Chup Chup Ke in which I sang a duet with Shreya Ghoshal composed by Himesh Reshammiya. After that, I also sang for the film Dhol. It was a good experience where I got to polish my Hindi. I keep juggling between Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films anyway. I don't expect the same response from Hindi listeners, nor do I plan to shift to Bollywood anytime soon. But yes, if something comes my way, it’s most welcome.

What newer grounds of music are you looking at exploring in the future?

I have a lot more to learn of Carnatic, Hindustani and even Western Music. I'm now making music with great legends and friends in the industry. I have started my own record label named Diva Rrcords and have started my own entertainment-cum-events company.

You have been singing in varied languages. Do you sense any difference in the taste of the listeners?

Definitely. Just like our diverse culture, there's a lot of difference in the taste of the listeners from varied regions. Tamil listeners are fond of trendy and upbeat songs. Although they love classical melodies, they do appreciate contemporary songs that are rhythmic and hummable. I see a lot of western-influenced music doing well among Telugu and Hindi listeners. Malayalam listeners still love traditional music. Most of the recent hits have been folk, duets and romantic numbers but the basic ingredient is sheer melody. My recent hit number, ‘Annaara Kanna Va’ from the film Bramaram, was well received because of its nostalgic feel.

Is there anything about this industry that disappoints you?

Like any other industry, this too has its share of pros and cons. I'd like to see music industry as an independent entity; it should have its own existence in the form of music videos and albums, than being viewed in association with films. This concept has faired well in Malayalam and Hindi music industry but not in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. It hasn't worked in Tamil mostly because Tamil listeners still listen to music as part of a film. Scenario will certainly change and will bring music directors, lyricists and singers in light. I still don’t lament on this as playback singing has given most accomplished musicians to this industry. 

How was it growing in the shadow of your dad?

His presence is probably the one reason why I'm still striving to get better. I still have a long way to go, as I see my father even today at the age of 69 living with his music every moment. There’s no moment when he isn’t browsing through his music books and practising music. If I could at least do 20 per cent of what he's done, I would definitely call myself an achiever.

What qualities of your father have you inherited in your singing?

I’ve inherited some of his vocal qualities and I consider it a blessing. Though I never tried copying him, people often discern his voice in my singing.

Did you ever attempt singing your father’s songs?

I have sung two re-mixes or rather re-makes of age old classics sung by my father a couple of decades ago. The songs ‘Poomukha Vadilkkal’ and ‘Alliyaambal’ were re-made but the original melody and the soul of the song was untouched, so what I have re-sung is exactly the same melody, but in my voice. The background music was slightly upped to suit the present generation but not to the extent of usual re-mixes. It was appreciated for the fact that it recreated the same age-old magic.

What kind of tips did he give you when you had just stepped into his shoes?

Well in most of our conversations he would talk about the different aspects of music, mostly the depth of Carnatic Music. Despite giving so many years to music, he still maintains that he has not even attained half of what one can in music. And that’s true; there is so much to learn in music that one life is not enough. If somebody of his stature has to say this, it means that we all still have a long way to go. I have also heard from my guru Isaignani Ilaiyaraja about such vastness of music. Hearing these humble thoughts from the great achievers drives me to learn further.

What is keeping you busy these days?

I have recently sung a song called ‘Thai Thindra Manne' for a Tamil film called Aayirathil Oruvan which is due for release. It’s a period song by G V Prakash and is different from what I have sung so far. I have also sung ‘Ilamai Itho Itho’ (Vaanam Pudidu), composed by Vidyasagar. It’s a beautiful melody and certainly one of my favorites among what I've sung in recent times.

What do you do to nurture your voice?

I do have my practice sessions with my masters. I'm currently learning with Mr Krishnakumar in Chennai. I'm also learning from Prof B Ramamoorthy who's taught me for the last five years, and the credit for most of my training, voice flexibility and for my ability to sing in higher octaves goes to him. My first guru is my father, but we hardly interact due to our disparate schedules.

Would you also train your kids in music so that they can continue the legacy?

If they are interested and show it on their own, then definitely I will. My daughter is already showing signs of it and we're glad about it.

Any token of appreciation for your singing that you still treasure?

My father humming my song 'Koovaramkili' from the film Banaras; him singing my songs to amuse his grandchild (my daughter) is more than any token of appreciation for me.