She made news in 2017 by becoming the first Indian musician to receive the prestigious young artiste grant from the London Tarisio Trust. Two years later, violinist Apoorva Krishna had a sudden chance to accompany great guitarist John McLaughlin and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain on the famous Shakti track Lotus Feet at a show in Boston.
Trained in Carnatic music by Lalgudi Srimathi Brahmanandam and Anuradha Sridhar, Apoorva maintains a balance between traditional fare and experimental sound. Her latest album Only Love Is Real has been released by Vedam Records, part of Universal Music. It has collaborations with known musicians like vocalists Vijay Prakash and Varijashree Venugopal, Michael League of the group Snarky Puppy, pianist Aman Mahajan, cellist Aaron Sinclair and multi-instrumentalist Mia Garcia. In an interview, the violinist talks about her new album and her career.
Excerpts from the interview:
How did Only Love Is Real come about?
This album is a deeply personal and raw reflection of my heart. It’s an intimate journey of self-exploration and growth, born from the healing power of music and love. My creativity flows from the experiences I encounter, with each piece acting as a mirror to the love that surrounds me and capturing the deep emotions of my personal journey. This album was born from the realisation that in all moments – of uncertainty, loss, growth, and joy – love remains.
What inspired the title? There is no song by that name on the album.
The title is a profound truth I return to again and again. In every high and low, one thing remains constant – love. This isn’t limited to a single form. It encompasses divine, familial, community, romantic and self-love. The album was born from this powerful realisation.
There are some big collaborations here – Michael League, Vijay Prakash, Aman Mahajan, Aaron Sinclair (who also played on your earlier album Intuition), Mia Garcia. How did these come about?
I am endlessly grateful to the beautiful souls who made this album a true labour of love. The collaborations are a natural extension of the album's concept – a blending of diverse musical voices to capture the deep emotions of my personal journey. For instance, Between The Lines features renowned vocalist Vijay Prakash, Spanish jazz saxophonist Perico Sambeat and Berlin-based harpist Eve Matin. Skyline Drive features Los Angeles-based cellist and producer Aaron Sinclair. Surrender has Grammy Award winner Michael League and Song of the Heart has multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer Mia Garcia. The collaborations brought together a wide range of talent from around the world, of people who accepted my music and gave their touch to it.
Your song Merging Parallels with Varijashree Venugopal is a tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain. You had earlier played it in Intuition. The starting is different. What made you think of the new elements?
This new version of Merging Parallels is a tribute to Zakir Ji. He inspired this reimagined version by asking me to solo over the form and push the boundaries further. It incorporates Carnatic improvisation concepts like raga alapana, thana, neraval and kalpana swara. It features 18 simultaneous tonic and raga/ scale shifts, along with mathematical jathi prayogas and Sanskrit lyrics in the raag Saramathi.
You had earlier recorded the traditional album Thillanas. What difference do you see between recording traditional music and creating new tunes which experiment with sounds?
Unlike a traditional album, which honours and replicates existing forms, the new project is an intimate exploration, blending traditional roots with new, experimental soundscapes. For instance, White is deeply grounded in my traditional roots, inspired by raag Kaanada , while a song like Skyline Drive blends Carnatic violin with western cello to create a new, dreamlike soundscape. This process is about embracing my origins while navigating a whirlwind of feelings and shifting perspective from questions to possibilities.
Let’s talk of your upbringing. What attracted you to the violin, and how did you start learning from Lalgudi Srimathi and Anuradha Sridhar?
I was first drawn to the violin as a child when my parents took me to hear Anuradha Sridhar Ji perform a solo recital at the Livermore Temple in California. My mom says I couldn’t stop pointing at the instrument. I was instantly fascinated. Soon after, at the age of six, I was introduced to Anu Aunty and began lessons, while also having the blessing of learning from her mother, Lalgudi Srimathi Brahmanandam. Their technique and precision have taught me discipline and love for music that continue to guide me today.
How did the appearance on the Shakti song Lotus Feet with guitarist John McLughlin and Ustad Zakir Hussain come about?
It came about in a truly serendipitous and unforgettable way. In November 2019, during my post-master’s fellowship at Berklee College of Music, Boston, Berklee India Exchange organised a special performance to honour Zakir Ji receiving an honorary doctorate. John Ji was also present as guest of honour. At the end of the show, I was unexpectedly invited by the legends themselves to perform Lotus Feet. It was an impromptu moment, but one that became a turning point in my musical journey. The experience was humbling, inspiring, and transformative. It remains one of the most blessed and defining moments of my life.
What was it like collaborating with Shankar Mahadevan on Ragamaya?
Collaborating with Shankar Ji is always an honour. He has been a huge inspiration, and I look up to him with the utmost reverence. He continues to be a constant mentor and guiding presence in my life. Ragamaya is an original composition featuring Shankar Ji that propagates Carnatic music with a contemporary arrangement through the concept of Grahabedam. I have been lucky to perform with such great artistes.
