Check Out Sumitra Nanjundan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sumitra Nanjundan

Hi Sumitra, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Born in New York to South Indian parents, I spent my upbringing living in Vienna, studying in the UK/US and spending every other summer in India. As an adult, I returned to Vienna and lived there for almost 20 years until I relocated to Los Angeles in 2004.

I cannot recall a time when I wasn’t singing. When I was 5, I began my piano studies, and classical piano would remain my primary focus for a long time.

It was during my years at boarding school in England, that I started to write songs. They were just for me, they provided a safe space and helped me to make sense of the often confusing, volatile world I lived in, torn between two cultures, trying to create my own, third culture.

I never imagined then that music could be a career, a way of life, my possible future. I came from a culture and grew up in a society where becoming a musician was, at best, a hobby. So I took the safe route — the acceptable and right thing to do in my 17-year-old-mind — which is how I landed at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, majoring in Economics/Business Administration.

After 2 years, realising that this could not be my chosen path, I returned to Vienna and audited classes at the Vienna Academy of Music. It was during this time that I also joined my first band as a writer and lead singer.

From then on, with many twists and turns along the way, music remained the centre of my life.
I was eventually able to make a living as a performing singer and songwriter, recording artist and educator …

… and at one of many rehearsals, I met my life and musical partner, guitarist Alex Machacek – and moved with him to Los Angeles in 2004.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being an independent artist often means you have to wear many hats – in my case: singer, songwriter, pianist, educator.

I consider myself lucky to have been able to maintain a sustainable livelihood for so many years in the field of music.

That said, there have been many ups and downs, struggles and challenges along the way, especially since the pandemic/Covid 2019.

Like so many other artists, I had just released a new album (“Bittersweet”, with Brian Blade, Carlitos del Puerto and Alex Machacek, who also produced the album). At the time, this was the ‘album of a lifetime’ for me. I was beginning to plan and book live gigs when we went into lockdown. Of course, we all pivoted and adjusted, found new ways to build and re-build our livelihoods. But it felt like that album was ‘done’ before it had been given a chance to breathe – and I slowly began to feel like I was ‘done’, too.

Every setback is always an opportunity for growth, exploration and expansion. Coming out of what felt like a dead-end (post-pandemic) made me realise that there was so much more I still wanted to learn and discover. So I went back to college and got my Masters in Songwriting. I gave myself a chance to hone my craft, deepen my understanding and further develop my skills as a songwriter and musician. The program gave me a new lease on life, purpose and possibility. What I hadn’t expected at all: I met many wonderful people, made new friends in the process and was reminded of the value and the beauty of community.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Sharing my music and stories is about connecting to my most authentic self and others. It is about cultivating a sense of belonging, and the courage to be whoever we choose to be. I open my space and invite my listeners into my world; they are part of a collective process and experience.

I am an independent, multi-dimensional artist. I have co-produced and released 4 albums and 2EPs as a leader/solo artist, and been involved in numerous other live and studio productions as a singer, writer, educator and coach (in Europe, the U.S. and India).

I have always sought out people who inspire me to do and be better. My ‘school’, my music education has been all about learning from my cumulative experience. My greatest teachers have been the exceptional musicians, artists, all the creative minds I get to work with and, my community.

What I love most about my work is the generative process, from conception to completion:
Planting tiny seeds that grow into ideas, stories, song sections, writes and re-writes, searching for the right sonic design to support the lyric, collaborating with other beautiful minds, staying up all night (and hoping our espresso machine doesn’t break down!) …

What I am most proud of, every single time, is completion. Completion – and the privilege of sharing my work with the world.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Some of my favourite books (there are so many) :

The Creative Act: A Way Of Being – Rick Rubin
Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words – David Whyte
The Memory of Running – Ron McLarty
The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere – Pico Iyer
The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth – Victor Wooten

Podcasts:

On Being – Krista Tippett
How We Live Now – Katherine May
Huberman Lab – Andrew Huberman

Apps:

Drum Genius
Logic Pro
MuseScore
Canva

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sumitra-music.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sumitramusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sumitramusic
• Other: https://sumitra.bandcamp.com/music

Image Credits
Michelle Shiers Photography: http://michelleshiersphotography.com/
Heiko Noack
Artwork: Sophie Kipner: https://www.sophiekipner.com/
Design: Irene Silva: https://www.instagram.com/ireneagram/