Today we’d like to introduce you to Krishna Raman.
Hi Krishna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised on the East Coast in New Jersey, where I had a very musical childhood. My father would improvise songs all the time, my mother was a classically trained Bharatanatyam dancer, and both of my older brothers also partook in music to varying degrees. I sang in choir, played violin in orchestra, and also took lessons in Indian classical singing. When I entered high school, I came out as gay and was lucky to have a very accepting and supportive community of family and friends. As I went through high school, I also spent all my Saturdays at a nearby music conservatory taking lessons and music classes. By the time I reached my junior year, I was sure that I wanted to pursue a professional career in music. After completing my bachelor’s in Vocal Performance at Carnegie Mellon University, the pandemic hit and halted all of my momentum. Suddenly, I had no opportunities to do what I had been training to do for the past four years. It really made me question whether or not I wanted to continue down this path. However, after taking a gap year at home, I moved out here to LA in order to get my master’s in Vocal Arts at USC. Now that I’ve graduated, I’m enjoying the new freedom I have, as well as figuring out what my next steps are to create the life and career I dream of. I’m thankful to have had opportunities around the city to gig around in the meantime and hope to continue to get more involved in the wonderful LA arts scene.
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?
While I certainly consider myself very fortunate, life hasn’t always been smooth. I, like many others, have struggled with issues such as low self-esteem, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, pursuing an arts career has presented its own unique challenges. My life isn’t progressing at the same pace or in the same ways as many other people my age, and it’s taken time to be at peace with that. I’ve also had to spend time coming to terms with my identity as a queer Indian American man and how I fit into a field where I’m a major minority. Today, I am proud of my identity and the unique things I can offer and am very grateful for all the love and support I have in my life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a freelance musician with a background in classical voice/opera. Within classical music, my specific interests include art song, oratorio and concert work, early music, ensemble singing, and contemporary music. I also teach voice lessons to primarily clients above the age of 18. I really value being versatile enough to sing in different styles and the unique background I have due to my Indian classical roots. Some of my special traits are my strong musicianship and reliability, my empathy and communication skills, as well as my unique vocal timbre as a tenor.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people probably don’t know that I used to play violin and currently own a mandolin. Also, I prefer to listen to pop music and genres other than classical music in my free time. Apart from music, a fact most people wouldn’t know about me is that I’m currently teaching myself how to sew so that I can one day make my own clothes.
Pricing:
- Voice Lessons
- $80/hour
- Virtual or Live
Contact Info:
- Website: Krishnaramantenor.com
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@KrishnaRaman8?si=AsN3-RtUVxdGyPv4
