Quotes from Shankar Mahadevan

You can't run away from the fact that you cannot ignore hard work.

I have always been fascinated by Krishna, the Indian deity.

Being from a middle-class Indian family, I learned Carnatic music.

I don't think you can have a calculated approach towards learning music.

Besides training, you need to be focused and not shy away from hard work.

There can be inhibitions, but there are millions of people who like to sing.

I want to sing of humanity, friendship, what's happening to the Earth and the like.

Chinmaya Mission has been a very strong part of my life since childhood. I have been associated with Chinmaya Mission since primary school days, where I was part of group singing and bhajans in the Bal Vihar classes.

You can't put a show in a boring format to young kids. They need to relate to it.

Travel is always connected to music, as with travel, we explore the world, and by listening music, we explore ourselves.

It's hectic at times, but this is what any artiste wants: a hectic life with lot of travelling, performances, lots of love from fans, the opportunity to compose songs back-to-back, and a chance to share the stage with maestros like Zakir Hussain.

Music industry is like fashion. Things keep coming, things keep going, trends keep changing.

It is so important to have the cushioning of humour in one's life for a smooth run.

There are two kinds of music: good music and bad music. Both are and will continue to co-exist.

In movies, the composers and decision makers are different, so we don't come across classical songs often in films due to lack of interest. The decision makers are non-musical people, so one doesn't get to hear more classical songs in films.

Folk music has been our popular music... There is a myth that youngsters only like heavy metal or rock music, but that's not true.

When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours. There is no story situation forced on to your songs - you have the freedom to develop it right from the concept.

As responsible artists, it's our duty to let the youth know the importance of devotional music.

I have tried to show the influence of folk music in Bollywood, in Tamil movies, in Telugu cinema.

It is when you adapt that you truly grow. When you grow, you don't let your art become the breeding ground for inadequacies.

People like me in the entertainment industry can contribute to social change through our work.

Music is so abstract; it is a combination of words and melody.

I share a lovely relationship with Javed Saab. I understand his method of working.

'Breathless' was an important milestone in my life.