From salesman to songbird: Ajay Warriar's journey Th rough 24K melodies

S Shyam Prasad | NT

Bengaluru: At the stroke of midnight during a New Year's Eve concert, Ajay Warriar experienced a transformative moment that would alter the course of his life.

He made the lifechanging decision to abandon his career as a salesman and embrace his true passion for singing.

Little did he know that this impulsive choice would set him on a remarkable journey spanning more than two decades.

Now, with over 24,000 recorded songs in 17 different languages, Ajay finds himself standing at the intersection of his dreams and reality.

His musical voyage has taken him far beyond Bengaluru, resonating across the globe as he becomes one of the most sought-after singers in Indian diaspora concerts.

He shares the details of this fascinating expedition in a tête-à-tête with S Shyam Prasad.

Q. You were working abroad before transitioning to a singer. Can you share more about that phase of your life?

A. I was employed as a salesman in Kuwait. During my annual holiday of 28 days back in India, I used to record devotional albums.

I would distribute a few cassette tapes among friends, while the majority remained stored away.

The turning point came when the renowned singer LR Eshwari was in Kuwait, and there was a need for a male singer. Someone suggested my name, and it led to a pivotal moment in my musical journey.

On one of my visits to Bengaluru, music composer V Manohar confronted me about locking away my cassettes and wasting money.

His encouragement ignited the idea of becoming a professional singer.

The decisive moment occurred on the stage during a New Year's Eve program in Bengaluru when, at the age of 29, I decided to resign from my job and follow my passion.

With support from V Manohar and Praveen D Rao, I began my journey, and the first song I sang was for Daddy No.1.

Q. How did your parents react to your decision to pursue a career in singing?

A. While my friends expressed skepticism, my parents, especially my father, who was my initial music teacher, were thrilled.

Despite being unable to fulfill their dream of becoming singers, they wholeheartedly encouraged my pursuit. The immense power that comes from having your family's support is indescribable.

Q. Can you reflect on the transformation from a salesman to a professional singer?

A. Bengaluru, with its inclination towards devotional songs, became a significant market for me.

Six years ago, during the show Ede Tumbi Haaduvenu, SP Balasubramaniyam sir expressed surprise at the number of songs I had sung.

This journey, spanning 23 years with 24,000 songs in 17 languages, has been an incredible ride. Around 220 are film songs, and the majority, at least 80 percent, are devotional.

The rest include songs for dance ballets, classical dances, tele-serial title tracks, and private albums.

Q. Where did you receive your musical education?

A. My first teacher was my father. I also trained under Vidhwan S Shankar Vidhwan in Bengaluru and TV Gopalakrishna (TVG) in Chennai.

Q. Your repertoire includes a significant number of devotional songs. Why do you have relatively few fi lm songs?

A. While many composers in the southern film industries know me, I am often associated with devotional albums. Consequently, I tend to get opportunities to sing pathos songs in films.

One of my most popular film songs is "Jum Jum Maya" from Veera Madakari. Unfortunately, some people mistakenly believe that Sudeep sir sang that song himself.

I'm grateful to Bharat Jain for giving me the chance to sing it. I'm still awaiting that one big break to make a substantial impact in films.

Q. Concerts seem to play a signifi cant role in your career.

A. In the past month alone, I have performed on three continents, including a US Cardiologist Meet in Philadelphia, events organized by Kannada organizations in the US, concerts in Norway, Paris for academic music in Europe, and for the Kenya Kannada Sangha.

Over the last two years, I have successfully secured numerous international concerts in my name.

Q. Tell us about your band, The Chakraphonics Band.

A. The Chakraphonics Band, comprising Praveen D Rao, Pramath Kiran, Varijashree Venugopal, and myself, continues to thrive.

While it's becoming