Much like how a well-known scent can transport us to distant instances and locations, music holds the exceptional functionality to unlock a treasure trove of non-public reminiscences. This enchanting relationship between music and reminiscence types the muse for Six Years in India, a particular and private musical challenge of Anna Bychkova Nair, a Western classical singer and voice-over artist who was born in Odessa, Ukraine (whereas it was a part of USSR), who grew up in St Petersburg, Russia, and now resides in Thiruvananthapuram.
A pupil of the famend Bulgarian opera singer Alexandrina Milcheva, Anna skilfully interprets six fastidiously chosen Indian songs in Six Years in India. These renditions, infused with a contact of her Western classical fashion, function vessels to unveil chapters from her exceptional journey—a journey of falling in love with India and an Indian, and subsequently, residing in 4 completely different cities throughout three Indian states, all inside six transformative years.
Anna was born right into a household deeply rooted in music. Her great-grandmother, amidst picturesque landscapes close to their house, would sing light lullabies to her whereas cradling her in her arms. Her mom’s training in a music college additional cemented this familial connection. This musical heritage prolonged past Anna’s quick household, as lots of her kin continued the custom, working as skilled musicians in orchestras throughout Europe.
Anna’s early years have been marked by watching her mom play the piano, and he or she recollects, “I used to sing quite a bit, and to maintain me quiet throughout our walks, my dad and mom would supply me snacks.” Her mom, nonetheless, was involved about whether or not she ought to pursue an expert profession in music.
However, by the age of seven, Anna’s fingers delicately danced throughout piano keys, and her voice started weaving its melodies. This deep connection between Anna and music flourished as her household relocated from the port metropolis of Novorossiysk to St Petersburg. Her formal musical training thrived in St Petersburg, the place she enrolled in St Petersburg Youngsters’s Music Faculty No. 11, affiliated to the Philharmonic Society of St Petersburg. Her dad and mom ensured she obtained a complete musical training, and he or she excelled in piano taking part in whereas her voice developed underneath the steerage of devoted instructors.
The varsity launched Anna to a various musical world, the place she sang with a choir, travelled throughout Europe, and embraced numerous languages and cultures. This publicity broadened her horizons, fueling her ardour to share her voice with the world. A big turning level got here when she participated within the worldwide youth music competitors ‘Hopes, Abilities, Masters’ in Bulgaria on the age of 15. It was there that she crossed paths along with her instructor, Alexandrina Milcheva, an encounter that might profoundly change her life.
Anna’s musical journey took a major flip when she grew to become a pupil underneath Milcheva’s steerage. Nonetheless, as an alternative of enrolling in a music conservatory, Milcheva inspired her to pursue another tutorial path whereas persevering with her musical training. Anna selected to review language at St Petersburg State College, situated close to her music college. Her tutorial focus shifted to English language and literature, delving into phonetics, literature, and tradition. This selection unexpectedly unveiled India’s historic ties with Britain, sparking Anna’s fascination with the nation.
Indian tradition continued to intersect with Anna’s life by means of interactions with Indian alternate college students, her work as an interpreter for Indian-origin medical doctors from the UK, and her father’s admiration for Indian delicacies from his time in London. In 2012, Anna’s life took a romantic flip when she met Nair (full identify withheld on request), an Indian, in St Petersburg throughout his project as a part of an Indian delegation of engineers. Being a linguist, Anna labored together with his as an interpreter. Love blossomed in St Petersburg, as Nair launched Anna to numerous points of Indian tradition, together with milk tea, Shah Rukh Khan, and the long-lasting tune Chaiyya Chaiyya from the movie Dil Se. The reminiscences from these lovely days in St Petersburg are vividly mirrored in her rendition of Chaiyya Chaiyya, the primary tune in her Six Years in India collection.
The couple believed they have been destined for one another, but the trail to marriage wasn’t easy. By the tip of 2014, each households agreed to their union, however due to sure skilled commitments of Nair, the wedding occurred solely in November 2016.
Throughout these three years resulting in the wedding, Anna immersed herself in Indian tradition at St Petersburg. She began studying Hindi, explored the fundamentals of Bharatanatyam, and mastered the artwork of chanting the Gayatri mantra. She attended lectures on Indian tradition on the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and was drawn to the philosophical concepts of Buddhism and Jainism. Anna additionally extensively explored Indian delicacies by visiting nearly each Indian restaurant in her metropolis and studying to prepare dinner Indian meals.
Anna’s want to know India deeply is mirrored in her rendition of the profound tune O Ri Chiraiya from the Satyamev Jayate TV collection hosted by Aamir Khan, which she selected because the second tune in her challenge. This tune, with its confessional tone addressing injustices towards women and girls, grew to become considered one of Anna’s favourites. “I actually admired {that a} star like Aamir Khan determined to speak about social points overtly,” says Anna. “I felt like as an alternative of studying what others are saying about India, at the very least it has extra worth and credibility as a result of an Indian talks concerning the points overtly.”
The third tune within the collection is Anuragathin Velayil, a Malayalam romantic tune featured within the 2012 film Thattathin Marayathu. Its significance lies in the truth that it is in Nair’s mom tongue, making it a private favorite, and it was launched the identical yr the couple met. In the meantime, the fourth tune, Lag Ja Gale, marks Anna’s first efficiency of a Hindi tune. She deeply linked with the tune’s theme of longing, reflecting on her personal experiences. Lyrics like Shayad Phir Iss Janam Mein, Mulaqat Ho Na Ho (On this life, we could or could by no means meet once more) resonated along with her, however future introduced her along with Nair.
Submit-marriage, when Anna and Nair began residing in India, a realisation hit her because the couple shifted from one metropolis to a different: there exist many alternative variations of India. Mumbai was the couple’s first metropolis of dwelling. In Mumbai, Anna discovered a variety of connections through music, particularly by means of the Mehli Mehta Music Basis, a not-for-profit group that promotes Western classical music. Nonetheless, a shift to Kochi offered a definite tradition that left her questioning her sense of belonging. She says: “Whenever you transfer to a spot, first you’ve got euphoria after which there shall be a second stage the place you are feeling like, do I belong right here? In order that was an enormous query mark. I could not discover the various alternatives that I had in Mumbai. And I began running a blog extra. I began writing extra. However I obtained barely confused at that time of time [thinking whether she could continue with opera singing].”
Anna initially struggled to adapt to Kochi, feeling she wasn’t making sufficient effort to regulate to the brand new surroundings. Nonetheless, an India-born good friend who had moved from Mumbai to Kochi shared comparable challenges, which prompted Anna to be extra forgiving of herself. In Six Years in India, Anna acknowledges her journey of studying and adapting to the varied cultures in India. This acceptance of the completely different cultures will be seen in her fifth tune of selection, Mere Rashke Qamar, a Nusrat and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan tune featured within the 2017 movie, Baadshaho, set in Rajasthan. It grew to become their most well-liked tune throughout lengthy drives in Kerala.
Their third metropolis of residence was Ahmedabad, providing a way of life distinct from Mumbai and Kochi. However it was the pandemic period, and life was caught within the house. Anna explored the complexity and allure of silence in an in any other case talkative nation, which is mirrored in her rendition of the ultimate cowl tune of the collection, Khamoshiyan.
“We dive into new circumstances protecting our emotions at bay, however what if there’s a option to give ourselves an opportunity to take our time to attach each to a brand new place and the place you left, together with your new self on a deeper stage?” This contemplation has been the driving pressure behind Anna’s total endeavour. Right this moment, Anna and Nair are based mostly in Thiruvananthapuram. Anna continues her quest to know the evolving panorama of ‘new India’ whereas nurturing their two lovely youngsters. She collaborates with native artists within the metropolis to channel her musical abilities, and aspires to be an expert playback singer. For her challenge, she collaborated with recording, mixing and mastering skilled Deepak S.R. and guitarist Advaith Sreekumar. By way of her songs, she needs to encourage generations to return in the identical method these six songs in her challenge Six Years in India linked along with her story and her reminiscences,
Moreover, she raises a major query, each to herself and the world at giant: “Can artwork and music function companions by means of life’s highs and lows, illuminating the pivotal reminiscences that form us as people?”
