MUMBAI: Singer-Songwriter Shriram Alluri has been making the world groove to his Telugu tunes. The Hyderabad-born Artist was exposed to western classical music by his father from very early childhood and even though his sound is significantly influenced by western music, his love for Telugu is what makes him stand out in the industry. Alluri is one of the very few independent Artists from Hyderabad and also one of the first Indie Rock Artists to sing in Telugu outside of India.
Whatever genre of music he was exposed to, Alluri would always pay attention most of all to the lyrics. A self-trained guitarist, he used to learn to play the instrument by listening to popular songs on television and by looking up musical notes and chords on the internet.
Ironically, as a kid, Alluri did not dream of becoming a Singer-Songwriter. Just like most Indian boys, he always wanted to become a cricketer. He remembers being forced into western classical music by his father and also pushed to learn to play the violin which he did not enjoy even a bit!
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It was only when his brother introduced him to “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple, that something sparked within him and made him want to pick up a guitar to try and replicate the song. With this song, he learned how to play the guitar and hasn’t looked back!
Alluri released his first album The Man of Truth in November 2016 which achieved some critical acclaim from the UK Press, particularly from Q Magazine, which awarded it 4 Stars. Alluri’s music was well-received by the audience as well and was played on various platforms including BBC Radio. The popularity of his songs led him to perform at Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Milan, Pune, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
In 2017, Alluri went on to perform at the prestigious Cambridge Folk Festival in the UK. He played in various other shows such as:
· Live at Heart, September 2019, Sweden
· Tallinn Music Week, April 2018, Estonia
· Transmusicales, Dec 2017, France
· Cambridge Folk Festival, July 2017, U.K.
· NH7 Pune Weekender Dec 2017, India – Steve vai played here.
· Alluri & Glen Matlock, Mumbai 2018, India
Alluri went on to collaborate with Glen Matlock – an English guitarist best known as a member of the legendary punk band the Sex Pistols. It all started when Alluri performed a Telugu cover of the song “Anarchy in the U.K.” by the same band. Due to how unique this rendition was, Glen Matlock decided to share the video on his official Twitter account. This was a dream come true for Alluri, especially when in 2018 he shared the stage with Glen Matlock for a performance at The Hard Rock Cafe in Mumbai.
Much like its predecessor, Alluri’s second album, O Katha – Tales of This Telugu Man achieved critical acclaim. “If Arcade Fire and Ennio Morricone had a musical child”. MUSIC-NEWS.COM. A self-confessed identity crisis was addressed in this record. He recorded his album with one of the Grammy-winning producer Tomasso Colliva, which in itself was a milestone.
Collaborating with Glen Matlock continued with Alluri after the second album, who roped in legendary guitarist Earl Slick – who played guitar for such legends as David Bowie and John Lennon, which is yet to be released.
While he was away from India, Alluri realized that India has a very limited audience for independent artists as well as live band shows. Through his music, he hopes that he is someday able to turn this situation around. Breaking the stereotype of a Rock Musician, Alluri dons a simple shirt and a pair of jeans even during the biggest of his shows and tries to create a bond with the audience solely through music. Whether an audience of two or 2,000, Alluri performs with the same passion, love, and commitment every time he gets on the stage.
Every song Alluri composes has a simple life experience behind it. Alluri believes that his songs are not a result of any major inspirations but just reflections of everyday experiences. His ideal songs are a mix of fact, fiction, and dream. A beautiful blend of two cultures, real-life experiences, and a passion for creating something new and pure as well as a deep love for music is what Alluri is all about.
