Teaching them right

There’s more to the gorgeous and talented Rianjali than her vibrant live performances and vivid persona — she happens to be the vocal teacher to A.R. Rahman’s children!

But let’s backtrack a bit: a few months ago, the 25-year-old was just another aspiring singer-songwriter in New York City, looking for her first break — but little did she know that a SoundCloud track she uploaded with a friend would change her life forever —thanks to none other than the legendary composer.

 “The song was called Prove Myself, and it’s some coincidence that ARR spotted it whilst he was in New York. He then wanted to meet me, so we got in touch and spent an entire day together. We had lunch, went to Sam Ash (a huge musical instrument store in NYC) — and he asked me to sing right in the store! By the end of the night, ARR asked me to consider teaching his daughters, work on my career, explore music in India, and also collaborate with him on any projects I might be suited for,” Ria says, excitedly.

It boggles the mind — what could this Manhattan-based musician teach ARR’s kids that even he couldn’t? But Rahman clearly spotted something special in Ria and she smiles and tell us, “My dad was a well-known Bengali folk singer back in Bangladesh when he was in his early 20s. He heard me singing once when I was six — and that’s when I started learning north Indian classical; I studied western classical as well for about four years. I have performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and throughout the United States for as long as I can remember.”

So, how does one teach the children of India’s most famous music director?
“I teach Ameen and Rahima western music and songwriting. Everything starts with the basics which comes from western classical training itself — breathing techniques, vocal techniques, how to use your voice properly, etc. It’s been just a few weeks now, but I have learnt from ARR more about being a person rather than music-related things! He has unknowingly showed me that it doesn’t matter who you are, or what your fame or status is - you must maintain a humble attitude in your life and that is what will get you far. He frequently speaks of his parents and the struggles he had as a child, and that is what reminds him to keep working hard. He never quits. And that is what I'm learning here,” Ria smiles.

But she does agree that she’s experiencing a culture shock of sorts in the country — “It’s hard being Indian in NYC when it comes to music. I’ve gained popularity in NYC and neighbouring cities because my first fans were Indian Americans. Through that I was able to start performing here and there but at the end of the day, a white or black girl will be chosen in the industry before me.

I’m actually a clinical counselor for domestic violence cases back home. I have a Masters in clinical psychology and I worked for an NGO helping to save battered women. It was definitely a culture shock coming here because I am surrounded by musicians and actors on a daily basis. But I’m right in the middle of the music scene here and I feel fortunate.”

Ria, who describes her independent music as having a soul-acoustic vibe, adds that now her focus is her debut album, and collaborating with ARR’s contacts — “I have written and composed all of the songs and I will be featuring an amazing rapper from US named Kaly. Also, there are a number of gigs lined up across the country, so that’s exciting! I have been offered a few Tamil songs for movies and I’m not opposed to it. The language barrier is the only thing I need to work on but it can be done.”

We also hear that Ria may be spotted in a movie here and there, shortly. Clearly, this diva is here to stay!