(January 4, 2026) Vocalist, composer, and producer Aditya Prakash wears all these hats with equal aplomb. An award-winning artist with a powerful, searching voice, he is steadily pushing the boundaries of Karnatik music reimagining it for contemporary audiences while remaining deeply rooted in its tradition. Whether through experimental collaborations, immersive performances, or deeply personal storytelling, Prakash is carving out a space where classical music feels both urgent and alive.
Currently in India, the LA-based musician is presenting ROOM-i-Nation, a multidisciplinary solo work built around his album ISOLASHUN. The piece explores questions of identity, migration, belonging, and cultural inheritance. It examines how Karnatik music exists within histories of caste, classicism, and diaspora while also asking how it can live meaningfully in the present.
Concert experience beyond the classical stage
What happens when Karnatik music meets contemporary sound worlds and a lifelong journey of self-discovery? Welcome to ROOM-i-Nation, where live music, layered soundscapes, video projection, and personal storytelling come together to resonate with anyone standing at the crossroads of multiple identities. Following its debut at the Mumbai Lit Fest in November 2025, this month it will be showcased at BLR Hubba, Bengaluru’s premier arts and culture festival.
“Using sound, storytelling, and theatrical elements, the work creates space for discomfort, reflection, and dialogue. It doesn’t aim to provide clear answers but instead invites audiences into the complexity behind the music and the lived experiences that shape how I relate to it,” he explains in a chat with Global Indian.
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Growing up surrounded by music
Growing up in a house constantly filled with musicians, dancers, lighting designers, students, and visitors, music was ingrained in Prakash’s DNA early on. Home felt less like a private space and more like a shared environment for making and experiencing art, largely because of his parents, who actively encouraged it.
“There is a family story in which I seemed uninterested in the arts as a child and was more focused on my toy car collection. But during a rehearsal, when I was about five, while playing in the corner, I started naming the ragas being sung. The next day, I was enrolled in vocal lessons. I don’t remember a single ‘aha’ moment. The music was always there and grew alongside me,” he recollects.
His first major professional tour came when he was just 15, performing with Pandit Ravi Shankar. Before that, he had presented many traditional Karnatik concerts across India and the US, but this marked his first appearance on major international stages such as Carnegie Hall and Disney Hall.
“One moment I clearly remember was after a long overnight bus journey between shows in the US. We were exhausted and hungry, and everything was closed. Late at night, there was a knock on my door. It was Ravi Ji, standing there with a box of pizza and a smile. I’ve never forgotten that gesture,” he says, smiling.
Where Karnatik meets Jazz and everything in between
Prakash is also the founder of the Aditya Prakash Ensemble, a project that bridges Karnatik and jazz traditions. The ensemble took shape during his college years with his best friends and roommates.
“We came from very different musical backgrounds, and the group grew out of a genuine curiosity to understand how each of us approached sound, rhythm, and improvisation. What started as informal jam sessions gradually became a space where Karnatik music, jazz, funk, and other influences could coexist naturally,” he explains.
While the ensemble’s lineup continues to evolve, its core values remain unchanged. “Deep listening, trust, curiosity, and collaboration, those principles are what give the project its continuity and shape the music we make together,” he avers.
Sound, space, and the act of listening
For Prakash, composition and production unfold simultaneously. He is constantly thinking about atmosphere and the environment in which the music exists. “Soundscape design is part of the composition itself. Breath, footsteps, coughing, and even shouting can all become musical material. It is really about questioning where noise becomes music—which is subjective,” he explains.
Performance, he notes, comes much later. His primary focus is on creating work that feels honest and personally exciting. “Before presenting it publicly, I share it with a small feedback circle. Listening to both positive and critical responses is important to me. Not everyone will connect with the work, and that’s fine. The feedback helps me refine and grow,” he adds.
Prakash has also toured with artists such as Anoushka Shankar, Tigran Hamasyan, Karsh Kale, and Akram Khan. “Touring with Anoushka as a teenager was pure joy. Playing large festivals across Europe gave me a sense of scale and confidence that felt new and validating, especially coming from a largely traditional performance background.”
With Tigran Hamasyan, although their album collaboration was postponed due to COVID, Prakash says he was deeply influenced by Hamasyan’s approach to rhythm and harmony. “Particularly how he stretches time and plays with tension and release.”
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Akram Khan, he adds, has had a profound impact on how he thinks about art. “Classical forms often prioritise refinement and control. Akram pushes against that, embracing rawness, instability, and discomfort. He showed me that honesty in art doesn’t have to be polished, and that shift brought a more visceral dimension to my music,” he says.
Music as memory, migration, and meaning
Being a global performer, Prakash admits, comes with a sense of responsibility. “The work I share can shape how people encounter a music tradition they may have never heard before. That awareness makes me mindful of how I present the music and the contexts I place it in.”
At the same time, performing internationally opens new possibilities. “It brings in a broader range of listeners, perspectives, and sonic exchanges. That dialogue keeps the music alive and allows it to evolve through new conversations and encounters,” he adds.
This is also why Prakash is drawn to art that feels honest and intentional. “Work that isn’t performative, that carries intensity and isn’t afraid of discomfort. I’m drawn to art that is passionate and grounded in truth, even when that truth isn’t easy or pleasant,” he says.
New chapters and new sound worlds
Looking ahead, Prakash shares that an original composition of his will be featured in the upcoming feature film Hamlet, created by Oscar-winning duo Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia.
“I am also working on my new album, Lotus and Dagger, set to release in late 2026 or early 2027, produced by Grammy-winning artists William Brittelle and Shahzad Ismaily. Both projects are pushing me to explore new sonic territories and continue expanding how I think about composition, collaboration, and storytelling through music,” he concludes.
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