Shreya Pujari Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Shreya Pujari is an incredible singer, with a recent single, "Fire in You", that is nothing short of magical. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, future goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll enjoy everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Shreya Pujari visits Section 36 Music!

I absolutely love your recent single, “Fire in You”. What can you tell me about it?

“Fire in You” is a Dance-pop single that incorporates Middle Eastern scales and instruments. I wanted to make a really easy, approachable song for people who haven’t listened to many Arabic styles of music. The sound is reminiscent of the early 2000’s Bollywood dance hits such as “Jai Ho” by A.R. Rahman or “Toxic” by Britney Spears. I recently got back from traveling to Turkey, where I read poetry such as the Rubbayait of Omar Khayyam and explored different traditional instruments like the Baglama and Sipsi. All this combined to inspire my latest track! 

Do you see more studio work in your future? 

Yes! I love the way traditional instruments sound in a modern production context. The contrast helps highlight the beauty of instruments that usually are confined to very specific performance settings. 

You are currently co-director of the Berklee College a capella group On The Vox. What is that experience like?

I’m very grateful to be one of the directors! It’s very rewarding, yet challenging. In my previous college, I was a jazz voice major so I was in 2 or 3 ensembles at a time and I got quite good at singing in a group and showing up as a member. Suddenly being thrust into the front of the room, and having a whole group depend on and trust me completely is a new feeling. It’s helped me get better with my vocabulary, empathy, and learn how to manage a lot of expectations and different goals at the same time. 

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

My house was always filled with the sounds of folk drumming and dance from northern India, and I think that developed my ear for folk rhythms such as Taiko (japan), Sama’ai (Middle East), and calypso (Trinidad). Vocally, I'm inspired by the sweet bright sound of Norah Jones, Karen Carpenter, and Bonnie Herman of Singers Unlimited. 

What would you say is your biggest challenge with your music career? 

The biggest challenge so far has been turning from a music student into an artist. I’ve always tried to immerse myself in other music cultures and learn as much as possible about them. But now as I start to create more original pieces, I want to move away from the classical, conservatory concept of music preservation and innovate with new ideas and combinations. Stepping into this emerging genre of fusion music turns some heads and I grapple with the balance between sticking to tradition and pushing the limits. I know I’ll blossom into a more emotional and expressive singer through each challenge I face. 

What are your immediate music goals?

I’ve got quite a few ideas bouncing around in my head, so my main focus is getting my projects fully completed and out for the world to hear! I’m excited to be focusing directly on arranging in different Mediterranean styles next year, so hopefully an EP will be in the works from that. 

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Sounds like a lot fo amazing things are on the way!  

As always, I want to thank Shreya for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going of. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify as well as bookmark her website to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Shreya, and good luck reaching your goals!