Meet Lakshmi Chandrashekar Subramanian | Vocalist, Scholar & Performer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lakshmi Chandrashekar Subramanian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lakshmi, how do you think about risk?
Risk is inevitable in life. To make any real progress on the career or personal front, we have to take risks and have faith in the intangible elements that contribute towards a successful outcome. I went from having a career in finance in Manhattan to pursuing graduate work in Religious Studies at Stanford University and today, running a music and media company with my husband Aks. Those few months when I was changing career paths were tough as I didn’t know if taking the risk to pursue my passion would yield the results I hoped for… in fact, until we take the leap, we don’t know with certainty that it is our true calling. Today I can say with satisfaction that taking risks do pay off, when it is backed by a real passion that fuels perseverance and hard work. However, it would be wise to take calculated risks based on one’s stage of life, financial situation, etc. A friend once told me, “the path will reveal itself,” and it always does.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Aks and I are partners in creativity; we are Electronic Bhakti Musicians who create and tour Hindu spiritual poetry. Through our company Eclipse Nirvana (www.eclipse-nirvana.com), we have released 8 albums to date and run a thriving YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/EclipseNirvana). We love connecting with our wonderful fans worldwide through YouTube and Patreon, which enables us to take song requests and actively engage with their feedback. Our music blends ancient mantras with Western orchestration, religious poetry with universal messages of peace, love and plurality, thereby appealing to diverse audiences. In our concerts, we share the songs and stories of great poet-saints such as Adi Shankaracharya, Kabir, Mirabai, and Saint Thyagaraja with interfaith audiences. Personally, it brings us a lot of joy and peace to engage with such uplifting poetry, and it is doubly gratifying when listeners share that they too feel peace and balance, such that our music is a part of their daily playlist.

Every decision, big and small, has led to where we are today. Aks’s training as a composer, his work in film & TV, my background in marketing and finance, authoring articles for acclaimed publications such as Hinduism Today, and interfaith engagements have been major influences. Our combined love for music, spirituality, Hindu culture, and Indian languages forms the basis for what we do today. It was not always easy to see the big picture. But when we realized that there is something greater than what we could ever imagine at play, and simply kept doing what we loved, then the dots connected themselves and a beautiful picture began to emerge.

A taxi driver once told me in Singapore (my hometown), that there is no substitute for hard work. I was an impressionable teenager then, but that life lesson has stuck with me. Aks and I both truly believe in the power of hard work, perseverance in professional development, consistency in brand building and giving our all to our music. Our greatest achievement is receiving kindness from the most inspiring and dedicated people we have met along the way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would begin with a morning jog and watching sunrise at one of the beautiful beaches in LA. Then get some breakfast at Sage Plant-based Bistro or lunch at Cafe Gratitude. We might visit some touristy neighborhoods like Beverly Hills and Hollywood, followed by driving by the lights outside LACMA. Perhaps end the evening with a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or the Hollywood Bowl.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am grateful to all the teachers who have inspired us and paved the way for our success – starting with our parents on both sides of the family, to the dedicated teachers in school, our spiritual Gurus at the Chinmaya Mission, and all the people from whom we have learned valuable lessons along the way. This is one of the reasons we have named our son Guru, which translates to “the remover of darkness” in Sanskrit. His name honors all the teachers in our life.

My mother Padmini Chandrashekar and husband Aks require special recognition as they have been my pillars, incredible teachers and collaborators, throughout my musical career. I have worked on several songs with them and their positive attitude, love for poetry, attention to detail, and passion for the process of music-making have inspired me and made me a better musician. A big shout out to them!

Website: www.eclipse-nirvana.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/eclipsenirvana

Twitter: www.twitter.com/eclipsenirvana

Facebook: www.facebook.com/eclipsenirvana

Youtube: www.youtube.com/eclipsenirvana