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

Hi UDAAN, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always loved music! I’m fortunate enough to have received training in various musical forms from an early age. I took lessons singing Carnatic music (Indian Classical music) and playing Western Classical piano. I also played French Horn in school for about 8 years.

When I was a senior in high school I composed a piece for my school’s Concert Band and conducted them in a live performance! The thrill and joy of hearing your ideas come to life is such an amazing feeling – from that moment onwards I knew I wanted to make music professionally. In college I joined a couple a cappella teams (Shoutout to Purdue Taal and Georgia Tech Taal Tadka!) and started arranging a cappella music for them. At Purdue I also performed as a keyboardist and vocalist for the fusion rock band Vertigo42. I started making covers for social media and learning how to produce music. In 2021 I started releasing original music on streaming platforms under the artist name UDAAN!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
UDAAN is a Hindi word that means “flight”. To me it represents weightlessness and freedom. Composing and performing songs under the name UDAAN allows me to express my true, authentic self. It’s also given me a chance to explore my roots as an Indian-American immigrant as I strive to combine Western and South Asian influences across a variety of genres. My hope is that this fusion of musical styles not only tells stories from a unique perspective but also introduces South Asian influences to a larger audience.

I’m currently working on a couple new songs, stay tuned!

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?
First off, I need to thank my parents for buying my first piano and taking me to music lessons as a kid – it’s because of them that I’ve discovered my love of music and I’m very grateful for their support! A big shoutout to my sister as well who’s always had my back! I also need to give a HUGE thank you to all my friends who’ve supported me in my musical journey, from simple words of encouragement to cheering for me at performances. Finally, thank you to everyone who’s listened to my music – I’m so happy that my music has resonated with you in some way and I hope to continue making music that you love!

Instagram: @iamudaan

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamudaan

Image Credits
Kenji Inoue

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