Siddharth Mahadevan is well aware that when it comes to music, there will always be comparisons with his father, the talented Shankar Mahadevan. But the young lad chooses to see it as an advantage.

`The good thing about having one of your parents in your profession is that you get to learn a lot especially to have a dad like mine, who has a legacy. He has been my guru, friend, guide, critic, all in one, ` says Siddharth, who's already made his foray into music composing with a Marathi film and a track for Midnight's Children.

And now, he's all set to make his playback debut with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's film based on Milkha Singh's life. `Nervous, excited and extremely anxious is what I am feeling. I hope listeners and fans love my sound and the songs, ` says Siddharth, as he speaks to CS about comparisons with his dad and his singing style:

Expectations galore
Being the son of a legend, comparisons are natural. But I take it positively as it makes me want to work very hard to live up to the expectations. Since my childhood, I have always been surrounded by music. So naturally for me, music has a great deal of influence. I have been inspired by each and every genre and I use all these inspirations as my references. I believe what you consider as your reference, defines you as a musician.


On a versatile note
I don't want to have any restrictions in my mind or create any restrictions when it comes to choosing songs or genres. It's very important to be a versatile singer.

I will try and exploit both soft as well as peppy songs. The two songs I have sung for this film are extremely crucial to it. Zinda requires a different style of singing. It's an out-and-out rock song with grunge being the main element. I had got the track a day before and that helped me practice the grunge I had to portray; I love singing in this style.

The other song is a folk rock song; the title track of the film in the rock version. For me, both songs were completely different, though in the same zone. It was in a key that exhausted me. It was in a key that was so high, that it was a complete challenge to hit that final note but I somehow managed it.

Creative satisfaction
For me, both composing and singing are equally important and the skills required are also intense. I wouldn't want to define my forte in any one thing as music includes all of this. I enjoy both and it's just the beginning of my career. I would like to explore anything creative and interesting.