Cameraperson: Smitha TK
Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas
Beatboxing. Through the nose. Sounds odd? But for a man in Chennai, it’s his passion. Watch the video to know more!
Beatboxing started off as a form of traditional African music, in which performers use their bodies as percussion instruments. It involves clapping, stomping, and producing sounds with their mouths. Soon, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd and even Michael Jackson incorporated beatboxing in their music.
While the music form became a popular trend in the 1980s, a man in Chennai called Chandrashekhar started off even earlier — in 1975.
From Athoor in Madurai, meet Chandrashekhar, who’s popularly known as the ‘Human Music Man Chan’ — a play on his abbreviated name ‘Chan’ and his ability to be a human musical instrument.
But unlike regular beatboxers, Chandrashekhar makes music with his nose.
Hiphop, folk, bhajans, chethakottu (upbeat music which is played during funerals in Tamil Nadu), light music, Carnatic, even the bark of a dog — name the genre and Chandrashekhar can whip out a tune for you.
But Chandrashakhar was never keen to make beatboxing his career. In fact, he is the regional head of ‘The Happy Hub,’ the entertainment division of Club Mahindra in Munnar. As a part of his day job, Chandrashekhar handles all cultural activities and loves finding new talent for every show. His hobby, on the other hand, gives him an opportunity to enjoy performing and allows him to take his passion everywhere he goes.
A Nose for Music ... Literally!
But how did Chandrashekhar start this unique form of beatboxing?
It all began when he was three years old. “When I would get naughty, my mother would tie me to the pole with a string and give me utensils and tin sheets to play with, so I would develop my music,” Chandrashekhar said.
Local Tamil folk music and instruments were his inspiration. He explains, “In rural areas you must've come across the Boom Boom Maatukaaran, who comes with a bull and the instrument called urumi. My inspiration is also from chathakottu, the dandanaka they play in villages.”
While his two sisters learnt Carnatic music, he worked on making music through his nose. Every time guests came over, he was inevitably the star of the show.
Chandrashekhar didn’t know beatboxing was being attempted by people all over the world and, it was only a couple of years back that he began checking out other beatboxers. But he confidently says that “there is no one like me who can music with the nose.”
His wife and two kids are his biggest fans and give him constructive criticism. While they are not considering beatboxing through nose as a hobby, his younger child wants to be a theatre actor someday.
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