Amrit Ramnath had just signed for the Malayalam movie Varshangalkku Shesham – his first film as a music director – in March 2023 when he received news that his mother, acclaimed singer Bombay Jayashri, had suffered a near-fatal brain haemorrhage while on her United Kingdom tour.
The next few weeks were undoubtedly challenging for him and his father, Ramnath.
“I had thousands of dreams but was faced with one single reality,” the 26-year-old Chennai-based musician said.
“This is what inspired me to work on the EP 100,000 Dreams. The album is symbolic of how people go through various things in life, and yet hope for the best.”
Collaborating with his mother, who would write poems during her recovery, he created songs that captured their emotional journey. Full of struggle, love and resilience, they represent a deeply personal exploration of finding hope and strength in vulnerability.
Amrit will perform some of the tracks from 100,000 Dreams at the Esplanade Recital Studio on Dec 8. His debut international performance will also have numbers from his indie discography and debut film soundtrack.
Best-known for his independent tracks Manase, Nee Oli and Kaatre Va, Amrit, whose song Nyabagam from Varshangalkku Shesham climbed to No. 3 on the Spotify Global Viral charts, sings in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Bengali. Most of his songs, though, are written and sung in Tamil.
His latest track, Kaadhal Alaipayuthey, was released on Nov 8, and last month, he was announced as the composer for his first Tamil film starring actor Siddarth. He is composing for his second Malayalam film as well.
At the 100,000 Dreams: Live concert, Amrit will be accompanied by a two-piece band, and the show will blend Indian classical influences with contemporary genres.
“I’ve been continuously trying to carve out my own identity and create a sound for myself,” said Amrit, who has 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
“I think there is constant evolution and the entire process is what makes me seek my own audience.”
Amrit’s musical roots do have classical undertones, but he also draws from different styles such as Hindustani, ghazal, Marathi, folk, film, and Western.
