The strongest stories are always the ones closest to home. That is something the Mangaluru-born and Mumbai-based band, Curry — comprising Ryo, Sheesh, and Kanasue — has learnt in their 12-year career. “Mangaluru is deeply rooted in culture and has beautiful stories of the land, which we thought we could describe with our music,” said Ryo. This thought forms the foundation of their latest EP, Suprabhatha.
The four-track project, featuring Seetha Kalyana, Manase, Saanjh, and Nannavale, is rooted in the culture of coastal Karnataka, pulling from the traditions of the Karavali region.
Not surprisingly, the trio decided to lean into the languages of their home state for Suprabhatha. Explaining the decision, Kanasue said, “Kannada is our state language, and Tulu is our mother tongue. We had no doubt that we wanted to write the songs in Kannada.”
The process wasn’t easy. With the language shaping the words, and in turn, the composition, it took them nine months to craft the album. “Initially we found it hard to find words that roll off the tongue beautifully. But as we wrote more songs, we found our way around it and have in mind exactly what to ask a more skilled lyricist to give us. The songs are a mix of Kannada and Tulu,” reflected Sheesh.
Curry gained attention in February when the band performed at actors Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda’s wedding. How did that happen? Sheesh recalled, “We are active on Instagram and our reels reach a large audience. Vijay happened to be a listener.” Ryo added, “He said, ‘I have to have you guys perform here.’”
