Radhika and her mother Mani-Karuna Devi Dasi perform alongside the Vraja Beats Rock Band.
Radhika Keshari, born into a Krishna-conscious family, spontaneously absorbed devotional practices from a young age. The now 17-year-old remarked, “I’ve been surrounded by devotees all my life because my parents embraced Krishna consciousness before I was born.” Her early exposure to kirtan and bhajans laid a strong foundation for her creative service.
During an interview with ISKCON News, Radhika recalled her early days of learning and growing up in the movement. Raised in an environment where devotional music was part of daily life, her mother, Mani-Karuna Devi Dasi—a classical Indian music singer and teacher — shared, “I believe my daughter was meant to join our family; she is a soul who was destined to serve in Krishna consciousness.” Even when she was small, Radhika’s inclination toward music was evident, and her family’s guidance played a significant role in nurturing this talent.
Exploring her inspirations, Radhika mentioned, “I was inspired when I discovered singers like Jahnavi Harrison, Radhika Das, and the Madhavas performing, and I wanted to express myself in the same way.” She also added that as a musician, she listens to various kinds of music, remarking, “I also listen to Japanese and Hollywood songs, but I spend most of my time with devotional music.” Radhika emphasized that these diverse influences help validate what she feels she must express in her music.
Blending traditional devotional elements with aspects of contemporary sound, however, was not without difficulty. Radhika explained that to make what she calls fusion music, she pays close attention to the lyrics and the overall presentation of each song. For example, regarding her song “Wake Up Sleeping Souls,” she stated, “I based it on the Vaishnava song ‘Jiva Jago,’ where Bhaktivinoda Thakura – inspired by Gauranga Mahaprabhu- calls for the materially induced sleeping souls to wake up. I fused this traditional song with English lyrics so that the message is easier to understand.” This fusion of traditional content with modern language was carefully considered to ensure that the sacred message remains clear.
Read More https://iskconnews.org/young-devotee-fuses-devotion-and-music-to-inspire-peers/
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