May 19, 2017
Penn Masala brings their Indo-American blends to the city with their upcoming Yuva tour Fourteen young men clad in tuxedos take the stage. A single note emits from a harmonica, and the auditorium fills with a chorus of voices. Thousands of fans scream, hands and cellphones in the air, lighting up the night sky as Indo-American a capella group Penn Masala serenades the crowd yet again. They’re living up to a 20 year legacy, and with their tenth studio album, Yuva, they’re celebrating the history they’ve created. “Every time we step on stage, we not only represent current Masala but all of the work each alum has put into this group. There’s definite pressure, but it also motivates us to give our best at every show,” says Masala member Hari Ravi. They’re not oblivious to their global popularity, though, and with the support of 95,000 YouTube subscribers, the group is ready to push the envelope yet again. “In creating Yuva, our most recent album, we tried to reflect on several different aspects of youth. The album has our trademark English / Hindi mashups, as well as all-Hindi songs and a new original song, ‘Ishaara’,” adds member Praveen Rajaguru. India tours, they say, hold a special place in their hearts, allowing members to meet with some of their most engaged fans and perform for friends and family. This year, they spice it up, kicking off Yuva 2017 with an evening in Dubai and their debut here in Chennai, followed by other shows across India. “We feel so lucky to have such great fans all over the world, and we hope our fans in Chennai love what we’re doing just as much as we’ll love performing for them,” says member Pranay Sharma. Having performed at the IIFA Awards and even former US President Barack Obama, their cross-cultural mashups have filled college campuses all across the country. The boys say for them, it’s a way to express themselves. “A capella is something we want to continue pushing into India, and so far we’ve gotten great feedback,” Sharma adds. While previous tours have seen them croon their melodies at India’s Hard Rock cafes, their upcoming tour has them venturing into a host of new spaces. It’s only one of the ways they continue to innovate. “We’ve experimented with different sounds on this album and are always looking into new music styles for the group, including electronic dance music,” shares member Atman Pranigrahi. Chennai is unexplored territory for the band, and the excitement is palpable. “Although none of our mashups are fully in Tamil, a few of our songs in our set list are based off of Tamil tracks,” says Ravi. “We definitely have some surprises in store for you.”