Surya Bharadwaj
Lead guitar
Surya Bharadwaj is a prominent self-taught guitarist, music producer, and pianist, best known as the lead guitarist of the popular indie fusion band Masala Coffee. With a career spanning over 15 years, he has evolved from a childhood hobbyist playing toy keyboards into a highly regarded session artist, composer, and educator based in Karnataka.
Musical journey & style
- Early roots: growing up in a family of avid Carnatic and Indian film music lovers, he saved up his own pocket money as a child to buy cassette tapes.
- Evolution of genre: though he started out by picking up film tunes, the guitar opened doors for him into blues, rock, metal, and other guitar-driven genres.
- Band dynamics: before joining Masala Coffee, he played with several local bands across Mysuru and Bengaluru.
- Sonic signature: within his band projects, he is heavily involved in tone shaping, complex harmonies, melodic arrangements, and music production.
Independent projects & education
- GSS School of Music: he is the founder and primary mentor of the GSS School of Music, which trains over 1,000 students annually and stands as the top-rated music academy in Mysuru.
- Commercial work: outside of live bands, he actively works as a freelance session artist, film composer, and producer for commercial films and wedding films.