
Student Spotlight: Shivaraj Natraj The vocalist, konnakol beatboxer, and percussionist reflects on his musical journey from Oman to India and beyond, and how he's working to bridge Western and South Asian musical styles.
By
Keerthana Sudarshan
March 1, 2024
Shivaraj Natraj
Image by Mason Davis
What's it like to study at Berklee? Our Student Spotlight series asks current students all about their Berklee experience-what they're learning in class, what kinds of projects they're involved in onstage or behind the scenes, how they recharge, and of course, what they're listening to. In this installment, get to know vocalist, beatboxer, and percussionist Shivaraj Natraj, an eighth-semester contemporary writing and production (CWP) major from Bangalore, India. Shivaraj's band, Project Mishram, which fuses South Indian classical and progressive metal influences, was recently announced as part of the lineup for the major hard rock festival Louder than Sound this September in Louisville, Kentucky, where they will perform alongside acts such as Slipknot, Judas Priest, and Evanescence.
Follow Shivaraj on Instagram and Facebook.
Tell us about your path to Berklee. What made you decide to come here?I began my training in the Carnatic (South Indian classical) style of vocals when I was just five years old, under the guidance of my father, Natraj Pushpavanam. I grew up in Muscat, Oman, where I continued my studies until the tenth grade. Later, I moved to Bangalore, India, for high school and started learning how to play the mridangam, a South Indian percussion instrument.
While in college pursuing a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering, my videos on konnakol (Indian vocal percussion)-beatboxing became viral, and this led me to form my Carnatic fusion band, Project Mishram.
In 2020, I had to make a critical decision between choosing music and my career as a business analyst. Eventually, I decided to leave my job and pursue music full-time. I applied to Berklee College of Music and was awarded a scholarship, which was a dream come true. I aimed to expand my music knowledge and create a global music career, which was inevitable with the diversity of musicians coming from all over the world.
Listen to Sera by Project Mishram:
Given Berklees vibrant international community, how do you envision your distinctive role in contributing to this environment?Although I come from a Carnatic music background, I enjoy different styles of music, including EDM, progressive metal, jazz, and funk fusion. When I applied to Berklee, I was interested in exploring jazz harmony despite my lack of knowledge about the theory behind it. Since arriving at Berklee, I have been able to use my knowledge of swaras (Indian solf ge) to interpret the concepts of harmony and arranging and have found it to make perfect sense!
I create video content that explains how I bridge the gap between these two genres, which can be easily understood by Indian classical musicians and others. Additionally, I have taught five guest lectures where I explain the basics of raga and tala (melody and rhythm) in Carnatic music to diverse classes of Berklee students using Western music notation and references.
Being one of the few konnakol beatboxers in the world, and one of the few mridangam artists at Berklee, I have had several wonderful opportunities presented to me during my time here.
Whats been your favorite class so far, and what has it taught you?One of my favorite classes at Berklee has been Writing for Big Band, taught by Manuel Kaufmann. Although I was warned that it would be one of the hardest classes in CWP at Berklee, I surprisingly connected with the subject matter on a deep level. Writing for a big ensemble like a big band, which has around 17 players, can be quite challenging. However, in this class, I learned the art of intricately weaving sections together without creating a traffic-jam-like chaos similar to the ones commonly experienced in my city, Bangalore.
Whats a project youve worked on since coming to Berklee that youve been especially excited about?The biggest project I worked on while at Berklee was a tour across the UK and EU with my band Project Mishram in August of 2023. This was our third international tour and it centered around the prestigious ArcTangent festival, sharing the stage with legends like Devin Townsend, Heilung, Haken, etc. . . . It was a 20-day tour across eight countries where we drove ourselves through a roller coaster of an experience.
Our latest development is that we are the first Indian independent band performing at the Louder than Life Festival in September of 2024, alongside massive artists like Evanescence, Slipknot, Judas Priest, M tley Cr e, Slayer, Anthrax, Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, and others.
How do you typically recharge or find new ideas outside of class?I usually get new ideas from my peers at Berklee. I use Instagram often, but Im unsure if its always helpful. It helps keep me up-to-date with whats trending in music nowadays.
Sometimes I miss listening to full-length albums during my long commutes, but now I have music available 24/7, which is great. To overcome fatigue, I like to work out, do chores, or spend time with my friends.
Watch Shivaraj perform with fellow student Reeshabh Purohit on Berklees Two Track video series:
When you think towards your future, who inspires you most?I have been pondering this question for many years. My ultimate goal is to achieve internal happiness without relying on external factors. However, I do have goals such as fusing various genres from around the world with Carnatic music. I desire to have in-depth knowledge about them and do not like doing things halfway. Moreover, I love teaching and the learning that comes with the process.
I find inspiration in the rounded musicianship of Jacob Collier, the p
North America Stories
07/04/2026
The November 2025 YEP Newsletter highlights a recent YEP Coffee Chat, offering members the chance to connect with industry professionals in an informal setting ...
07/04/2026
The December 2025 YEP Newsletter includes a Spotlight on Emily Vail, showcasing her career journey and work in the industry, alongside Mentorship Reflections by...
07/04/2026
Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) telescope operated...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Catgut Sound Owner and Production Sound Mixer Chris Welcker, CAS, has built a career at the intersection of music and film. A former musician and composer, Welc...
07/04/2026
SDVI Corporation today announced the next generation of its Rally media supply chain management platform, introducing a redesigned orchestration engine that rep...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Frequency, the engine behind many of the world's leading streaming television channels, at NAB 2026 will be launching new Studio services to help content ow...
07/04/2026
Ikegami USA has chosen NAB 2026 in Las Vegas as the launch platform for new additions to its range of broadcast-quality television production equipment. These w...
07/04/2026
April 19, 2026, Las Vegas Kiloview, an innovative provider of AV-over-IP technologies, will showcase its latest broadcast IP solutions at NAB 2026, presenting...
07/04/2026
Bitmovin has announced support for Server-Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI) across its playback products using HLS interstitials, enabling more advanced ad-supported s...
07/04/2026
Synamedia is unveiling AI by Quortex at The NAB show, a just-in-time AI plugin framework that applies intelligence only when needed across video processing, dis...
07/04/2026
Cuez will showcase four additions to its cloud-based newsroom, rundown and automation platform at NAB Show 2026 (April 18 22, Las Vegas, Booth N1867):
Cuez ...
07/04/2026
CueScript to Showcase Innovations at NAB that Add Mobility Options, Ease Editing...
07/04/2026
Barix Extends Transport Options for Multi-Engine IP Encoder
Brie Clayton April 7, 2026
0 Comments
New for NAB, Barix adds SRT and RIST support to Mult...
07/04/2026
Elite Media Technologies Selects Interra Systems' BATON File-Based QC Soluti...
07/04/2026
Tightrope Media Systems to Debut Cablecast LiveBridge for Simultaneous Streaming...
07/04/2026
Cuez Brings Four New Innovations to NAB 2026: From Story-Centric Newsroom to Ope...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Designed for synchronized multi-stream playback, low-latency delivery, and real-time analytics, MATCH introduces a unified viewing experience for sports broadca...
07/04/2026
Berklee Students to Honor George Martin with Performance of Original Scores The orchestra, led by associate professor Xander Rovang, will perform several work...
07/04/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Reveals ONE PIECE Expansion With New Original Titles a...
06/04/2026
Michigan legends bring a new voice to the broadcast as TNT Sports and CBS Sports...
06/04/2026
From high school sports all the way up to the major leagues, building high-quali...
06/04/2026
Quickplay, an AI company for the media and entertainment industry, has been accepted into the Advanced tier of the TwelveLabs Ecosystem Partner Program. Quickpl...
06/04/2026
Grass Valley has announced the Future Playmakers Program, a global initiative to...
06/04/2026
El l der de operaciones impulsa la producci n en estudio mientras encuentra insp...
06/04/2026
The ops leader helps lead the charge in studio for the Spanish-language broadcas...
06/04/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
06/04/2026
The National Hockey League (NHL), in partnership with Verizon and the New Jersey Devils, today announced the opening of the NHL Innovation Lab powered by Verizo...
06/04/2026
Rock League, a new professional curling league, has announced that ESPN+ will stream its inaugural 2026 season for fans in the United States. The first Rock Lea...
06/04/2026
Advanced Systems Group has announced the appointment of Andrea (Andy) Cummis as Vice President of Systems Design and Engineering. In this role, she will lead de...
06/04/2026
Backed by Bolt Ventures, the venture brings Bryson DeChambeau, Grant Horvat, and...
06/04/2026
With this environment we can start that collaboration even earlier because we ca...
06/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/04/2026
Dalet Showcases Dalia Agentic AI and End-to-End Media Workflows at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Dalet, a leading technology and...
06/04/2026
OpenDrives Shows Off Sports Expertise in Sports Business Hub located in NAB Show...
06/04/2026
Proton to Demonstrate 3D Application at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Yet further creative potential unleashed through innovation in ...
06/04/2026
Autoscript Highlights Voice-Driven Prompting and PTZ Solutions at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Experience Autoscript Voice, PTZ prom...
06/04/2026
Mediaproxy Highlights Significant Enhancements to its LogServer suite at NAB Sho...
06/04/2026
April 6th, 2026
TRIBECA STUDIOS AND LILLY ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF INAUGURAL VITAL...
06/04/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Expands Kids Entertainment Lineup With Playground App ...
04/04/2026
The University of Arizona's Men's Basketball team has only loss twice th...
04/04/2026
1080p HDR arrives, a new generation of storytelling tools takes center stage, an...