‘I knew I wanted to incorporate Carnatic music’ - Maheswari Siva on her Australian Idol moment 

At just 22, Melbourne singer Maheswari Siva carved out space for classical South Indian music on one of Australia’s biggest stages.

The Tamil-Australian artist stepped into the national spotlight this year with an audition on Australian Idol that fused Western pop with Carnatic vocals - a sound rarely heard in prime-time television.

“I’ve been singing since I was about eight,” Maheswari told the Tamil Guardian. “Carnatic music is how I was introduced to music. It’s shaped everything I do.”

Maheswari began formal training in classical South Indian music as a child and completed her arangetram, a milestone debut performance for a Carnatic musician, several years ago. She describes it as a turning point that gave her the confidence to experiment and step into new creative spaces, including releasing her own independent music.

Her path to Idol began quietly. Maheswari submitted an audition tape nearly a year before hearing back from producers. When the email finally arrived, she knew she wanted to do more than simply sing a cover.

“Since the start, I knew that I wanted to incorporate a bit of Carnatic music into it,” she says. “I love when artists bring their roots into what they do. I think it’s so fresh.”

Working with both a Western vocal coach and her Carnatic teacher, Maheswari carefully crafted a fusion performance. She was determined the blend wouldn’t feel forced. “We didn't want it to sound mashed together,” she says. “It was a little bit difficult, but I think we found a good song that worked with it.” 

The result introduced mainstream audiences to a classical style many may never have encountered. Maheswari believes that visibility matters - particularly in a country as multicultural as Australia.

“Australia is diverse, but not everyone gets to experience that diversity,” she says. “To bring Carnatic music to a stage like Australian Idol shows people something they might never have heard before.”

Representation, she says, was at the forefront of her mind - especially knowing the Tamil community was watching.

“Growing up, I didn’t really see people who looked like me on mainstream TV,” she says. “In the rare moments I did, it meant everything.”
Even her wardrobe choice was deliberate. Maheswari wore a saree for her audition, hoping young viewers would feel proud of their heritage rather than pressured to dilute it.

“There were times growing up when I just wanted to fit in,” she says. “Speaking another language or bringing different food to school felt embarrassing. If more of us had seen people embracing their culture confidently, it would have been a different world.”

Now moving into independent artistry, Maheswari recently released her first original song titled Ponmaalai Neram, written entirely in Tamil. Though the production carries Western influences, she wanted the language to remain front and centre.

“My connection to Tamil came through music,” she says. “A lot of the vocabulary I know, I learned from songs. I wanted to challenge myself and write fully in Tamil.”

She hopes the blend proves that music transcends language barriers. “You can cover a wider audience while still being authentic,” she says.

Maheswari points to diaspora artists such as Pritt and Sahi Siva as inspirations, along with Indian composer Anirudh Ravichander, who has incorporated classical elements into mainstream film soundtracks. She credits that broader shift in the industry with helping make Carnatic influences “cool” again among younger audiences.

Despite the exposure, Maheswari says one of her biggest takeaways from Australian Idol was personal growth.

“I was more nervous about the episode airing than the audition itself,” she admits. “Performing for a South Asian audience is different to performing for all of Australia. You don’t know how people will take it.”

Navigating public feedback strengthened her resolve. “It gave me confidence. I realised I can handle different opinions and still feel secure in what I’m doing.”

For now, Maheswari plans to continue releasing independent music and hopes to create larger-scale performances aimed at younger Tamil audiences in Australia. She says many community events still skew older - something she wants to change.

“I grew up listening to Tamil music before I heard my first English song,” she says. “It’s a whole genre people shouldn’t miss out on.”
As she builds her career, Maheswari’s mission remains clear - to prove young Australians can embrace both sides of their identity without compromise.

“It’s okay to have a culture,” she says. “It’s okay to show it.”