Mana Contractor

Mana Contractor is a multi-hyphenate artist with a deep enthusiasm for collaboration originally from Bangalore, India. She co-founded a music school called The Mela Centre for Learning (Bangalore, India) in 2015, where she taught jazz and contemporary vocals to students of all ages with the aim of giving more aspiring musicians access to contemporary Western music traditions in India.

She has worked with a host of singers and voice artists across all age groups in an effort to combine Indian pedagogical concepts with Western techniques to create her own unique brand of voice training. As an educator, it is her philosophy that no voice is the same, and thus tailors one-on-one music lessons specifically to what her students want to achieve and their individual strengths.

Mana credits her various mentors and teachers for the solid foundation in vocal music and technique that has helped her find her distinctive sound. Having graduated from the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music (India) with a diploma in Voice Performance, Mana’s desire to continue an education focused on innovation through improvisation led her to pursue a master’s degree in VoiceArts at the California Institute of the Arts, from which she graduated in 2020.

With her formative learning experiences steeped in jazz and Hindustani classical music, she has created a unique space for her globally-influenced vocal style. This is evident in her role as lead singer/composer of the neo-soul quartet Lace and a member of the Bangalore fusion quartet, Chandbibi and the Waste Candidates. Between these projects and her work with electronic duo, NMND, she has performed in venues across Los Angeles, India and parts of South Asia. Mana has also performed with the experimental opera company, The Industry.

Mana loves to teach voice to all levels and genres, and looks forward to getting you started on your musical journey!

Alive or Dead, What Musician would you do anything to see?

Greatest Musical Influence?

This is a hard one. I’ve had so many influences growing up that have distinctly shaped my sound. Perhaps Ella Fitzgerald, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, AYnur Dogan and Nai Palm. It’s definitely an eclectic mix

Any hidden talents besides music?

I’m a graphic designer and a fairly good cook. Does that count?

What did you want to be while you were growing up?

I wanted to be an underwater photographer.

If you could have any ‘Super Power’, which one would it be?

Apparition! To be able to travel instantly from one spot to another.

If you could master any other instrument which would it be?

The Cello or the bass. It’s always been a dream.

Have you had what people would consider your “15 Minutes of Fame”, and if so when/what was that?

Both times I was interviewed for Rolling Stone India for my original work and listening to my music play on KCRW from a convertible parked next to me at a stoplight! 

It’s your last meal: What would it be?

Oh god, food is such an integral part of my life. Start with Coffee and a croissant, move on to Indian Lentils and Rice with Okra and my aunt’s pickle and finish up with a matcha and black sesame soft serve with a waffle cone of course. 

You are sent to a deserted island, and you only have one album to listen to: Which is it?

Probably Chick Corea and Bobby Mcferrins ‘Play’. 

If you could leave one lesson with your students what would it be?

To learn Music is a choice, you’re here because you love it. Experiment, Explore, Fail. Find joy in all of it.