Stephen Devassy

Stephen Devassy (born 23 February 1981) is an Indian musician hailing from Palakkad, Kerala.[1] He started his career at a very early age, and has performed on stage around the world. Stephen is the founder of Musik Lounge, an audio technology school and studio in Chennai.[2][3]

Stephen Devassy
Background information
Born (1981-02-23) 23 February 1981
GenresClassical, Indian, World music
Occupation(s)Pianist, Keytarist, Keyboardist, Composer, Arranger, Music Director
Years active1998–present
Associated actsSeven, Rexband, Dhundhubi
Stephen Devassy performing
Stephen Devassy on stage

Early life

Stephen did his schooling at Seventh Day Adventist school, Ottapalam. He went on to NSS College, Ottapalam for pursuing his Pre-Degree. And[4] Stephen married Jesna Joy on 16 November 2010.They have a son Shawn born in 2015.[5]

Career
Stephen Devassy performing in Doha

Devassy's first major break came when he was aged 18, through Johny Sagarika, for whom he did the music orchestration of six songs on the album Ishtamannu. He then went as an accompanying artist to play the keyboard for Hariharan on his European tour. He has also accompanied the violin maestro L. Subramanian at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival.[6][7][8]

At age 19, he started a music band called Seven, with singer Franco Simon and guitarist Sangeeth Pavithran. A Hindi pop band, they released an album titled YehZindagani.

Stephen, who started performing at a young age, has done the music arrangement for many films. Some of the films he scored were Majaa, Thambi, Nammal, Azhagiya Thamizh Magan and Hariharan's album, Waqt Par Bolna.[9]

Hariharan Pillai Happy Aanu (2003) was his maiden music directorial venture in Malayalam.Lyrics was written by Famous young lyricst Rajeev Alunkal.All songs in this picture is still super hits. The film "KQ" (2013) by Baiju Johnson, a story of two hard working friends also had a touch of Stephen's music. Survival thriller of Superstar Mohanlal's "Neerali" (2018) directed and co-edited by Ajoy Varma is another milestone in his music career .

He is one of the regular band members in Rexband, a Christian contemporary band singing gospel fusion, a musical outreach of the Jesus Youth Movement. He performed with the band before Pope John Paul II during World Youth Day performance in 2002 at Canada. At the time, it was the only catholic band invited from India. Stephen has orchestrated an instrumental version of the popular Rex Band melodies called Different Vibes.[10]

In association with Kosmic Music,[11] Stephen has also set to tune to a background of Western music, Sanskrit slokas, mantras and verses from the Upanishads, called Sacred Chants of Kosmic Music, and albums of holy chants on Ganesha, Shiva and Vishnu.[12]

He has also assisted Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan with his album of Christmas carols, Breaking Barriers..

He has released his album Romanza, which was a mix of world music sprinkled with the flavor of piano. Indian ragas have been treated with the rich use of contemporary piano. Hariharan, Ouseppachan and a Russian vocalist appeared as guest artists on the album.[13]

Stephen's solo stage shows have propelled him to the top league of onstage performers.[14]

Stephen did the role of an ideal judge in Amrita TV show Superstar Junior (2016), Top Singer (2018-2019) of Flowers channel and currently he is in the panel of most famous music contest Star singer of Asianet.

He got several other opportunities like being guest in many other TV shows. Super Singer Season 1 (2008), Super Singer season 2 (2021) of Vijay TV, Indian voice season 1 (2012) of Mazhavil manorama are few of them.

He was also been guest in many Hindi television shows like The Voice India kids Season 2 (2017) of AND TV, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs (2017) of Zee TV and in the most famous Sony TV show Indian Idol season 12 (2020-2021).

Achievements

Stephen Devassy got certificate of participation in 2019 from Guinness World Records for working on the music of the longest documentary film "100 years of Chrysostom" which enters in Guinness World Records. The documentary was directed by Blessy.

Rotary club of Cochin Excellence Award – 2008

AMMA Award – Artist of The Year – 2009

Asia Vision Award – 2012

Featured on cover of AUDIBY, (Music and tech magazine) – Nov -Dec 2012

Brands Academy Award For Stephen Devassy's – Muzik Lounge School of Audio Technology – 2013

Featured on 5Talents Magazine Cover Page With His Life Story – 2013

Cosine Award – 2013

Times of India – Brand Icon – 2015

Swaralaya Award – 2016

Music Icon of The Year – Vijay TV – 2018

Best Live Music Performance in India – Indywood Music Excellence Awards – 2018

Guinness World Records – Certificate of Participation – 2019

The Icon of Inspiration Music – Behindwoods Gold Mic Award – 2019[15]

  • "5Talents Magazine Issue 10 July 2013 by 5Talents Magazine – issuu". issuu.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  • "5talentsmag.com". 5talentsmag.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.

Discography
FilmDirectorActorsYearLanguage
Hariharan Pillai Happy AanuViswanathan VaduthalaMohanlal, Jyothirmayi2003Malayalam
KQBaiju JohnsonParvathy Omanakuttan, Baiju Johnson2013Malayalam
NeeraliAjoy VarmaMohanlal2018Malayalam

Television
Programme NameYearTV ChannelLanguageNotes
Super Star Season 12006Amrita T VMalayalamGuest/Arranger/Judge/Performer
Super Singer Season 12008Vijay TVTamilGuest
Top Singer2018–2019FlowersMalayalamJudge
Indian Idol Season 122020–2021Sony TVHindiGuest
Star Singer2021 – presentAsianetMalayalamJudge
Super Singer Season 82021Vijay TVTamilGuest

References
  1. Menon, Anasuya (18 June 2015). "Stephen Devassy: An orchestra by himself". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  2. "In surround sound". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  3. "മാരക രോഗത്തിന് അടിമയായിരുന്നു സ്റ്റീഫൻ ദേവസ്സി; അതിജീവന കഥ". ManoramaOnline. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  4. "about". stephendevassy.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  5. "Keeper of the keys". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  6. "Life Chennai : Village boy from Palakkad climbs the music ladder". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 12 June 2005. Archived from the original on 15 July 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  7. "എ.ആര്‍ റഹ്മാന്റെ ട്രൂപ്പില്‍ നിന്ന് പിരിയാന്‍ കാരണം; മനസ്സു തുറന്ന് സ്റ്റീഫന്‍ ദേവസ്സി". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  8. "Hariharan, Stephen Devassy concert live from Kochi". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  9. "Key notes". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 15 August 2009. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  10. "Stephen Devassy profile". Webindia123.com. 23 February 1981. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  11. "Kosmic Music".
  12. "The right keys to success". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 12 May 2006. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  13. "On Loop: What is Stephen Devassy listening to right now?". International Business Times. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  14. Rasheed, PMA (14 January 2008). "My efforts are to change the colour of music". khaleejtimes.com. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  15. "Stephen Devassy | Behindwoods Gold Mic Music Awards – Winners who bagged laurels!". Behindwoods. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
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