All posts filed under: MUSIC

Explore Local Musicians and their Music

“We Want to Preserve Our Folk Songs and Native Language ‘Kok Borok’ Through Our Music” – Meet Folk-Fusion Band KOLOMA from Tripura

Published by Vilina

With the growing genre of music these days, folk music may be fading into oblivion. So today, we are pleased to feature KOLOMA – a 5 member band from Tripura that has been formed with the goal to preserve their traditional folk music. They write songs in their local tribal language ‘Kokborok’ and hope to preserve and pass on their culture to future generations. As a band, Ronel, Kiyok, Shimul, Rumio, and Bhaskar write songs about love, inspiration, life and struggles, in “Kok Borok” – the native language of the indigenous people in Tripura. Read on to know everything about KOLOMA – the band, their story and what they aim to achieve through their music. Please introduce yourselves, and tell us how you guys came together to form KOLOMA. Also, what does “KOLOMA” mean? “KOLOMA” is a word derived from a former script in the tribal Kokborok language. We are a 5 member Folk-Fusion band based in Tripura. Our compositions are mostly about contemporary life and romance. Rumio Debbarma is the lead vocalist, composer, lyricist and plays the folk instruments …

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This 23-Year-Old Student is using Rap Music to Talk About Society Issues, and to Promote His Culture | Meet Moko Koza from Nagaland

Published by Ovung Jungio

There’s no denying about the power of Music – it can heal, it can connect people around the world, and it has the potential to bring about change. Today we have a young rapper from Nagaland who has been in the music scene for over a decade but only recently caught our attention through his very catchy and powerful Nagamese* rap (*local dialect in Nagaland) called “Puisa” – meaning Money. He apostatizes the money-mad posse in his verses – which are shrewdly propped up by a sampled vocal hook from Aloe Blacc’s “I Need A Dollar”, a fitting motif for this game-changing Nagamese tune. Meet 23-year old Moko Koza from Nagaland, an anthropology student and a talented rapper, who is using music as a medium to highlight issues in the society, and to promote his culture by using local dialects in his music, and through international collabs – with his most recent being “Internationally Known” – a single released in collaboration with rappers from Detroit and Sarkar Musik. We chat with Moko Koza – a student of Kohima Science …

A Chat with 23-year-old Singer-Songwriter, Actor, and Activist Rahul Rajkhowa from Assam

Published by Vilina

  To be a talented singer and  an entertainer is a blessing for an individual, and to use these talents for a greater cause can be a blessing for many. 23-year-old singer-songwriter Rahul Rajkhowa from Assam is an inspiring young artist, who has already created nationwide news and impact for his hometown, through his music. His music video “The Floods” which highlights the devastating effects of the Assam Floods, got him his first solo feature on Rolling Stone magazine India, national news coverage on NDTV and honored by ‘Twitter India’ as the Youth ambassador for using social media to bring positive change.  This charming musician started his musical journey when he was just 12, as a band member in school. Later when he moved to Delhi for college, he started playing with his seniors at St. Stephen’s College, and very soon he had already put together his own band “Paperboat” – with whom he has toured around the country. He is also a blooming actor, and have acted alongside Rishi Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Ayushman Khuranna …

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The Lyrics of His Songs May be Plain But Strikes a Chord With His Listeners | Meet Saurav Moktan From Sikkim – an Engineer, and a Musician

Published by Vilina

From a small state in the Northeastern part of India – Sikkim, this 27-year-old singer/songwriter who is a man of few words found his way through music as a constant companion. Today, music has become a tool for him to spread hope to his listeners – to convey that music can heal – just like it healed him. Although a full-time engineer, not only is he singing and writing songs on the side,  but also winning awards at rock festivals, and also releasing an album soon! Let’s have a chat with this singer/songwriter from Gangtok and find out more about him. We chat with Saurav Moktan from Sikkim about his passion and love for music, his future projects and more. Hi Saurav, please introduce yourself. My name is Saurav and I was born and raised in Gangtok, Sikkim. I am 27 years old, songwriter and vocalist for the band Perfect Stickfigure Illustrations (P.S.I.). I am an engineer by profession and currently working full-time with Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Sikkim. How did it all start? …

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The Serious & Soulful Singer/Songwriter from Nagaland – Tokaholi Chishi

Published by Nara Longkumer

Gifted with a flair to write verses and compose melodies, Tokaholi Chishi, is a musician with perfervid passion whose narratives resonate a perfect  balance of singing and story-telling.  We had a chat with Tokaholi to talk about her love for music, her life, and her roots. Hello! Could you tell us briefly about yourself? My name is Tokaholi Chishi and I live in Dimapur. I write songs and I play the acoustic guitar (albeit not very skilfully) , I try to voice out my passion in undulating tunes, just like life- some times high, some times low! What is your process when it comes to composing songs and what kind of genre do you prefer? I like to write, whether it is poetry or a story. I  add melody and soul as mediums to communicate and connect with the listeners. Music serves as a great tool to tell stories, that’s my primary goal and when it comes to a genre there is no fixed style. (independent music would hopefully fit the bill).   When did …

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A Chat With Moajungla Jamir From Nagaland – The Girl Whose Cover Song for “Coat of Many Colors” Went Viral

Published by Kumti

Heinrich Heine rightly quoted, “Where words leave off, music begins.” Imagine a life without music! Thanks to those people, who time and again delivers us with good music to balance out our life in this mad frenzy world. Speaking of which, Nagaland has its own set of budding raw talents that keeps surprising us every now and then. Today we have a special guest, a naturally talented musician, and a humble soul – Moajungla Jamir from Nagaland, who took the internet by storm two years ago, when a video of her singing “Coat of many colors” by Dolly Parton went viral. We sat down with her to find out what she’s been up to, her musical journey so far and what she hopes people take away from her music. It’s a beautiful one… read on to find out. Hi Moajung, tell us something about yourself and what you’ve been up to. My name is Moajungla Jamir and I am 22 years old from Dimapur. I am the youngest in the family, living with my mother alone …

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Singer Songwriter Abdon Mech from Nagaland Talk About Growing up in a Family of Musicians

Published by Vilina

Abdon Mech was born into a family of four, where every other member is a musician including his father, mother, and sister. This talented 21-year-old singer-songwriter, despite stepping into the music industry just a year ago, has quickly emerged as a remarkable artist, captivating audiences with his soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. His musical prowess spans across genres, effortlessly traversing the realms of slow 70’s jazz and seamlessly blending into the infectious rhythms of peppy pop beats. With his undeniable talent and undeniable star quality, he has already on his way to stardom! We sat down to get personal with this young local talent from Nagaland to talk about his roots, musical inspirations, and more. R&L: Hello Abdon, please introduce yourself Abdon: I am Abdon Mech from Thahekhu Village, Dimapur in Nagaland. I am 21 years old and an aspiring singer/songwriter. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in English and will be pursuing my Master’s in the same soon. R&L: Introduce us to your work. What got you started? Abdon: Music started very very late for …

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Witness The Battle Of The Best Vocals & Dancers At K-POP World Festival India In New Delhi

Published by Vilina

As the curtain pulls down for NAJ COSFEST 2018  with Cosplayers from all over India giving us ANIME ATTACK  , we are here to add cherry to the top with another event that will make your Monday blues go away and its FREE ENTRY for all ! WHAT : K-POP World festival INDIA 2018 WHEN : 9th July, 6 Pm WHERE : Siri Fort Auditorium ,New Delhi WHO IS COMING  : K-POP band – SNUPER ( Guest judge) North- East in general have never been alien with  Korean drama / music/ fashion /beauty also popularly known as Hallyu wave and Nagaland even saw the first Korea-India music festival in the year 2008 under the Government of Nagaland and South Korea making K-POP even more prominent among the younger generation. With the rising popularity of PSY’s Gangnam style  , Hallyu wave is no longer region specific and India has marked its map on the K-POP fandom and it is definitely here to stay . The “Changwon K-POP World festival” happens every year and it is a unique festival organized …

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Meet Vikhietuonuo Rutsa – Soulful Pianist and Music Teacher from Nagaland

Published by Tiarenla

“Music is the key to your soul” As cliché as it may sound, it is always going to be true! Music can trigger feelings and memories, and most importantly, can connect you to the self, the creator or even a stranger thousands of miles away from you. Today we have a sweet soul, who is a pianist, music teacher and youth leader. Vikhietuonuo Rutsa from Nagaland radiates peace and calm, and that you can feel very strongly in her music. We had a quick chat with the musical genius Vikhietuonuo Rutsa, to talk about what keeps her focused and optimistic, taking risks, and how to prepare for stage performances, as a beginner. Tell us something about yourself, and when did you start playing? Hi , my name is Vikhietuonuo Rutsa but my friends call me Vikhie or Vi. I’m 26 years old from Kohima – a Sociologist, a Musician, Youth Chairman and a Worship Leader at Baptist Mission Church, Kohima. “I started my first piano lesson when I was 10 from Miss Mhalevonuo Zhale. Later on only …

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“My Top 7 Tunes From The Hills Of Nagaland” by Jungio

Published by Ovung Jungio

Our contributor and music aficionado Jungio has shared another list of his top seven songs from Naga artists. He also adds a personal commentary about each of the tunes, and why he thinks we should give them a listen. Over to Jungio! “Despite the paltry infrastructures and less-than-ideal circumstances, musical talents from the region have been able to put Nagaland on the map for something worth writing about and beyond. So without much further ado, let’s shine a spotlight on these stars and their tunes that deserves your attention and your listening ears.” ~ Jungio Here’s the Top 7 tunes curated from the hills of Nagaland. “See” by Tuden Jamir  There are songs with piercing lyrics, there are songs with evocative melodies and then there is this song from the songwriter extraordinaire, Tuden, who effortlessly brings together both these elements in this outstanding track – with the finesse and showmanship of a musical alchemist. “This song is the de-facto anthem of any twenty-something-someone swimming against the tempestuous tides of conventionalism and conformity, a love letter to the …