Music and Musicians, you will find aplenty in Northeast India; it’s a huge part of their lives, and most of the artists are genuinely talented and passionate – which is the reason why we just can’t stop writing (or talking!) about them! Trust us, we have merely scratched the surface of what is a goldmine of creative talents in this part of the world.
Today, we introduce you guys to Thunglamo Ngullie, a 27 year old dynamic and versatile solo artist from Nagaland. A hardcore music lover, trained musician, Naga Idol Runner Up and now a Vocal Trainer. Here’s a chat with the talented young man to talk about his musical journey in this remote part of the country, and how he got to perform in several parts of the world – including China and South Korea!
Photo : Thunglamo Ngullie
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Hi Thungla, tell us about yourself and your musical journey so far.
I’m originally from Wokha district, and now I am based in Dimapur. I graduated from Unity College Dimapur; I’m now a full time musician, and also work as a vocal coach in few schools here. Like most people in Nagaland, I too started singing at a very young age – and yes, churches were one of my first performance arenas. With regards to taking up music full time, the turning came when I came 2nd runner up in the Naga Idol Contest in the year 2012; the experience throughout the journey gave me the push I needed to further pursue music as a full time career.
“Like most people in Nagaland, I too started singing at a very young age – and yes, churches were one of the first stages where I was given opportunities to perform.”
Photo : Thunglamo Ngullie performing in a church in Nagaland
I joined Hope Centre for Excellence located at Half Nagarjan, Dimapur and started learning music under the tutelage of the esteemed Master Nise Meruno for over three years. With his excellent guidance, I have passed my Grade 8 examination in classical vocal from Trinity College and Rock School of Music, London, respectively.
During the course of those three years, I also got to be a member of the prestigious group, Zowe Madrigal led by Nise Meruno. The group has had numerous opportunities to perform at multiple occasions at a variety of platforms, even outside the state and in countries like China, Korea, Myanmar, to name a few.
Thunglamo Ngullie (right) with other members of Zowe Madrigal led by musical maestro from Nagaland Nise Meruno (2nd from right) on one of their trips to Seoul, Korea for a concert.
Photo : Thunglamo Ngullie and Co. on a Trip to Korea
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What is your creative work philosophy?
I believe in consistency – be it in learning or teaching. It helps me stay motivated and do better with each practice.
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Where do you take your inspiration from and what do you hope people take away from your music?
Since my family is from a religious background, church music has always been a profound source of inspiration for me. Among other genres, I am mostly influenced by R&B music. R Kelly and Whitney Houston tops my list, their ability to put their soul into the music, the powerful lyrics and the connection with the listeners is something that I’m always motivated by.
I put my heart and soul into every performance of mine. I want people to experience the same intensity I have and spread the joy and happiness around through my music.
Apart from church music, I also take inspiration from R&B music. R Kelly and Whitney Houston tops my list; their ability to put their soul into the music, the powerful lyrics and the connection with the listeners is something that I’m always motivated by.
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So tell us what keeps you busy these days, and what are your future plans?
At the moment, I dedicate a lot of hours as a Vocal Teacher at few of the local schools out here; so I don’t have much time for other indulgences. I have been working on an original debut album for quite some time though; something which I am looking forward to in the coming few months. As for my future goals, I plan to pursue Masters in Music – Vocals from Malaysia.
You can find my work on Instagram & Facebook.
