“Working with a musician of the likes of A R Rahman is an experience unlike any,” said a happy and content Jonathan Angami, the singer from Nagaland who was inducted into NEXA Music Labs along with his sister Pelenuo and 22 others to showcase their musical expertise under the mentorship of world-renowned musicians, A R Rahman and Clinton Cerejo.
Under their tutelage, Jonathan had a lot of opportunities to let his wings soar in the musical dimension. “I mean a singer of such stature, I never expected him to be so down-to-earth,” he added while talking about Rahman. Amidst all the invaluable learning imparted by Rahman, Jonathan was struck by his humility.
The influence of those “invaluable learning” can be seen clearly in his new song Trouble which was released on February 3 and has raked over 2.24 lakh views till now. This mellow song talks about dealing with the hardships that one faces in their daily lives.
His euphonious voice in the song explores the tribulations that one faces in their daily life, things that bring us down, making us lethargic to even continue with our day. However, as he rightfully stated in his song “I don’t wanna try and pretend/ To know where Life’s gonna take me tomorrow/ Not a clue on my mind” it’s better not to dwell on those for we do not know what life has in store for us in the very next moment. Taking even one step ahead for a new tomorrow is what makes us who we are, and well…what makes us sing. If I seem too influenced by the song then have a go at it yourself and be the judge.
Jonathan trained in the Nagaland Conservatory of Music for four years after performing in various gigs and solo songs in his state. Talking about NEXA, he said he never had plans for it. “I was actually quite reluctant about it at the beginning. It was my friend Suhas who forced me to put up my name in the nominations,” he added.
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Incidentally, both Jonathan Angami and Pelenuo his sister Pelenuo applied as solo artists and both of them were selected in the 24 artist roster. Pelenuo’s song Sunrise is about the beauty of a fresh start, as one moves on and finds a new muse, hence Sunrise. A stark difference from Jonathan as he speaks about the past and Pelenuo the future. The song is another melodic number with the spine-tingling lyrics and equally refined guitar skills. Even her brother agrees in this statement. “I have always found her compositions to be pure. There is no other word for it,” he added. Check out her song.
NEXA Music is the first-of-its-kind project which provides a forum to find new inspirations, discover emerging talents, celebrate and develop new and original English compositions of international standard. The top four amidst the 24 will also be able to produce four music videos that will be released internationally.
Our wishes and support to the sibling duo.
