As social distancing is being vigorously imposed, distances are metaphorically shrinking in these COVID-19 times. Established artists and bands have shown songs can be sung and concerts held via various applications, on social media and other virtual platforms.
“This is a time for social distancing, but not emotional distancing. These collaborations assert the beauty of social media, its positive. It has made what was perceived as being impossible, possible,” says Kochi ad-filmmaker/singer Manikandan R.
Manikandan R
Recording and bringing out a song during the lockdown has been nothing short of a revelation for him. The recordings are done either via computers or more often mobile phones, there is neither the technical expertise of a recording studio nor a sound engineer at hand. Each aspect of creating a song is handled remotely, most probably from a different part of the State. Interestingly some of those working together would have never met each other before.
A video grab of ‘Song for Survival’
“That we could, with the team sitting in different places across two cities, bring out a song is amazing,” he says. Song for Survival , a duet by Manikandan and Amritha Jayakumar was uploaded on the Facebook pages of the collaborators on April 12. The song acknowledges the services of those working toward keeping the State healthy and well – the Kerala Police and health workers.
Old friends and some new
Of the 13 people involved in the project, he says he knew only one person on the team, Anu Prashanth who is from Kochi. The others were acquaintances and friends of friends, from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, who came together for the project.
Creative collaborations such as this are possible during such extraordinary times, says civil engineer and ghazal singer Nazia Salam. “This wouldn’t have happened at any other time, people getting together to create like this and making songs such as these,” she says.
Nazia, who collaborated with musicians on another music album says, “Working like this is new. While the technical aspect does not match up like an actual recording studio, the camaraderie is special.” She is part of The Anti-Viral Song , conceptualised, written and composed by IT professional/artist/musician Sujit Sudhi. The song is a reminder that if the people of Kerala could overcome the 2018 floods together, then the pandemic too can be overcome by social distancing and safe hygiene practices.
According to Manikandan such collaborations challenge perceptions that a music-related project “needs everybody involved to be in the same place. So that there is an exchange of ideas, song such as this show that music can be made like this also.”
Unlike Manikandan’s song, Sujit’s was more complex, as he had to work with seven other musicians/singers spread across Kerala. Also, unlike Manikandan, he was working with friends who had worked with him before.
Technology and remote collaborations
Sujit says technology was a hitch but good quality editing and mixing played an important role in enhancing the video. “Since the singers recorded the songs at home, most of them on the phone, there were other sounds which were cleaned during editing. There was also a slight jerkiness because of the lack of uniformity, but it all worked out in the end thanks to mixing and mastering.”
Sujit Sudhi
Interestingly both Malayalam songs were made and uploaded in a short span of time. Song for Survival took three days while TheAnti Viral Song took close to a week from conceptualisation to being uploaded online. Both Manikandan and Sujit had always thought of a larger canvas for their work – be it in terms of concept or the execution. They say this was as good a time as any to give their creativity wings.
Links to the Song for Survival and The Anti Viral Song
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158166172061635&id=670296634
