Singer-composer Gowry Lekshmi is a trailblazer in the Malayalam independent music scene. She has now joined hands with singer-composer Sooraj Santhosh in her new single, ‘Naamiravil’, which released a few days ago.
The groovy melody, written and composed by Gowry, is the third song from her album, Murivu (wound). “My plan is to bring out seven songs, all of them in Malayalam, as part of the album. The songs are based around the theme wound – the wound could be serious or silly.”
She says that ‘Naamiravil’ is “a simple love song”. Unlike the other two songs in the album, this is light-hearted. ‘Murivu’, the first song of the album, is a hard-hitting take on how women gets sexually abused, whether she is eight, 17 or 22. The second track, ‘Pollunnunde’ is about losing someone, be it a human being or a pet, and the grief that burns you inside out.
Song for love
“’Naamiravil’ draws a parallel between romance and nature. You must have heard several such songs in movies. It is about falling in love and the pain that comes with separation. All of us might have gone through this phase.”
Gowry Lekshmi in the music video ‘Naamiravil’ from her album, Murivu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Evocative lyrics and simple yet catchy arrangements make it a solid track. The song has been mixed and mastered by Rex Vijayan.
When she conceptualised this album, Gowry says she wanted to collaborate with other artistes. “I have done a few shows with Sooraj and I felt that his voice would be apt for the song. I plan to work with more artistes.”
Like all her videos, ‘Naamiravil’ too has been done on a grand scale. “Whenever I listen to a song, the first thing I check out is the videos and that’s why I give importance to the visuals in my songs. Although I am not technically competent, I ensure that I get a proficient crew for my videos. I share my ideas with them and they implement it for me.”
Gowry adds that she has been able to bring out the album because of her friend, Raghav Sairam, who is on board as the producer. “I am lucky because it is extremely difficult to find someone to put the money in music projects.”
Being an indie musician
Gowry, an electrifying performer at live shows, says it is important for an independent artiste to be consistent and patient. “It has been eight years since I released my first video, ‘Thoni’. I realised that the growth will be slow for an independent musician. It is difficult for an indie song to find its listeners, especially if it is in a regional language. The fanbase for ‘Thoni’ got bigger only as years passed by. So, instead of losing heart, keep doing your work. A song becoming a hit or not is not in your hands.”
An indie song would not get as many views as a cover song, says Gowry, who made her debut in films as a composer at the age of 13. “Average views for a cover song is five lakhs, which can happen in a few days or weeks time, whereas it would take six months or even a year for an indie song to get as many views. So, what an artist can do is finish the project and move on to the next.”
Gowry adds that the audience for Malayalam independent music is definitely growing. “Our band performed at Goa recently; not only were we the only Malayalam band there but we also played Malayalam songs only. The support was unbelievable.”
‘Naamiravil’ is streaming on YouTube.
Published - November 29, 2023 05:34 pm IST
