Rap singer V.J. Vijay’s success story has an engaging sub-text. It’s about how Vinnarasi, a single mom, raised Vijay and supported him in each of his endeavours.
“My mother was working as a sweeper; she took up the burden of educating me all alone,” says 24-year-old Vijay, an upcoming rap singer. Vijay Kumar grew up in Kancheepuram, and later came to Chennai o pursue higher studies. His mother encouraged him to take up signing. He began by singing at school events. Initially, Vijay would listen to all kinds of music and practise singing on his own — at that point, he was not contemplating a career as a professional singer. “I used to hum too. That’s when my friends encouraged me and said it was more like rap,” he says.
Vijay started giving more and more stage performances and also began to compose his own songs. As a student of Loyola College, where he did his undergraduation and post-graduation, he received some exposure as a rap singer.At present, Vijay has 15 songs to his credit and given many stage performances. He is hosting a couple of shows on Kalaignar TV — Nadiganaaga Maariyachu (entertainment) and Nan Paadum Paadal (singing).
He has also sung for the upcoming movie Vazhkai Oru Payanam . Vijay has a few songs meant for an album that is in the works. While his album ‘Iraiva’ focusses on people living in slums, ‘Besem’ is about the life of gypsies. The album ‘See My Tears’ was composed as a tribute to Anita, a medical aspirant who committed suicide for not being able to clear NEET.
