THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Many of you would remember ThirumaLi for the peppy lyrics he delivered for the song ‘Unnikrishnan’, in the Dulquer Salman-starrer ‘Varane Avasyamund’, alongside Alphons Joseph. But the story of this 25-year-old from Ettumanoor, a small village in Kottayam, is much more than a that of a breakout musician. At a time when Malayalam rap was almost obsolete, ThirumaLi was one of the pioneers to spearhead its growth in Kerala. “When I was in Class XII, I would listen to Michael Jackson. From pop, I moved to hip-hop. I would write verses and get free beats from YouTube,” he says.
Obviously, he had very few role models to look up to. “Malayalam as a language is harder than English if you ask me. And rap is more about arrangement and flow than just getting the right word out,” he says. After completing his a diploma in sound engineering, Vishnu worked in studios before becoming a full-time musician. “Family and friends were worried back then. Music, as it is, was less accepted as a career option. Now imagine doing hip hop,” quips Vishnu.But he knew what he was doing. From less than a hundred views on his first song posted four years ago, ThirumaLi’s viewership is now in millions. Every college in the state wants to rope him for a show, and they sing along, complimenting his power and life on stage.
‘Malayali Da’, with over 27 lakh views on YouTube, was one of his most celebrated tracks. It talks about the headstrong Keralite who can find his way through any mess. “That track had a mass appeal, while those like ‘Ozhappan anthem’ would only catch the attention of students. The infamous backbenchers would love it, especially because of the element of personal experience,” he laughs. Apart from the popular rendition of the old ‘missing blue bucket’ song, ThirumaLi has worked on many hits in the past couple of months.
“Kochi has many talented rappers now. Back in the day, it was getting a free beat and singing to it until it sounds better. But now, there are music producers who know hip hop and can do justice to your verses,” he adds. Kochi-based artist Parimal Shais, who garnered national acclaim for his multi-artiste-album also had his debut with ThirumaLi, with the track ‘Swayambhu’.
The lockdown, however, isn’t working well with Vishnu’s creative spirit. “Well, I thought I could make some music now, but being stuck at home isn’t very stimulating. I admit that I am bored out of my mind,” he quips. Along with city-based artist Thudwiser, he released a song ‘Vyadhi’ on March 23, that talks about the Covid-19 pandemic and how it must bring us all together. “There is no time for ‘if’s and ‘if not’s. No place for religion and petty political rivalries. We must come together as a society now,” he concludes.