PALAKKAD: Tribal woman Nanchamma from Attappadi who had no formal training in music but went on to win the national award for the best female playback singer is now in Bristol, the United Kingdom, to perform in a music concert on Friday evening.
“Today, there is a concert in Liverpool. I will be singing three songs from the film, Ayyappanum Koshiyum, and two songs from a film which is yet to be released. I am staying in a house of one Sony Madam along with Pazhaniswamy from Attappadi who has also acted in a few films. I have been served foods like dosa, chappati, poori, rice and sambar, bun and roti, apart from chicken. The organisers are looking after me well.
The only issue is the temperature which is hovering at around 13 degree Censius accompanied by winds,” Nanchamma told TNIE over the phone from Liverpool . “On Thursday, we visited the Church of England cathedral, Royal Albert Dock, the Beatles Story (museum) and Pier Head and passed by Liverpool football stadium. In between, we did a rehearsal. I am unable to go out without a sweater, woolen cap and shoes which I am wearing for the first time. It is really cold out here,” said Nanchamma who sounded happy and ecstatic after seeing new places.
Felt great to get nat’l award from ‘Murmu mantri’: Nanchamma
“It was a great experience to receive the national award from Murmu ‘mantri’ (President Droupadi Murmu). She shook hands only with me and I received a standing ovation from the audience at the awards function held in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Yesteryear actor Asha Parekh, after the function, insisted that I sing the song for which I got the award and I sang in front of her and ministers,” Nanchamma said.
“Today, we will be performing at Volair in Longview in Liverpool, at the Trinity Academy in Bristol tomorrow and at The Lighthouse, Camberwell Road in London, on October 9. We will return to Kerala on October 11,” said Pazhaniswamy. The ‘Limelight 2022’ mega show features only Ramesh Pisharody and playback singers Nithya Mammen and Nanchamma.