If there is a voice that gets sweeter every time you listen to it, it has to be KS Chitra’s. Our own Nightingale. She is back with yet another charming melody in Viddikalude Mashu, written by Rafeeq Ahammed and composed by Bijibal. Her voice brings so much respite to a world bruised by Covid and gives a fresh surge of hope. Chitra talks about her experiences, musical journey, and some nostalgia to Manorama online.
New song
This is the second song I am singing for Bijibal after Artist. Though Bijibal did call me for a film, I couldn’t take it up as I had a slight throat infection. They did wait for me for a long time but since my cold and throat pain wasn’t easing, they had to give the song to another singer. This is a melancholic song. Rafeeq Ahammed has written the lyrics. And they are quite intense and beautiful. The words will be engraved in your minds as soon as you hear them.
The gentle musician
There is a specialty in Bijibal’s music. They instantly trickle into the listener's heart. I have always enjoyed his music. His music is very distinctive. I haven’t met a more calm person than him. Just looking at his face gives you a strange peace and joy. When I first sang for Bijibal, I was a bit anxious as I kept wondering if I was able to deliver what he wanted. I usually have this anxiety whenever I sing for a new music director. I remember my first meeting with Bijibal and how calm and patient he was when it comes to exchanging ideas. So I was able to sing exactly the way he wanted.
A film lover
I am a cinema lover and I love watching films. But I cannot always do that due to time constraints. When we are in Kerala, occasionally we would go to a theatre to watch a film with the family. I love going to the theatres to watch a film. And we do find time to do that. But again, most of it depends on the recording schedule. I never watch a film the day before a recording. Because the theatre atmosphere can adversely affect my singing quality. And it can impact my recording. So watching a film depends on a lot of factors like these.
Unforgettable day
During the initial days, I was thrilled to see my name on the title card. I still remember the day, Nokethadoorathu Kannum Nattu was released. There was a three-storeyed theatre in Thiruvanthapuram back then. The movie was screened on the 3rd floor. By the time we started from home, we were already late for the show. I was distraught by the fact that I might miss seeing the title card. All that was in my mind was that I should be able to see my name on the title card. By the time we reached there, the film had already started. We somehow managed to run towards the third floor. That time my father was not well, too much stress can cause him chest pain. But my father too came with me, not bothering about his health condition. So we somehow managed to see my name. But during interval, my father was complaining of uneasiness. That made us all anxious and we weren’t able to concentrate on the film. Thankfully my father was fine. I will always remember this incident.
Working during the time of Covid
I had recently gone abroad for a show after a long break. We had taken all necessary precautions and covid restrictions. Since I was doing a programme after a long break, I was apprehensive. I was also not sure if there will be enough people to watch it due to covid fear. It's always a nightmare to sing for an empty stadium. In our promo video, we had stressed people to come keeping all the restrictions and safety in mind. We didn’t want them to fall sick after coming to this programme. Thankfully the programme was a huge success.
Only one prayer
These are times when we have to be always on our guard. The pandemic keeps fluctuating and it has only given us a lot of grief and uncertainty. We have lost so many of our loved ones and that’s enough to keep our spirits down. I think each of us are going through a period of unrest. Let's pray for everyone’s safety and hope that this too shall pass. This pandemic has affected the lives of so many artists. And I hope they will get a lot of work and live peacefully. Let things get back to normal and not disrupt the flow of our lives again.