Smule'ful melodies

For Nikhil, a native of Chengattumuri in Thrissur, the way his life has changed still gives goosebumps. He was just a bathroom singer until he entered Smule, the social-music mobile app meant to connect music lovers across the globe. He heard about the application from one of his friends in Qatar, became a part of it out of curiosity and within a short span of time, became a celebrity Smule singer. Like Nikhil, a lot of young Malayali musicians are using this platform to showcase their singing chops. For some, it is a serious affair while for a few it is a hobby. Whatever be it, Smule is the new rage among them and more people are joining every day, realising its potential. Since it is an international platform, it enables them to connect with people in different corners of the world.

“I was working in Qatar. Although my friend mentioned about Smule, I didn’t take it seriously then. Later, I returned to Kerala. One day, I told my friend here about the application, we both downloaded it in our phones but had no clue how to use it,” laughs Nikhil, an engineering graduate. Nikhil spent some time to learn about the app and his first attempt was Vennila Chandanakinnam… “That didn’t come out well. But then, I couldn’t remove it either. It was already saved in Smule,” he recalls. It took him a while to get hold of the application. “I was sad because I had few followers on Smule. Even songs that I sang well were not appreciated by listeners. After many trials and errors, I realised that good singing alone won’t help. There should be variety,” smiles Nikhil, who is known for his pleasant appearance in Smule videos.

“First, I switched from audio to video mode. Not everyone would click on an audio file. But, people would definitely open a video. As next step, I dubbed the dialogues of the character Nagavalli in Thrissur slang. That worked. It went viral in Smule. And, those who watched it clicked onto my song videos too, thus increasing my followers.” His next was Rockabye song. The song that elevated him to celebrity status was Nadodi poonthikal ft I got you, he sang with Bebe Rexha, an American singer. His song even won the Smule Singers contest held by Sree Buddha College of Engineering as part of their Tech Fest.

Sruthilakshmee and Ranjini singing over Smule

Smule enables a person to sing with singers, including popular names, from across the globe. “I never thought it would become a hit as my friends didn’t like it much. But, it was liked by listeners on social media platforms. It was shared on many pages, widening its reach. You need a lot of patience while singing in Smule. You can do different takes to perfect your song,” he says. “Now, life has changed a lot. People recognise me and they take selfies with me. I have realised how difficult a celeb’s life is,” adds Nikhil, who is getting ready to fly back to Qatar. The popularity of Smule has surged so much that makers of the upcoming film Godha has taken it as a means to reach the audience. They have opened a competition in Smule where talents could sing to the karaoke of the song Aaro Nenjil... from the movie. The winner would get a chance to sing to the music of Shaan Rahman. Music programmer and singer Sruthilakshmee started using Smule to be a part of this campaign. 

Beyza Yalcin with Rakesh Reghu (taken from the Facebook page Smule Kerala Singers)

“My friends are part of the project and hence I tried it. Once I opened an account, I realised the potential of the platform and then there was no looking back. I got more followers in Smule than on Facebook. I have many music-loving friends working in other areas. Smule is an apt stage for them,” she says. “It is ideal for both aspiring and professional talents. Also, those who couldn’t make it to the cinema can try their luck here,” she adds. What Sruthilakshmee finds interesting about Smule is the positive vibe it transmits.  “In Smule, you could meet a lot of people who are genuinely interested in music. They will encourage you and won’t put unnecessary comments like they do on Facebook. I am an independent musician and working on a few productions. I wish to put karaoke of my songs in Smule.” She hopes the app would reach new heights in the coming days. “Many international singers like Ed Sheeran are part of it. I hope our singers too would join  Smule and inspire upcoming talents.”