At the other end, singer Nimisha Salim sounds tired. She has been practising throughout the day for her performance at Uru Mehfil, a new space for musicians to explore music. Great granddaughter of popular yesteryear musician M.S. Babu raj, Nimisha is all set to enthral the audience. “Uru Mehfil begins with my performance. It is a platform where musicians can come, perform and discuss music. That has been my style always,” says Nimisha prior to the performance that took place on January 5.
A post-graduate student in English Literature, she has been doing concerts since school days. She believes that concert is an occasion where music connects people. “Everybody sits together and reminisce. That creates a kind of energy. Usually, I choose songs that connect to the energy of the space. For Uru Mehfil, I will be singing Babukka songs mostly as people recognise me with those,” says Nimisha, who feels music is her religion. She considers herself as a good music listener than a singer. In her words, being a music lover is an art and it comes from within.
Though she sings and listens to all sorts of music, Nimisha says her heart lies in Hindustani music, a genre M.S. Baburaj has used in his compositions. He is known for introducing Hindustani music to Malayalam popular music. “My comfort zone is light Hindustani classical music, especially of 60s and 70s. I want to explore Hindustani music deeply,” says Nimisha, a student of Ustad Fayaz Khan of Bharatiya Sangeet Vidyalay.
Ask Nimisha how much Baburaj’s music has influenced her, and she says it helped her create her core in music. “I haven’t met him. I know him only through his music. I grew up listening to his songs. I feel my leniency towards Hindustani music stems from that. I started extensively listening to his songs when I was 17 or 18. The more I listened to him, the more I liked his works; I could find new dimensions to his music each time I listened to him. I realised music is my life,” says Nimisha. “If Uppuppa inspired to create the core of my music, Fayaz sir taught me music’s philosophy. Music is like a prayer for me. It lifts my spirit,” she adds.
She believes that she is at the beginning of her musical journey. “I am yet to start it,” she says.
“I know I have to start it and it takes a lot of courage. And, I know it has no destination. All these realisations have dawned upon me. Now, all I need to do is start!” she concludes.
