“Bigson.. Bigsu.. Bigsappa. The place did he go?” — a mom’s voice calls out to 3 iterations of this title higher identified to the music world as Arivu. Who’s Brother Bigson Mandela?
A personality in his new unbiased album releasing on July 18? Or maybe a mesmerising rockstar, like David Bowie’s alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, possessed by the necessity to make us dance?
Arivu and his alter ego Brother Bigson Mandela
| Picture Credit score:
S Shiva Raj
Within the first tune ‘Native Jackson’ on Valliamma Peraandi’s 12-track record, Arivu as ‘Bigson’, is a nonchalant artiste. He desires folks to groove to his music. He is aware of that he’s cool, and states it. That is Arivu’s Aspect-B.
“Bigson is frankly only a assured Arivu,” says the hip-hop artiste, as we stroll round The Hindu’s workplace in Chennai, two days earlier than the launch of the album.
“I’m my mom’s oldest youngster. I’m, therefore, Bigson. After I was younger, I used to be extraordinarily naughty. I realised in some unspecified time in the future that being ‘Arivu’…somebody who thinks… is the issue. Why not stay the childlike Bigson. Society has positioned numerous restrictions on Arivu. However as Bigson, I’m free” he says.
Valliamma Peraandi album cowl
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
Two years after ‘Enjoy Enjaami’, now embroiled in court docket instances and dialog about compensation, and 5 years since his first runaway hit album Therukural, Arivu gears as much as launch Valliamma Peraandi with file label Sony Music India. Right here, the 12 songs belong to totally different genres, themes and vibes. Suppose EDM at a thiruvizha, an impactful drill quantity on untouchability, a wordless mediation on the origin of language for the early man, 4 love songs with lyrics from Malayalam and Punjabi, and even a monitor titled ‘Block Panniten’.
“As a toddler, I didn’t know rap. Most tunes I listened to had been the sounds of the road — Mariamman songs and different devotional music by LR Eswari. These sounds are nonetheless inside me. I inform everybody that you will need to familiarise oneself with these tunes from every area, they perceive the soil and turn out to be one with the earth. I feel that is what I’m attempting to revisit,” he says.
Tracing the road
This act of making and recording new music has not been simple although. Arivu says that this time, he has solely chosen to collaborate with individuals who he’s conversant in, indicating that he has been burnt earlier than. In Valliamma Peraandi, he has sung together with likes of Punjabi singer and good friend Rashmeet Kaur within the monitor ‘Raasathi’ recorded over simply two hours, and Gaana Balachander and Chellamuthu, his mates and Ambassa bandmates, in ‘Saarbaga’. His producers embrace Gachi B from Tanzania, London-based Quasimode, DopeBoyzMuzic, Preetesh Hirji, and long-time good friend Anto Franklin.
“There’s a distinction between collaboration and management. Previously, I had solely focussed on going right into a studio and making a tune that arose from a sure a part of the consciousness. I didn’t take into consideration whether or not I’d be given the correct rights, credit or compensation for my work. On this unbiased album sans many collaborators, I’m lastly creating songs which might be my very own. That is the purest type of who I’m,” he says.
Arivu and his alter ego Brother Bigson Mandela
| Picture Credit score:
S Shiva Raj
Arivu says that having encountered a number of lows publish the discharge of ‘Take pleasure in Enjaami’, he has been stricken by classes on understanding human nature. “Persons are not the phrases they communicate however the actions they do. I at all times knew that there was inequality amongst people however I gathered first-hand proof of it after the tune was launched. Regardless of having been educated, it didn’t assist me. I didn’t get the instruments at a younger age to deal with and combat such issues,” he says.
Now, his imaginative and prescient is evident. He’s right here to talk the tales of his ancestors and is insistent on doing it with pizzazz. That is the place being Valliamma’s peraandi (grandson), is useful. Arivu says that it was within the eyes of his grandmother that he was first seen as an artiste.
“My grandmother from Salem, was taken as an indentured labourer to the tea estates of Sri Lanka, below the British. Regardless of having created a house there, she was forcefully requested to return to this nation for no fault of her personal. She lives and thrives regardless of being displaced. I visited the tea estates a while again and felt like I didn’t know the right way to course of it. I got here again with ‘Take pleasure in Enjaami’ however this new tune within the album, ‘Kangaani’, is a deeper exploration of her story. It’s the place the labourers on the property would make enjoyable of their supervisors by wordplay. She introduced me up as a toddler as my mom would go to work. I obtained care, love, and the possibility to be a performer earlier than her. She known as me Ballvaya,” he says.
On to the following
Arivu’s exploration by this album additionally reiterates that he’s a performer who seeks out pleasure. “Think about if there was no caste. What songs would Arivu be making? I’d be making jolly songs however my pen doesn’t permit it. On the finish of the day, I’m a casteless man. I would like to have the ability to make music that’s enjoyable. I need to join with folks by love. My band, Ambassa and its band members, are examples of how one can create joyous music by people and ganaa, with out ignoring what’s vital,” he says.
The artiste is all set to start touring quickly and has begun engaged on the following quantity of this album, however says that he’s most excited for folks to listen to and obtain Valliamma Peraandi. “I’m trying to serve folks music that works to their style and aligns with my ideas,” he says. Largely although, he would identical to to make songs which might be enjoyable.
To facilitate that, his new avatar is raring to go. Welcome to the world, Brother Bigson Mandela.
