I imagined ‘Queen of the Night’ as the voice of a yakshi who has lived for centuries: Lokah singer Zeba Tommy

There’s something evocative about the moment when Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Chandra in ‘Lokah’ leans back in her seat as the car moves through the night, continuing her journey to Bengaluru—her latest destination. The car ride becomes a metaphor for her inner journey, gradually revealing the character’s emotions and turmoil. As she puts on her earphones, Zeba Tommy’s haunting vocals in Queen of the Night—a track penned and sung by her—seamlessly capture Chandra’s emotional state.

Speaking to Onmanorama, Zeba shared that she wrote the lyrics from the perspective of a yakshi (a mythical vampire-like being), constantly in motion. “Jakes Bejoy reached out to me about the song a couple of months ago. He gave me the freedom to write the lyrics, and then director Dominic Arun briefed me on Chandra’s character. I imagined the song as the voice of a yakshi who has lived for centuries—navigating emotions, weariness, and longing. The song came together shortly after the film hit theatres, and I’m truly overjoyed by the reception,” she said.

This is Zeba’s fourth collaboration with Jakes Bejoy, currently one of Mollywood’s most sought-after music composers. “I’ve worked with Jakes chettan before, and our creative synergy has only grown. We’ve reached a place where we understand each other’s styles really well. There’s clarity on the kind of sound and emotion each project needs. Jakes always seems to have songs that suit my voice—whether it was Kalki, Garudan, Officer on Duty, and now Lokah,” she added.

Currently based in Mumbai, Zeba spent several years in Kochi and other parts of India. Despite frequent relocations, her parents ensured she received consistent training in Carnatic music from the age of six. She’s also certified in Western Classical and Vocal Music from Trinity College London. In addition to singing for films, she’s lent her voice to jingles for major brands like Ujala and Mia by Tanishq, and regularly performs across the country.

One of her biggest breaks in the film industry came when she sang a portion for the promotional video of the Netflix series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, directed and composed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. She also feels privileged to have worked with composers like Ram Sampath, Govind Vasantha, Gopi Sundar, Kailas Menon, Sachin Warrier, and Hesham AbdulWahab..

Though she’s known for her strong command over Western vocals, Zeba is intentional about not being boxed into any one genre or industry. “I don’t want to be defined by a specific form—whether it’s Western, Carnatic, or anything else. I’m not particular about sticking to one language or industry either. As long as the music is good and the work is fulfilling, that’s all that matters,” she explained.

When asked how long it took her to write the lyrics of Queen of the Night, she said, “Not long at all. The first draft had very few corrections. Jakes was happy with it. I’m not someone who sticks rigidly to rhyme schemes or the typical AB-AB format. This was actually my first time composing music for a film. I give precedence to the lyrical aspect, but once you layer in sound, it becomes more sonically pleasing. There were a few minor revisions—rhymes and structures—but I always try to balance lyrical depth with musicality. For me, meaning and word choice matter just as much as the sound.”