Sorry, Brecht, all the singing in the dark times are not about the dark times. There can also be songs of hope. That's what a group of artists from Kerala has proven with a series of songs based on the unprecedented experience of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The project, consisting of four songs based on the themes of awareness, tribute and hope, was helmed by Kozhikode-based businessman-cum-writer Hilal Hassan.
The songs are in English, Hindi and Malayalam.
Hilal Hassan has penned three songs all alone, while he co-authored the Hindi lyrics with Anil Hasni.
The first two songs – in English and Hindi – are on the theme of awareness.
The song titled Home Made (Hindi) is sung and composed by Akhil Abbas. The song, in a sense, celebrates the lockdown because it has brought us “back to a forgotten place (that is home). Akhil Abbas has also sung the English song on awareness.
Elisha Abraham, an accredited artist with All India Radio in Western vocal, has sung the English song. Composed by Ramiz Sulaiman, the song is a tribute to all those in the frontline of the world's fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
The Malayalam song has been composed and sung by playback singer K K Nishad. It's on the theme of hope and titled “Will Overcome”.
Hilal told Onmanorama that the music project's idea came to his mind spontaneously.
“When we started it, we did not envisage it as a series. It just happened like that. We all worked from various places by coordinating online,” he said.
Hilal said his primary aim was to send out a message to society about the need to stay home during the lockdown. “We wanted to tell those who loiter around to get back to their homes because it's the safest place. I chose music as the medium to convey the message because it can reach many more people,” he said.
