London-based musician Amritha Thankachy releases new single; speaks about Bharathiyar's influence
'You cannot make Tamil music without Bharathiyar.' This is not a quote you hear every day in a world of trending reels and auto-tuned covers. But singer-songwriter Amritha Thankachy does not just reference Bharathiyar — she converses with him, she says.
From her beginnings as a video jockey (VJ) in Kerala to her experimental, genre-blending music today, her journey has always been about exploration. With her new single 'Athu Naane' that released on April 17, that spirit of introspection continues to guide her work.
When asked what the song means to her, Amritha does not separate her personal life from her musical evolution. 'Honestly, I feel both are very intertwined,' she says. 'Everyone has that child within them. I feel I always try to tap into that inner that child to stay balanced and happy while I make music. The child within me is curious again.'
Born in Kerala, raised in Chennai, and now based in London, Amritha's music, usually covers of Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi film music, is a blend of these cultures. 'It was never planned. I just knew what I did not want, I did not want to chase film songs just because that is the default dream. I wanted to build something of my own,' she says.
It is hard to miss the soft dominance of Bharathiyar in Amritha Thankachy's music. Her single 'Ninnaye' is a clear example. 'I think we were all exposed to Bharathiyar, especially if you learnt Carnatic music,' she says.
It is not just his verses, but the way his themes have stayed relevant across generations that speaks to her. 'I feel Bharathiyar's poems and his interpretations about love, life, and politics is always in the mainstream media'
Another striking element in Amritha's work is how her visuals transform the way a listener experiences her music be it 'Aaj Ki Raat' or 'Awaken.' 'I always try to learn. You know, that is one thing I always want to keep in my mind. As I go forward and progress in music, I always want to keep space to learn more.
Something I always stress on as well.'
Looking ahead, Amritha's vision is as exploratory as ever. She is working on new material in English, including an upcoming track using lines from Rabindranath Tagore's Golden Boat.'
But more than anything, she's excited to deepen her craft. 'I want to learn more of music production. My making of music is very oriented towards a singer point of view. I'm still learning that.'
Amritha Thankachy's journey is a reminder that growth in music, much like in life comes from staying curious, not from rushing toward the next goal.
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