You can trace bits of Malappuram in his Malayalam. Years in Chennai has not changed that for Jithin Raj. He went there in search of opportunities to sing. And here is where you stop to think. Isn’t Chennai considered the most prestigious place for Carnatic musicians to sing? Perhaps so, but then, it looks like Chennai is also the place that nurtures every kind of singer.
Jithin had wanted to be a playback singer and Chennai let him. His latest release—Un Mele from RajiniMurugan— had garnered more than eight million views in less than two months. “D Imman, the music director, had called me after I sang my first song —Pidikkudhae from Sigaram Thodu — for him last year,” Jithin says.
He has sung again for Imman in Vaaga, which is releasing in April or May. “I find him the coolest music director to work with. If he doesn’t like something it is there on his face, he is genuine. He is like a brother to me, a mentor.” That first song Jithin sang for Imman had been a package of surprises for him.
The song itself was a break. And Jithin had no idea who the female voice had been until the recording was over. “I sang my part and then they played the recording. I thought the voice sounded so familiar. And when I asked, he said, yes, it is Shreya Ghoshal!” Un Mele is now another break with Mahalakshmi Iyer.
Not that he doesn’t wish to sing for Malayalam.
So far he had one song—Mekkarayil in Mariyam Mukku - for Vidyasagar. “I am putting efforts to sing more in Malayalam.” He had appeared in Music Mojo, singing with the band Prayaan. Before that, he’s taken part in a music reality show called Indian Voice. In Tamil, he came in the final 15 in Super Singer Season 3. Jithin has also tried his hand at acting, in a musical called Vaanavil Vaazhkai, singing quite a few songs too in it, for James Vasanthan.
