Walking along the path of her ‘uppooppa’, Nimisha Salim is taking us for a nostalgic drive with Baburaj. The great granddaughter of legendary music composer M.S. Baburaj has become a familiar face by rendering his classics in her melodious voice. Her recent show ‘Mehfil’ in Kozhikode was loved by the audience. Boasting of a music lineage, Nimisha takes her passion very seriously and wants to delve into the depths of notes and tunes.
She has been getting professional training in Hindustani music for the past one year and has finally come out with the CDs ‘Tribute to uppooppa’ and ‘Tribute to the legends’. Asked why she chose Hindustani music, she says, “My uppooppa is my greatest inspiration.” Considering herself an amateur, her dream is to explore new dimensions of music. “It is an endless journey. From the outside, it might look easy but only when you get in do you understand its gravity,” she adds. Currently, she is being trained by Usthad Fayaz Ahmed Khan in Kochi.
The 19-year-old believes in the boundless power of music. “The realisation struck me when I started analysing the musical notes composed by uppooppa, whom I have never seen in person. My relationship with him is more musical than that of a family,” says Nimisha, who has found her other favourites in Lata Mangeshkar, S. Janaki and Mehdi Hassan.
Sharing a memorable on-stage moment, Nimisha says, “While performing on stage there are a few rare moments when you connect to the audience. It is pretty hard to describe the feeling.” Her favourite stage? Pat came the reply, “Kozhikode city. There is something very different about this place. I feel the presence of my uppoppa here. The love and appreciation people shower and on me are beyond words,” Nimisha concludes.
