Echoing Jaffna in Norway: 9 grader nord, a Norwegian Tamil folk-rock band reveals all about their new album 

Norwegian Tamil folk-rock band 9 grader nord has just released their second album, Yalpanam. The band comprises sisters Mira and Dipha Thiruchelvam, Jakob Sisselson Hamre, and Jakob Sønnesyn Mira. In its 8 years, the band has garnered an immense following in Norway. Their inspiration ranges from Tyagaraja’s Pancharatna Krithis to AR Rahman, Linkin Park, AC/DC, and Green Day. Thanks to the internet, the band’s rhythms have now made their way to the ears of South Asian listeners, who have been showering immense praise on them.

Joining a chat with Indulge from Norway, composer and flautist Mira Thiruchelvam talks about the band’s musical journey and more.

What has the band’s journey been like?
Our band is called 9 grader nord, which translates to ‘9 degrees north’, representing the coordinates for Jaffna, where our parents hail from. Dipha and I grew up in Bergen, the second-largest city in Norway. We (Dipha and I) learned to play the flute from our father, who is passionate about the instrument.

In high school, I developed a keen interest in composing music. I began producing music after receiving my first music software as a birthday gift. The only thing missing was a band. I asked Jakob Sisselson Hamre (percussionist) if he would play with us. He agreed and brought along his friend Jakob Sønnesyn who plays the bass guitar. Dipha was the last band member naturally

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What is the story/inspiration behind the album Yalpanam?
In recent years, the diaspora movement has gained more prominence in the West. This inspired us to delve deeper into the more vulnerable themes, for instance, our upbringing. Therefore, the album is also named Yalpanam, the uncolonised Tamil name for Jaffna.

The album begins with an internal monologue, where we question whether our parents are proud of us. The transition between the sea and helicopter life illustrates the sound of fleeing from Sri Lanka to a new land.

The first single Vayppu is about arriving in a new country and naively falling victim to systematic oppression because one is blinded by the fact that they have come to a new land. Viduppu is about being judged by the elders in the community during the phase of experimenting and finding one’s place between both cultures. Adayalam is the most personal song and revolves around the longing to be recognised by one’s own and the loneliness of being a Tamil band in a country where Tamils are a minority.

How challenging is maintaining the language’s authenticity and the music’s roots?
We have a deep love for the Tamil language, even though we haven’t mastered it. We are committed to telling our story through our understanding and relationship with the language. Tamil is considered one of the oldest languages in the world, and one can feel a bit of apprehension because the language is so ancient. Since we speak Norwegian here in Norway, it feels therapeutic to be able to express our hidden/ suppressed ‘Tamil emotional world’ through our lyrics.

No two songs sound similar and produce different flavours in your album Yalpanam. How important is versatility for you as a band?
We like to experiment with sounds and forms. Since we mostly perform for a Norwegian audience that doesn't understand Tamil, it has been essential to incorporate elements in the music that maintain excitement even if you don't understand the language.

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The band recognizes itself as a Tamil folk rock band. How easy or difficult is it to maintain the authenticity of the language and the roots of the music.
We have a deep love for the Tamil language, even though we don't master it at a very high level. We speak Tamil at home. When you're in a country where you're a minority and not quite like the others, you always long for that “part “ of us that we don't have access to. When we write the lyrics, we strive to be able to master the language ourselves and write the lyrics ourselves. We are committed to telling our story through OUR understanding and relation to the Tamil language. Tamil is the oldest language in the world, and one can feel a bit of apprehension because the language is so complex and ancient. But we mostly speak Norwegian here in Norway, and therefore it feels therapeutic to be able to express our hidden/suppressed "Tamil emotional world" through our lyrics.

What does music mean to you?
Music is a way of expressing ourselves but also reflecting on our upbringing and our culture. We live in Norway but we feel very close to the Tamil language and culture. So singing in Tamil makes it also easier to keep the language alive within us and others who listen to it. We also feel like it is important to use our voices and our platform to be part of the change we want to see in Norway but also the world.

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What's in the pipeline for the team?
We have released two albums now, and we aim to perform as much as possible for the diaspora community and internationally. We hope that some organizers show interest in booking us. We have played with the National Broadcasting Orchestra, Norwegian TV shows, and the biggest festivals in Norway, but we want to explore more. We have received commissions where we interpreted the paintings of Munch, and we have won prestigious composer awards for our music in Norway.

However, there's always something missing, and it's the feeling of performing for those who understand our culture and our message. The last song on our album touches on the theme of seeking recognition from our people. It is a yearning for us. The hope is that the frustration expressed in Adayalam will one day be disproven.

Do you plan to bring the band to India for a performance?
One of our biggest dreams is to perform at venues where Tamils are in the majority. We have long dreamed of playing in Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelam. We are curious about how we would be received in places like Chennai. We see it as an incredibly important city where exciting things are happening in the creative field. It's so tempting to be a part of that movement. It's also wonderful to see how Chennai Tamils have included many Tamil Eelam diaspora artists and provided them with great platforms, mentioning a few such as Shan Vincent de Paul, M.I.A., and Priya Ragu.


A new listener’s guide to 9 grader nord

For the dedicated and patient listeners: Jaffna and Nor
For the sentimental type: The Sick Child and Piranthen
For the rebellious and political type: Victoria and Vayppu
If you just want to have fun: Viduppu and Sini
For the punkster: Panji and Adayalam

Yalpanam is streaming online