With cricket mania reaching a feverish peak, Coke Studio Tamil season 2 recently dropped an energy-packed anthem, Roar-a Yethu, to cheer for the Chennai Super Kings. The track brings together the dynamic Kollywood trio of Vijay Sethupathi, Arunraja Kamaraj, and Sean Roldan. Indulge caught up with the song's composer, Sean, who elaborated on this spirited track.
“We had been toying with the idea of performing a song for the Chennai Super Kings. Since Coke Studio Tamil had not done something along those lines, we wanted to give it a shot. Cricket is a force that unites and galvanises people in India, and CSK fans go out of their way when it comes to displaying their fandom. For people in Chennai, CSK is an emotion. I thought Arun could bring out the soul of the song and the emotional connection. He is a robust lyricist and has a child-like excitement. I usually come up with certain hook words for the songs I am composing. Arun and I first came up with Rage-A Yethu. While working on the song, we realised that it had an angry connotation, and we decided to give it a positive spin with 'Roar'. It encompasses everything that CSK is, including the lion, which is a symbol of majesty, dignity, and courage.”
Talking about how actor Vijay Sethupathi came on board, Sean says, “We had already been contemplating roping in Vijay Sethupathi to sing certain parts of the song. I heard that he has been learning music as well, and it felt like the icing on the cake. He instantly agreed, and the song turned out to be a good icebreaker for him.”
Elaborating on the collaborative process, Sean says, “For me, the story of the song is important. We had a basic tune in place for Roar-a Yethu. We played it to Arunraja, and he casually started penning the lines. Collaborations usually work like this. In this case, the blueprint was ready, and it evolved in every step - right from the conception of the song to roping in the musicians to actually performing the number. Artistes, too, tend to add their elements to the song. You plan 50 percent of the song and let the rest happen.”
Sean avers that one of the highlights of the song is the Chennai touch. “We have all grown up watching cricket. We wanted to make an anthem about the game, retaining the Chennai flavour. This song borders on the gaana aesthetic, a genre that evolved in namma city. We roped in some street drummers, who play the instrument in a distinct manner. What's interesting about the song is that it doesn't talk about victory but encourages the team to play well. The idea is not to bring the opponent down, but to retain the dignity of the sport.”
Talking about his association with the Merry Christmas actor, Sean says, “We both go a long way , to Pizza (2012) days. Vijay Sethupathi and I had just started advancing in our careers. During the shoot of Roar-a-Yethu, when I visited his caravan, I saw a keyboard inside. He played some music, and I noticed that he had excellent hand coordination. The shoot itself was quite an exhilarating process. Kalyan Master had choreographed the hook step, and it became an instant hit. With all the artistes including street drummers and trumpet players, around, it felt like we were in a cricket stadium. The atmosphere was quite lively. For Arun, Vijay, and me, it was quite a refreshing change. We had always collaborated for work, and this time around, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.”
You can contact the writer over email at sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com and follow her on X @psangeetha2112