Rapper Asal Kolaar reflects on his music journey, his latest single on friendship, Nammaaley, and more

They say that true friends are always together in spirit, even if they are like chalk and cheese. The song, Nammaaley, is testimony to that — a celebration of contrasts. The peppy number depicts the playful banter and formidable bond shared by two friends who have different perspectives on life.

When rapper Asal Kolaar was approached by Coke Studio Tamil to collaborate with music director Girishh G and Canadian producer and songwriter Yanchan Produced for a song revolving around friendship, he found the collaboration exquisite.

“Yanchan and I had known each other for quite some time. But I was not sure how we were going to pull this song off. I later met composer Girishh, and told him that I would gladly do whatever he expected me to. I took a week to pen the lyrics for the song, which delves into friendship.

The shooting spot, Asal says, was a carnival in itself. “All the videos that I had worked on until then were either performance videos or akin to a drama. Nammaaley was a melange of both. The set was a riot of colours, and with dancers and musicians around, it was nothing short of a gala affair. The way the song was shot was also distinctive. I had a good time.

Apart from the colourful set, what allured Asal to the song was the theme. “Songs revolving around friendship are a dime a dozen in Tamil cinema. I was very particular that Nammaaley didn’t sound like any of them. I was in two minds at first, but I think I did a fairly decent job with the song. Moreover, if you look at some of my earlier songs, they have touched upon friendship.”

Asal has been enthralling the audience with his rap number for over three years now with songs like Kotha Raja and Jorthaale, to name a few. Looking back at his journey, he says that he wishes he had done a lot more in the time span. “I don’t feel satisfied, and I feel like I haven’t done enough. But I believe that today I am in a good place. It has always been my dream to take the plunge into music, and I used to constantly discuss the same with my friends. I gave structure to the discussions with my friends through my songs.”

The singer had last taken the internet by storm when he collaborated with Thalapathy Vijay for the song Naan Ready Dhaan from Leo. “I haven’t worked on films since then, as I am neck deep in my independent singles. I’m currently working on a song called Payya Dei, along with five other songs. All these songs are lined up for release and they will be out in two months. I also apologise to my listeners for not releasing my independent tracks for a long time. I hope they continue to lend their support.” 

Asal was one of the popular contestants in the sixth season of Bigg Boss Tamil. When asked if he is still in touch with them, he says, “I made a few friends, and I’m in touch with some of them. I did gain visibility from the show, and I am reaping the benefits, one step at a time,” adding that his dream is to collaborate with Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja one day.

Email: sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

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