Norway-based Tamil band, 9 grader nord bags a Norwegian Grammy Award for their 2023 album 'Yalpanam'
Norway-based Tamil band, 9 grader nord’s latest album recently won the biggest musical accolade in the country, the Norwegian Grammy Awards — the Spellemannprisen. Securing the win in the Open Category of the ceremony, Yalpanam, is a symphony of a very personal journey for sisters Mira and Dipha Thiruchelvam.
In an earlier conversation with Indulge, Mira gave us a detailed insight into the album and the themes that each song explored. “In recent years, the diaspora movement has gained more prominence in the Western media, and through social media, the diaspora has acquired a completely different voice. This inspired us to delve deeper into the more vulnerable themes surrounding our upbringing,” she highlighted. Yalpanam, the “genuine, uncolonised Tamil name for Jaffna” has now become a channel for them to nationally as well as globally reach out to audiences and tell their story.
Watching a clip they shared on their social media, wherein they highlighted the background song (Vayppu, meaning ‘oppurtunity’) which was being played as they stepped onto the stage to collect their award, prompted us to rope the singer in to catch up with Mira yet again and capture the raw emotions of the collective after they garnered this recognition. We undertook a deeper learning about the band members as artists and what this recognition has meant for them in our conversation. Excerpts:
What does this win mean for you and your sister, Dipha?
This win is a recognition of our willingness to experiment with music. Winning in the "open category" has affirmed that it's okay not to always make the most commercial or popular artistic choices. It's also a significant achievement, that we've remained true to our expressive style and prioritized the Tamil language, and now we've been acknowledged for it.
You mentioned in your acceptance speech that you had visited Yalpanam before the awards. Did you encounter any memorable reactions to the album itself as well as the nominations from anyone there?
Visiting Yalpanam after reflecting on the themes and dilemmas of the album was powerful. Seeing that the wounds of the war, which were still visible in 2013, are no longer as apparent, underscores the ongoing struggle to preserve the history of the people we represent.
We're not very well-known among our people, and in Yalpanam, no one knew who we were. We did a radio interview with a popular radio channel, which meant a lot to us. The conversation with the journalist started with him thinking we were just some naive kids from abroad, but as the interview progressed, he became more enthusiastic about our work. It felt good to be recognized.
You have also performed live quite a few times since we last spoke. Tell us how has it been for the band to play your music live for audiences.
We have always been proud of what we present on stage, but after winning the award, it no longer feels like we need to convince anyone. It's liberating.
What was it like opening for and meeting Priya Ragu?
Priya is a cool artist. She and her brother create exceptionally good music and have found a sound that stands out. Sharing the stage with a Tamil artiste who has found her direction felt like being at home. It was as if we didn't need to explain anything; we just understood each other.
Any new music announcements we as fans can be excited about?
We have been inspired to create more music. The next album might be even more uncompromising.
Yalpanam is streaming on Spotify and YouTube.