Everybody keeps saying that music is universal, and even if you haven’t said it yourself, I’m pretty sure you would agree, and you should because it is true. Many more things are being said about music, some of those words have been echoing for a very long time now and some are rather new discoveries that have sprung up out of our new ideas and interpretations over the last couple of years. What we do not hear often or maybe even never is that music is simply part of a bigger story, an extension of a bigger story to be even precise.
I met Tali Angh 10 years ago in Bangalore and what made me believe early on was the certain depth that is undeniably noticeable whenever Tali sings. He captures the listener with his songwriting ability and his choice of words. I believe it’s the source of where it all comes from that provides the depth into the music he writes. He recalls discovering his musical potential at the age of 19 when he got the opportunity to grow musically and spiritually through the platform of EU while studying at Science College, Jotsoma. “Its not just the songs or the words” is what Tali would often tell me, rather it’s the relationship he shared with God that was being reflected through the outflow of his music. “Even as I was performing in different places and participating in different competitions, gradually my attitude towards music changed with a simple conviction of truth that if God is the giver of life and every good and perfect gift then all of our life and gifts are to reflect His image, His goodness and greatness and so pursuing God became my priority and my passion and music also grew alongside.” That pretty much sums it all up.
Tali recalls receiving what he remarks as a “priceless gift” of songwriting from God in the year 2006. I had the wonderful honor of being in some instances the first person to hear his songs for the first time and I am particularly excited about this album because it debuts some of those songs… songs which I’ve honestly waited for over a decade to share with my friends. ‘Polestar’ being one of them. Music speaks for itself and music has always spoken for itself, there is not alternate route around it. It either gets you listening or it doesn’t, that is it. However, what I do believe is that music is honest and when someone approaches music from an honest place it always works. And for Tali that place of honesty has been his relationship with God. “The more I am committed to be consistent in my walk with God and work on my gift of music there is evident growth not only in my musical skills but in many aspects of my life. For a long time I found myself caught up in the expectations of my family, society and my own strivings to earn and achieve but nothing could come close to my passion for God and music, and this fire keeps growing. Every other thing seems to stop or fade in life at one point or the other but knowing and living the reality of God has always been unstoppable & undeniable, in fact they are new everyday! Without much credentials to prove in terms of musical career, I had, I have and I will only have God to prove. People will hear many more new songs from me because I draw my inspiration from the ultimate and unlimited source, Jesus Christ.”
This is a story, a reality that has been in the making for years. The time is now and the time is right. We hope there will be many more of such stories unraveled in our land. I don’t think there’s a separate universally agreed music quota for Nagaland but somehow we’ve convinced ourselves into believing that good music cannot come out of Nagaland because well, its Nagaland. I refuse to believe it. I think we can do with a little change in culture and perspective in this area. Music speaks for itself; there is no compromise or category. There is just music, and I’m certain of the fact that we have some good music right here. Wungchipem Raman.
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