An extremely good voice is given in Malayalam film industry. Each accomplished singer is distinguished by his enviable voice and unique rhythm. P. Jayachandran, who passed away on January 9, 2025, managed to carve a niche for himself in this ecosystem. In his career spanning half a century – primarily in Malayalam but also in South Indian languages ​​– his pitch-perfect, melodious voice attracted many music lovers around the world.
Also read: Governor, Chief Minister, leaders condole the demise of singer P. Jayachandran
A soothing, melodious voice is partly genetics and partly training. It is also good training to accurately pitch notes in both singing and listening. However, a singer’s originality lies in what he brings to a song beyond these two aspects. For Mr. Jayachandran, these were undoubtedly the sentiments he expressed. Irrespective of the composer and the style of any particular composition, he imparted a rare tenderness to his songs. His songs are very relaxing.
As someone more familiar with his Tamil songs, especially for Ilaiyaraaja and AR Rahman – though he has sung beautiful songs for MS Vishwanathan before that – I was drawn to this feature.
When we talk about the talent of musicians, it must include their ability to hear a song in a particular voice before recording it. The strong belief that a particular voice will be best suited for a certain song. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be that hard to imagine’Rasathi Onna‘ Song (Vaidehi Kathirunthal, 1985) in a voice other than Jayachandran’s voice. He is its owner. Sri Ilaiyaraaja must have had a premonition of this.
The charanam (stanza after the first paragraph) is classic Jayachandran and addicting.
In the lines:
Kannukkoru vannakkili,kadukkoru ganakkuyil
Nenjukkoru Vanjikkodi Needanamma
Thathi Thavazhum Thanga Chimizhe
Ponghee Perugam Sanga Tamizhe
Mutham Thara Nitam Varum Natchathiram
Yaarodu Enghu Ennakenna Pechu
Nee Thanae Kannai Naan Vangum Moochu
Vaznathaga vendum va va kanne.
Composer Ilaiyaraaja envisions a gradual, transcendent build as the lines convey to a beloved “You are truly my breath, come here, let us be (together).” In Mr. Jayachandran’s voice, a kind of ultimatum sounds gentle and even nonchalant. The most fascinating aspect of his singing lies in his subtle embellishments as he transitions from line to line (hear the rustling sound between the words). thanga chimize And Pongi Perugam For example, in this song). Far from pomp and show, they shine in sobriety.
In another of his brilliant creations’Kodiyile Malliappu‘ Songs (Kadalora Kavithigal, 1986), Sri Ilaiyaraaja brilliantly composed the orchestra, P. Jayachandran and S. Janaki’s voice and silence have been combined. In a sophisticated layering of the soundscape by the composer, Sri Jayachandran’s voice soars in ecstasy as it lines up Parakkum Dhisaai Yedu, Inda Paravai AriyaduFor example.
rahman effect
AR Rahman’s entry in 1992 brought about a sea change in many ways, but especially in how we listen to music. His early efforts to adopt technology in production enhanced the sound in unprecedented ways. It was as if we suddenly had an audio equivalent of a zoom lens that would help us see (hear) the smallest variations and effects produced by the human voice. What it did to the listener with a singer like Sri Jayachandran was extraordinary. It highlighted his quintessential, subtle touch. Although hard to reproduce, especially with that kind of ease, those songs provide a masterclass in such aspects as how much to oscillate a note, how long to sustain it, that way for effect. How to arrange so that the effect dominates the effort, how to hold the note gently as it lands and when to stop.
Clearly, Mr. Rahman decided to exploit the dynamism of Mr. Jayachandran’s unique voice, which commands attention in each of his songs like a thin border of intricate lacework holding up a fabric. Songs like ‘En Mel Vizhunda’ (May Madam, 1994), ‘Kollayile Thennai Vethu‘ (Kaadalan, 1994) and ‘Chithirai Nilavu’ (Vandicholai Chinarasu 1994) after AR Rahman moved to set “a new normal” for film music.
In ‘n mail vizunda‘ (Along with the brilliant KS Chitra), we get a chance to hear two very accomplished artistes and their voices at their finest, presenting a delightful tune in beautiful sound. Mr. Rahman tapped into the more profound aspects of Mr. Jayachandran’s voice in ‘Rajyama Ilai Imayama’ (Baba, 2002) or ‘Bhootiya’.Oru Devam Thanda Poove‘ (Kannathil Muthamittal, 2002).
If we compare Mr. Jayachandran’s work with other well-known singers in the world of film music, he was more of a Mohammed Rafi than a Kishore Kumar. PB Srinivas and AM Raja over TM Sundararajan. However, while sharing space in the industry with extraordinary contemporaries like KJ Yesudas and SP Balasubramaniam, Sri Jayachandran retained his authentic, unique voice. Having worked with notable musicians for decades, Mr. Jayachandran has left us with a very long, priceless playlist of an era where music reigned supreme.
published – January 10, 2025 06:22 PM IST
