This Class 8 student from Shillong in the hit web series Hip Hop Homeland has created waves all over!
Symphonic Movement is a group which has 6 members which is led by 23-year-old Praiselyson Lyngskor who is also the producer of the group. Their recent video on 101 India which is part of the Hip Hop Homeland series showcased the group along with other talented rappers/artists in the region.
The single "Anthem of the Northeast" has more than 148,000 views and it has only been a week since the release of the video. What has caught the eye of the audience is 13-year-old Iari Shanpru who sings the hook of the song. The Class 8 student of Cherish Bud School in Lummawbah has received great reviews for not just how great his voice sounds but how adorable he is.
The other members of the group include Mealin Shanpru, George War, Ibamelari Kharsahnoh and Adonihosea Kharbithai. Symphonic Movement started off just as a vision as producer Praiselyson came up with the idea of a hip hop group which would be made up with young kids. His motivation was to try and steer kids off drugs which was becoming rampant in his locality. He strongly believes that an idle mind is the devil's workshop, so in order to give the kids something else to do in their free time, he came up with Symphonic Movement; a movement in motion.
It started with recruiting the youngest member first, 13-year-old Iarilang and from then on the group has evolved. Talking to Jessica Passah of TNT-The Northeast Today, the group talks about how unreal the journey has been and how amazing it is to have the support of the Northeast behind them and what future plans include. Here are excerpts from the interview:
TNT. How did you get on 101 India?
We didn't know anything about 101 India until Mrinul Paul contacted Samboklang Mawnai about a documentary to be shot in Shillong. They wanted us to be a part of it so we met up and everything else happened from there.
TNT. How was it collaborating with other artists?
It was great getting a chance to collaborate with veterans of the local Hip-Hop scene Khasi Bloodz and also with Feyago. Young Stunnaz really helped us grow and we learnt a lot from him especially in terms of our lyrical content. Everyone we worked with were great and gave us such inspiration. Anthem for the Northeast was something that fuelled out desire to give our best, being surrounded by them and talking about the things that inspire us has really motivated the group as a whole.
TNT. Do you intend to make a professional career out of music? How supportive have your families been?
We don't know if we can say that, it would be extremely difficult. It is a dream or fantasy and we do not know if it will happen but as on now we just want to keep doing what we love and just keep making music that we enjoy and see where it goes from there.
Our families have been extremely supportive and they support us through every single decision, we consult with them on any big decisions the group takes and they help us in any way they can.
TNT. What is your eventual goal? Where do you get your inspiration from?
We would like to reach every nook and corner with our music and hopefully we become a source of inspiration for people who relate to our sound and music. Our lyrics define the problems that we have faced in society and what we see going on around us. We see so many people fall prey to drugs and lose faith and give up in life and we just want to give hope to people who have fallen and need help getting up.
TNT. How have live performances been like? What has been the reception from audiences?
We have performed in several live shows and they have all been good but there is a problem that people always expect us to perform for free. People do not seem to realise that musicians also are trying to make a living and every time we do not get paid, it puts more pressure on us to find alternate ways of income and will have to sacrifice our art.
TNT. Thank you Symphonic Movement for taking the time to talk to us. We at TNT wish you the best and we hope to hear more of your music. Anthem of the Northeast is an inspiration for all aspiring artists and I hope you continue with your positivity.
(Interviewed By Jessica Rynjah)
