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Musical Journey: The voice that sounds as soft as the rain in Kerala during the monsoon season, Job Kurian has carved a mark for himself in independent music as well as Malayalam cinema. Born on 29 July 1982 in the little quaint town of Vattiyoorkavu in Kerala, the transformation of Job from being an engineering student to an award-winning playback singer can be promulgated as nothing less than an inspiring tale of passion, perseverance, and unrequited love towards music.
Job Kurian’s was different from the routine way. First, there was his engineering study, but soon he found that his calling was not in textbooks and lectures but in melodies and rhythms. A heart full of music, with a voice able to capture the nuances of human emotion- Job followed his passion as a bold move. While most others would have been content with the fame and recognition that comes from playback singing in the Malayalam film industry, Job sought something more. “I never wanted to be tagged as a playback singer,” once said Job in an interview. “There is a whole world of music out there, and I wanted to explore it.
This year, Red FM’s South Side Story had magic in Job Kurian: one stage, hello to his tribe, seamless segues between folk, blues, and Malayalam soul infectious with charm. It was not just music that night; it was a magical and spiritual experience to see him and his eclectic mix reverberate within the crowd to make a normal evening profound.
It was Job in his purest element: raw, electric, and really in touch with his audience. It reminded people that he is more than just a singer but a storyteller who threads emotions, experiences, and cultures into every note he sings. This telling of stories through his music has separated him and found him a loyal following across age groups and musical preferences.
Success is not his alone; it is interwoven through the musicians who share the stage with him. His band comprises a few gifted artists, an integral element of his musical journeys. The camaraderie amongst the membership is palpable; it converts into performances wherein every beat and every strum fits perfection to create one harmonious blend of sounds.
Music is traveling together,” says Job, repeating a line that seems to ring a bell in his mind. “It’s not just the music being made; it’s the brotherhood, the bonding, the wee hours spent jamming, sometimes just silence, yet feeling the music.” So, this brotherhood inculcated into the very roots of his art gives more depth and authenticity to his music.
The popularity graph of Job Kurian runs parallel to indie music in Malayalam, which finally found its voice in the last decade. What once was an extremely niche genre finally found mainstream appeal, partly due to artists like Job who had the guts to step outside conventional boundaries. This boldness to experiment and mix traditional Malayalam tunes with a host of contemporary influences was not only reinventing indie music in the region but also ushering in a whole new generation of musicians to find their voice.
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“Indie Malayalam music is blowing up, and it’s a sight to behold,” says Job. “It is not just the music; it is the stories, the culture, and the people who make it all alive.”.
The fact that this eternal inspiration to young and upcoming artists by Job Kurian proves music has no barrier to conventional channels laid down by industry normals or commercial outputs. His journey is marked by authenticity and rootedness in such a way that it just proves the magic of being true to oneself. Thus, be it a mega event or the small studio, the music of Job remains that balm to the soul, like the monsoon rains his beloved Kerala never fails to get.
