Athul Narukara on stage
| Photo Credit: ABHISHEK MJ
Athul Narukara blends the old with the new. Familiar to music lovers as the ‘Palapalli’ singer, after his high-energy track from Prithviraj-starrer Kaduva (2022), the young folk musician has been creating a new soundscape for the traditional folk songs of Kerala. Recipient of Kerala Folklore Academy’s Yuvaprathibha Award 2022 — announced only this year — Athul has been experimenting with the sounds, rhythms and beats of folk music. Post ‘Palapalli’, he has sung in films such as Kumari, Kurukkan and upcoming releases Kadakan and Little Hearts. The Kadakan track, ‘Chowittum kuthum’, composed by Gopi Sunder, has gone viral within a week of its release. He has also been travelling the length and breadth of the state with his songs, performing at college festivals and cultural events.
Athul says he has been attracted to folk music since childhood after listening to folk musicians in his neighbourhood at Narukara in…