Behind the cover song ‘Ni Na Meimer/Itaya Nüngo’ is Lenen Jamir
Ni na meimer is synonymous to Lenen Jamir, and it is nearly impossible to separate Lenen from her cover of the song Ni na meimer which was originally composed and sung by her brother-in-law, Tiameren Aier. This sensational love song sung in the Ao Naga language has got everyone humming along transcending language barriers, with many now requesting an English version.
Ni Na Meimer, originally titled Itaya Nüngo, has long been listeners’ favorite with many artists covering the song with their own rendition. However, it was Lenen’s cover (now at 1M views on YouTube) and her performance at Hornbill Festival 2022 that reignited interest in the song, and it is now considered an anthem by many.
But who is Lenen Jamir?
Lenen Jamir is a singer, songwriter and composer from Ungma Village, Mokokchung. Apart from singing, she is a fashion and beauty enthusiast who performs bridal makeup too.
She likes to cook different dishes, especially using her own ideas. She is also someone who loves painting and creating interior home designs.
But what sets Lenen apart from many of us is she comes from a musical family by generation. She is the daughter of Sama Jamir, the front man of the legendary band, ‘Teroto Naro’.
Lenen started to learn to sing and play musical instruments at the age of 3 and as she grew up, she became a part of the band with her siblings called the ‘Sisters Six’ and ended up releasing an album titled ‘Nüji Dangi’ which was released in the year 2011.
“I thank God for being born into a musical family and for getting exposed deeply to music from an early age,” she says.
Everyone has their ambitions in life and likewise, she also has her dreams and certain milestones she wants to achieve in her music career although she thinks, “it is not a lifetime profession in our area.”
“I want to become a successful musician. I also want to carry out the legacy of my dad’s songs along with my music. But it is tough to balance things between my career and daily activities, especially for a struggling musician like myself who is without a proper management team or good family support. Of course, some real people love, care and support me be it from my family, relatives and friends. Indeed, I’m so lucky to receive such blessings. It gives me lots of motivation and energy to work harder,” she shared with Mokokchung Times.
Expressing her feelings about the success of her cover song, Itaya Nungu which has finally hit 1 million views on her YouTube channel, she says, “I never imagined that people will love my version of the song this much. I’m truly humbled in tears feeling how lucky I am to have your wonderful love and support.”
“I want to share that in my musical journey to date, I’ve come across difficult situations and coincidences where we lose ourselves and get hurt. But it is okay not to be okay. If there is no struggle, there will be no progress. From my experiences, I want to encourage people who are reading this that the battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself—the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us—that’s where it’s at.”
“We should only get up and motivate ourselves to work harder. I believe that only hard work pays off to achieve one’s dream. Always remember, you can get everything you want in life if you help enough other people to get what they want,” she said.
“I also have a message to all my friends, fans and supporters – I thank you all for your wonderful love and constant support from the bottom of my heart. I will do my best to keep you all entertained with new songs in time. I pray that God will bless you all for your love and kindness in supporting my dream.”
“Lastly, I and my family would love to thank Mokokchung Times for reaching out to me and giving me the privilege to get featured in your newspaper. May the Almighty God bless Mokokchung Times and each one of you in your future endeavors,” she added.