Tk Lemtur released his debut EP (Extended Play) ‘Chasing Foxes’ on Friday and is now available on all streaming platforms.
Tk Lemtur is a Pop/Soul/ R&B singer-songwriter from Nagaland and has been in the music scene since 2015 after his debut single, ‘My Oh My’. He is a classically trained pianist and a vocal coach.
Lemtur has won numerous awards, including Best Hip Hop Act (2019 Nagaland Music Awards) for his single ‘Heal’, Best Pop Solo (2020 Nagaland Music Awards) for his single ‘Lights’ and Best Sound Engineering (2022 Musician Guild Music Awards) for his single ‘What is love?’
According to Lemtur, ‘Chasing Foxes’ is about his journey with social anxiety and chronic insomnia, harrowing tales of the cascading emotions and struggles in his personal life.
The title alludes to the relentless pursuit of figurative foxes, persistent in the chase for a transformation in his life, as the animal symbolizes change and good fortune in various cultures.
Lemtur has also co-written the song ‘I’m on your side’ by Trance effect and also co-wrote and performed the Nagaland Olympic 2022 theme song ‘We’re gonna make it’ with Trance Effect, Big Dane and Nentong Konyak.
Tk Lemtur was featured in Rolling Stone’s ‘K-pop Stars React’ series, where South Korean group OnlyOneOf reacted to his single ‘Lights’ along with other Indian artists like Raja Kumari, The Yellow Diary and Priya Ragu.
‘CHASING FOXES’
About the tracks
1. Chasing Foxes:
‘Chasing Foxes’ is the title track and the introductory song of the album. It talks about the artist’s struggles in the wake of being diagnosed with insomnia and anxiety. The artist mindfully wishes to escape from these apprehensive thoughts and feelings, to seek his version of happiness, painting the idea of running away and chasing foxes – chasing change and good fortune.
2. Change:
‘Change’ is a song where the artist longs for transformation. Mutelessly stuck in a cycle of routine and monotony, he wants to break away from this mindless chain of doing the same things in a loop. In essence, he gives voice to the isolation present in any community of people, as he talks about how the people close to him tell him the shoulds of his life while never venturing to ask the passionate visions that he has for his life; a sad reality that many are privy to. He talks about the relentless longing to find a place of his own in this world, a place where he belongs as he yearns for change from his current life.
3. Lights:
‘Lights’ is a song about a failed relationship, while deep down, secretly blooming a hope that it might eventually work out. It talks about the age-old tales of relationships ending, as his girl leaves him. The chaos of the end feels like being hit by a hurricane or a speeding train and now his days feel quite mundane and bland. Through it all, he keeps his hope and wistfully wishes that the girl will return, represented by keeping the lights on, just in case his beloved chooses to come back to him.
4. Shower thoughts:
‘Shower thoughts’ indicative by its simplistic statement, talks about sitting in the shower, drenched as the sad melody plunges him into thinking of her sitting there with him. Life demands so much from him, but he chooses to sit there in the shower withthoughts of her soaking him in the wraps of a blue melody. This song was inspired by an episode that racked him, amid the soothing calm in the shower.
5. What is love?
This song is about the unconditional love of his family. The first verse is dedicated to his father and talks about how diligently he has overworked and sacrificed for the well-being of his family. In the upbeats of the song, it speaks to his father’s hustle in providing comfort to his family, making them feel like they had everything they needed. The next verse talks about his mother’s abundant love in trying her best to shield the kids away from all the pain and the harsher realities of life. The following verse is about the sister who is very special to him and the love they have for each other in the bonds of being siblings. He goes to say that he would do anything to keep her the way she is, precious in his eyes. Although they have their own problems he says that if this is not love then the world is no paradise.
This song was inspired after the artist tried to take his own life one morning by jumping off a building, but lacking the courage to take the leap. He then started to contemplate his reasons to live after a phone call from his mother and decided to write about the unconditional love of his family that keeps him going.
6. Alright:
This song is about the artist trying to unapologetically accept himself for who he is without seeking validation from anyone else. The song is a reaffirming anthem to himself that everything is going to be alright. Although the journey is difficult and filled to the brim with sad notes, the artist ends the album on the ultimate tune of positivity, a feel-good anthem, showing the overarching note that everything is ‘Alright’.
