Top Tamil Songs of February 2024

Here are the best Tamil songs released for the month of February 2024. 

If you are a musician submit your new music here.

1. Ithu Nalla Tharunam

Singer- Sanjay Subrahmanyan

Music Composer- Sean Roldan

Poetry- Ramalinga Adigal (Vallalar)

Poetry Selection- A.S. Paneerselvan

Language: Tamil

Genre: Rock

Mood: Energetic

The whole album is a collection of some amazing poetry written by Ramalinga Adigal (Vallalar) and a selection of 6 songs from over 5818 written by the great man. The poems are selected by A.S. Pannerselvam and with Sean Roldan composing melodies for these poems, Sanjay Subrahmanyan delights us by singing these songs. I loved the whole album comprising of 6 songs and I urge you all to listen to the mastery of Sean and Sanjay and their good intentions behind this project. 

This song called "Ithu Nalla Tharunam" talks about inclusive spirituality and the fight against bigotry, things needed for this day and age. The song has this brewing rock flavour and it reminds me of Maestro Ilaiyaraja's "Something Something" from the album 'Anjali'. Sanjay impresses me within a few seconds with that sexy humming. The guitars and drums are essential cogs in the wheel of rock music and here we have some splendid contributions from Vikram Vivekanand on guitars, Shalini Mohan on bass and Ramkumar Kanakarajan as the drummer. 

How has Sanjay managed to make this move from classical Carnatic music to this style of music? It is a question that has an obvious answer and it is, that the man is a genius! In cricketing terms, Sachin Tendulkar never really had even an iota of trouble shifting from Tests to T-20s. The chorus segment with lead and backing vocals is the highlight of the song, and there in the end Sanjay also delivers a Carnatic classical-styled ghamaka. 

At the interlude, we get to hear a Renaissance-time string instrument called The Lute played by Arngeir Hauksson, which sounds like an ethnic pluck. The alaap that Sanjay does is just breathtaking and the song has some amazing new instrument names I learnt like the phenomenal Hurdy Gurdy. The instrument used to be played in churches before the advent of the Organ Piano. Steve Tyler plays the Hurdy Gurdy, Giles Lewin is the violinist, and Pete Watson is on the Accordion. There are moments especially the chorus where I felt like there was a Raag Naatai influence. Kalyani Nair does the arrangements for the Celtic Folk Ensemble as well as the strings section. 

The Orchestra is by FAME Skopje Studio Orchestra and the sessions' producer is Andrew T. Mackay. Glenn Keiles is the recording engineer with assistance from Freddie Light. The Director of the video is Rafiq Ismail and the dancers are Arvind, Rubin, Dhanush, Ranjith, Elango and Kiran with choreographers Kishore, Deepak and Karthikeyan

@rseanroldan @sanjaysub @tarakesan @shalinimohanbass @ramkuu @arngeir_hauksson @kalyaninair86 @

2. Kasakura Yelaye

Composer: Pradeep Kumar

Lyricist: Pradeep Kumar

Vocals: Shreya Sundar Iyer

Language: Tamil

Genre: Light Music/ Symphony Orchestra

Mood: Energetic

This is phenomenal and groundbreaking stuff from Pradeep Kumar. A composition, production, vocal execution that surely demands great vision is what I witness here. The intro of the song does feel like "Adikkuthu Kuliru" sung by Superstar Rajnikanth in the movie 'Mannan'. The vocal performance stands out as one of the best I have heard by an Indian singer in 2024 thus far and credit goes to Pradeep for spotting a talent like Shreya and allowing her to shine.

The strings are emphatic almost dominating the soundscape like a Bond movie OST and we have the one-and-only Rithu Vysakh playing the strings with the arrangements done by Kalyani Nair. What is amazing is how Kalyani has arranged the strings section in a standalone fashion and they are operating like a separate instrumental track, unlining many songs where the instrumental melody is similar to the song's pre-chorus lines. We can hear the majesty in the double bass played by Shallu Varun and Pradeep deserves praise for writing the melody and lyrics for this one. 

I love the anupallavi where she sings "eriyala pogayala viduthala enakkilla", and the background strings are beyond excellent in this segment. Shreya's skill and execution stand tall when she sings the words "Kathaadi kattividuda" with a nice shuffle on the second word and difficult notes to perform. The humming that follows is magnificent in style and the way Pradeep introduces the Thavil here is a mark of his genius, it is played by Rajinimurugan. The interlude is a great symphony of the acoustic guitars by Pradeep, along with Rithu's strings and Shallu's double bass. The verse is a bit hard to comprehend and execute, but that is where Pradeep's creativity seeps in. 

The thavil's beats per minute pick up when she sings " en avasaram yen puriyala", and I hope this was intentional. Sujith Sreedhar is the mix/master engineer at 2 Bar Q Studios and he does a brilliant job to fuse all these varied elements. Shreya makes a mark with this song, and I hope this is the first of many more in Tamil! I will next be listening to the whole album of "Nalla Perai Vaanga Vendum Pillaigale" scored by Pradeep Kumar hoping to find more treasures. 

@pradeep_kumar1123 @shreyasundar @kalyaniniar86 @npvvpoffl @shalluvarun02 @rithuvysakh @sujithsreedhar 

3. Daluma 

Composed and Arranged by Vidya Sagar

Programmed By Anthony Karuna, Ganesan Sekar

Vocals - Karthik

Lyrics - Ku Karthik

Language: Tamil

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Romantic/happy

Vidyasagar the legend, is in the mood! He has been composing some amazing music in Mollywood of late and I just featured a song called "Maname Maname" sung by Hariharan which rose to the top of the weekly Indian charts. Here he is scoring in Tamil for an upcoming movie called "Double Tuckerr" and this is a fantastic sign, showing the great skills of this composer. Karthik sings it like a smooth criminal and the intro guitars make the impression that I am listening to "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". 

It is a very happy and upbeat song and the kicker arrives with Rajesh Vaidya on the Veena solo in the interlude. The arrangements quickly shift from a semi-classical nature to a Jazz style with the drums and Horns also getting aligned. Ku Karthik writes these witty lines that are playful. 

I love the lines "Reboot aayachu life u ma, update aayachu jart u ma" both from a melodic and lyrical standpoint. The melody also reminds me of MSV's "Athaiyadi Methaiyadi" and Ilaiyaraja's " Ennavendru solvathamma". The keys and rhythms are programmed very effectively by Anthony Karuna and Ganesan Sekar, but let us take away no credit from Vidyasagar's amazing arrangements of the Horns, guitars, Flute and Veena. Nikhil plays the flute, and the tracks are mixed by Anthony, with Varsha Vallaki as the recording engineer. 

@vidyasagarmusicofficial @karthikmusicexp @vaidhya_rajesh @ragish.varshavallaki @anthonykaruna @kukarthikoffl 

4. Anbe Anbe

Composed & Programmed by: Karthika Mahadev

Singer: Saindhavi 

Lyrics: Madhan Karky

Language: Tamil

Genre: Light Music 

Mood: Romantic

When I play a song more than a couple of times in succession, it must mean I love the song, because when I have to listen to 400 a week, I won't have time for loops and replays. I am featuring Karthika Mahadev for the very first time and I must thank her for her patient responses to all my queries. Karthika has composed and programmed this melodious number taking us back a couple of decades in time and Madhan Karky joins the gang with his sharp and relevant lyrics. 

Saindhavi must be singing more often and I hope she does. With a performance like this, what else do you expect? The sweetness in her voice is pristine and she uses it to the best advantage. T Balaji's Violin and K Ramesh's flute make the intro rich, and then the song shoots straight into a very hummable melody. The Tabla, drums and Keys are accompaniments that just make for a great union. Venkat plays the rhythms and percussions. VR Sekar plays the impactful Cello in the interlude and the stanza is excellently constructed with such rich notes. 

When I heard it I assumed that there is some Raag Hindolam or maybe even Suddha Dhanyasi, but Karthika was quick to correct me saying that this the Melakartha Ragam called Natabhairavi and Hindolam is one of its Janya Ragams. Karthika sizzles with that semi-classical interlude on the Veena solo. I 100% agree with the line that Saindhavi sings" Un poongkural kettale keetale thaen paynthu vandhaduthu en kaathile: only I feel this applies to Saindhavi, not the one she is singing to. The arrangements, programming, live instrumentals execution and overall production are memorable. Lawrence Vishnu and Vaisakh are the mixing engineers at RT Studios. 

@karthika_mahadev @saindhavi_prakash @madhankarky 

5. Kaanaathathai Naan Kandeney

Composed, Arranged by: D Imman

Singers: Shreya Ghoshal, D.Imman

Music Production: D.Imman, Rajesh

Lyricist: Radhakrishnan Parthiban

Language: Tamil

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Pathos

It has been a while since I heard of featured D.Imman, and it is always nice to have his music amongst the best songs in Tamil for the month. He is deserving and consistent, so this song comes as no surprise to me. Imman gets his favorite and most rewarding playback singer Shreya Ghoshal to do the leave vocals and we get a blemishless performance.

We can keep wondering how Shreya has such amazing diction in a language she doesn't speak, but I guess it all boils down to commitment and dedication. Imman whispers the title line in more than a few instances and it works quite well, creating some mystery, which is also brought about by the song's pathos-inducing melody. I believe there is some Dharmavathi Ragam (or maybe Madhuvanthi) in the melody. I love how she sings the word " pullanguzhal" with a mild ghamaka, almost like making the sound of a flute. Nathan plays the woodwinds in the song's interludes. The song is elevated by some able keyboard and rhythm programming, and one can feel the underlying support on the programming front. 

The solo Violin is played by Manoj and he takes us through a maze with the fiddle, and the gorgeous strings section is by Chennai Strings Orchestra, conducted by Yensone Bagyanathan. The usual path that Imman treads is seen here, taking a semi-classical route to deliver a melody, and Shreya sings with such intensity and perfection. The chorus singers are Santhosh Hariharan, Deepak, Shenbagaraj , Aravind Srinivas, Veena Murali, Sowmya Mahadevan, Deepthi Suresh, Ala B Bala, Soundarya Nandakumar and Vignesh Narayanan. The tracks are mixed and mastered by D.Imman. 

@immancomposer @rparthiepan @shreyaghoshal @teenzmovieoffl @manojviolinist @sowmya_ramani_mahadevan @deepthisureshofficial 

6. Por Theeruma

Music Composed, Arranged & Programmed by Vishal Chandrashekhar

Singer: Shibi Srinivasan

Lyrics: Navin b

Language: Tamil

Genre: Rock 

Mood: Contemplative

After a super album "Sitaramam" back in 2022, there was a bit of a lull, but the composer Vishal Chandrashekhar has now risen back with a solid score, I loved this song especially. The rock genre doesn't get explored a lot in Tamil movies, so I am delighted to see Vishal crack this nut. Shibi Srinivasan is the vehicle on which this song travels far, and kudos to him for achieving that. The vocals are sung with a slightly wooden expression and when that is done in the bass-baritone register, it comes off well. 

The electric guitar is played with some keen gusto by indie musician Deepak Chander and Chris Jason is on the acoustic guitar and the two combine brilliantly. The interlude is stunning with Deepak digressing into some unchartered waters and Chris holding the boat afloat, ultimately making it world-class. I was also immensely impressed with the reverberating drums and vocal harmonies. Vishal has composed, arranged and programmed this song, with Navin B's gratifying lyrics. 

The solo electric guitar on the outro followed by the acoustic guitars makes me feel like I am listening to " Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica. Jai Ganesh has mixed the tracks and Rahmathullah AM is on mastering. The recording engineer is Lokesh Vijayakumar at The Soundsmith Studios. 

@composer_vishal @shibisrinivasan @deepakchander_music @chrishthejason @lyricist_navinb

7. Madhuramakuthe

Singers: Pradeep Kumar

Music: Arrol Corelli

Lyrics: Soundararajan

Language: Tamil

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Pathos

Arrol Corelli will always be known to me as a brilliant Violinist and also a composer for movies like "Thupparivalan" and "Pisaasu". This is another beautiful number that sticks to the basics like a good melody, a savvy singer and fine arrangements. Pradeep Kumar is the champion of love songs and when he sings like this, it is impossible to focus on anything around him except his magnetic voice. I love the line in the anu pallavi "osaigal indriye varthaigal ketkuthe, karanam ennadi en kathile solladi", and it combines great words with astonishing notes.

Soundararajan is the lyricist and Arrol piles so much heartache with this melody that he writes and the subtle but succulent production. Pradeep does something which I have never heard him do before, humming in this Altos range almost sounds like a feminine voice. The stanza is blossoming because Arrol lets Pradeep dominate with his vocals and he keeps the background guitars and rhythms at a bare minimum decibel level. There is nothing that can match a song that one feels like singing without the need for any orchestra or even Keys and guitars. The combination of the high-pitched humming, whistle and acoustic guitars is a great end to this lovely song. 

@arrol_corelli @pradeep_kumar1123 

8. Kanne Yen Kaniyee

Music: Kumaran Sivamani

Lyrics: Arivu, RANJ

Vocals: Arivu, RANJ

Language: Tamil

Genre: Alt Hip-Hop

Mood: Energetic

This was the best song in the newly released movie album " Singapenney", and thanks to the uplifting lyrics and vocals by Arivu and RANJ we get a smashing Alt Hip-Hop number. Kumaran Sivamani is the composer and he cooks up an energetic, inspiring song here. The krys and rhythms are upto the mark and that gives some exemplary production and praise-worthy sound design.

The rhythms were especially creative and the Tamil and English rap segments were upping the ante. I love the part where RANJ sings "We are the same" followed by Arivu's "Kanne". The amazing lines " munna po, neenndhi munna po, unnai thakka eetti yaendhi po, valikkum kaayam thaangi po" give us an andrelaine rush. The grand strings section works magnificently as well when we get to the outro. 

@kumaran009official @josika.g @therukural @ranjaniramadoss

9. Anbe

Performed by: I Appan & Aarya Janan

Produced by Zeusheelan & I Appan

Lyrics: Naveen SK

Language: Tamil

Genre: Electronic Pop

Mood: Romantic

This song was out on Apple Music, and many times the songs become run-of-the-mill, especially in Tamil indie space. This stood out for sure thanks to a very simple yet soothing melody and some pleasing vocals. Akhil Iappan a.k.a. I Appan performs the male vocals and co-produces the song along with Zeusheelan. 

The female lead vocals belong to Aarya Janan and the lyrics of Naveen SK. The humming in the intro and the subsequent lines by I Appan are engaging and they induce great appaeal straightaway. The melody does possess similarities to Hindolam Ragam. Soon enough Zeusheelam works up on the rhythm programming and the beats take over to give us an EDM flavour. The Sarangi riff in the interlude works quite well, in the most unpredictable fashion. Aarya keeps her lines quite simple, but that emotional aptness in her delivery sounds perfect like a woman engrossed in love. Kudos to the whole team for this gratifying song, Kaarthika does the cover artwork. 

@akhil_iappan @aarya_janan @kaarthika_ks_ @thisguywashere @the_rtr_kid_26