In Natalie Di Luccio’s new song You Raise Me Up, which is once again an amalgamation of western singing with Indian musical instruments, one gets to hear the folk instruments used and see the mesmerising beauty of Nagaland. 

Natalie had started this series sort of, with her first song Nella Fantasia  featuring Sawan Khan, which had the background of Rajasthan to it. A prime example of this beautiful meeting of two worlds, Nella Fantasia combines the soaring melody of the EnnioMoricone classic with the earthy magic of Sawan Khan Manganiyar, setting the video in the majestic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur and showcasing its awe-inpiring beauty like never before.

Chancing upon the idyllic village in her travels through Northeast India, Natalie was instantly enthralled by the beauty of Khonoma and the warmth of the Angami tribe. Meeting and interacting with Atso Chasie and the Phetsukiku club, a youth group that surprised her with their singing prowess, inspired her to return with the express intention of collaborating with these amazing talents and creating the kind of magic that only happens when such diverse worlds meet and create together. You have the song You Raise Me Up.

Hailing from a farming family in Nagaland, Atso Chasie became obsessed with music as a mere child. And that obsession has taken him on an eventful journey to mastering the classical guitar, winning all musical competitions in Northeast India and performing in states all over India. He also teaches music in Kohima and is a Research Fellow on Naga folk songs and indigenous instruments under C.C.R.T, New Delhi.

Driven by a deep love for Naga culture and music, and recognising the need for traditional culture to evolve with changing times, Atso invented the Gei-Ü, a versatile three-stringed musical instrument made out of Bison horn or bamboo, that can be used in both traditional and contemporary music arrangements.

The idyllic environs of Khonoma form the perfect backdrop for the rousing chorus of Phetsukiku club, the haunting strains of Atso Chasie's Gei-Ü, and the goosebump-inducing vocals of Natalie Di Luccio.

Nowhere is this evolution with changing times exemplified better than in Khonoma, a remote village in Nagaland. Home to the indigenous Angami tribe, hunting used to be a way of life in Khonoma. Once, in the early 1990s, over 300 Grey-bellied Tragopans, an endangered pheasant native to the area, were killed in just one week in a hunting competition. That was a wake up call for the tribal elders, who resolved to change their ways so that future generations would not be denied the majesty of the local flora and fauna. The transformation of Khonoma to India's first Green Village is nothing short of miraculous. Hunting, fishing and cutting of trees is banned, and Khonoma is now a model for sustainable interdependence with nature.

For those who don’t know, Natalie Di Luccio, is a Canadian Opera and Classical Crossover singer, who has built a unique and diverse body of work. She first burst into the scene in India with viral covers of Bollywood songs on her YouTube channel, and now, having sung hits in both Hindi and Tamil films and toured with A.R. Rahman and Sonu Nigam, is as proficient in popular Indian music as she is in Western Classical. She is well known as the Bollywood Soprano, a title that reflects the two different worlds that she inhabits, and combines with unique skill. And that is what truly sets her apart as an artist - her love for India that she expresses in her interpretations of international classics with collaborations with Indian folk artists from various states.

The video has already garnered the attention of the Government of Nagaland as well as A.R Rahman, who recently tweeted about it.

Here is the song link of You Raise Me Up – Natalie Di Luccio, Featuring Atso Chasie and the Phetsukiku Club

https://youtu.be/Vb_f7h2fH9s