To the quiet force in my life

Raghu Dixit; (R) vignettes from the music video. Pics/By Special Arrangement

Memory, loss, and realisation - these are the three pillars on which Raghu Dixit's latest song, Amma, is built. When success had him constantly on the move earlier, the track emerged from a rare pause that allowed him to reflect on his mother's quiet, unwavering presence in his life. "For years, I was touring, creating, performing, and chasing the ever-changing goalposts. In all that noise, you sometimes take the most constant presence in your life for granted," said the singer and composer.

To him, Amma, an ode to his mother who passed away in 2022, is a product of that realisation. "It took that pause, that moment of stillness, for me to really see her not just as my mother, but as the quiet force behind everything I am. Amma came from that realisation, and perhaps also from a bit of regret that I hadn't seen it sooner."

Released on May 10 to coincide with Mother's Day, the track has been created in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. It will soon be released in Hindi and Malayalam. Its journey across languages reflects his belief in regional expression. "There is no other country like India with its variety of languages and cultures. Audiences today desire authenticity in the language of their upbringing. When you sing in your language, there's a certain honesty that cannot be translated," he reflected.

Keeping it real

The music video of ‘Amma' features real families instead of staged performances. Explaining his decision, Raghu Dixit said, "My listeners are like my family, and with my mother not being around, I chose to go with my family."