Basil C. J.

Biography:

Basil, a native of Perumbavoor in the Ernakulam district, began his journey in music by writing and composing songs during his high school years. While pursuing a commerce degree, he developed an interest in playing the flute and later moved to Chennai to deepen his musical education. In Chennai, he continued his training in Carnatic flute and took up piano lessons. After earning a diploma in audio engineering from SAE Institute, he collaborated with various musicians in the city. Since 2014, Basil has been working as an independent music director.

His first notable work, a piano scorebook titled 12 Little Piano Pieces, was released in 2012, showcasing his compositions in the Western classical genre. Basil entered the film music industry in 2014 with the soundtrack for the film Oralpokkam and has since worked on several critically acclaimed films. His compositions are influenced by a range of musical styles, including Western classical, jazz, Indian classical, and folk.

One of his remarkable works, “Shappu Kariyum,” from the film Ozhivudivasathe Kali, was recorded live outdoors, featuring the folk band Karinthalakuttam. In 2020, Basil released 6 Monologues, a piano scorebook featuring the background music for the film Udambadi, marking the first-ever scorebook for a Malayalam film.

Basil has also made on-screen appearances, such as playing the harmonium in the song “Malpriyanatha” from the film 1956 Madhyathiruvitankur. The harmonium performance and the song’s recording used the sync sound technique during the film’s live shoot. Additionally, as a lyricist, Basil has penned the lyrics for many of his songs, further showcasing his versatility as an artist.