Zeba Tommy
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“It is a full circle moment,” says singer-songwriter Zeba Tommy on winning the Kerala State Film Awards 2024 for the best playback singer (female). The singer, 24, who began her journey singing choruses for Gopi Sundar as a teenager, has won the award for the song ‘Aarorum’, composed by him for Am Ah starring Dileesh Pothan.
“’Aarorum’ comes at a crucial stage in the film; so I wanted to make sure I did justice to the song and convey the emotions expressed in the lyrics.”
The artiste says the track is different when compared to the rest of her discography, owing to its low-pitched nature. “This song explored the lower range of my voice,” says the artiste.
The State Award win has come at a time for Zeba when she is fresh from the success of Lokah Chapter 1 : Chandra, in which she sang the English track ‘Queen of the Night’, which was also written by her. “I sing in different languages and genres. The award has come for a melodic Malayalam lullaby, while ‘Queen of the Night’ falls into another genre, exploring the protagonist’s solitude. To have back-to-back success with different genres feels great.”
Zeba Tommy
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Zeba describes the popularity of ‘Queen of the Night’ as “a testament to the Malayali listeners’ taste. This was also the first time that I wrote a song for a movie. When Jakes chettan (composer Jakes Bejoy) asked if I wanted to write the lyrics, I agreed. Then, Dominic Arun [director of Lokah…]briefed me about the movie and sent a few visuals. This made things easier. I put myself in Chandra’s shoes and wrote how she feels,” says Zeba, who has also crooned in Officer on Duty, Phillip’s, Garudan, and Pookkalam.
While she began learning Carnatic music at the age of six, she picked up Western music on her own during her teenage years. She holds grades six and eight in rock and pop, and Western classical music, respectively, from the Trinity College London. “I am a blend of all those schools of music and learning. My listening and experimentation reflect in my music,” says Zeba.
Zeba Tommy
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
After finishing her schooling and college in Kochi, she moved to Mumbai to pursue a diploma in music production from That Audio Guys Institute. She stayed back in the city for a few more years. “I love Mumbai. The city has helped me personally and creatively. It is vibrant, chaotic, but has so much character. I got the creative push for my two originals from the city. I have grown as a person as well,” says Zeba.
The stint in Mumbai also earned Zeba a chance to work in Bollywood. In Heeramandi, a period drama series on Netflix directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, she has sung the tracks featured in the teasers and trailers of the show.
What lies ahead
While the artiste has earned her singer-songwriter tag, she says it was only recently that she found the confidence to put out her own songs. “I compose my own songs too. I believe the sky is the limit for any artiste. I would love to foray into music composing, arrangement, and production. I would also love to do music for movies in the future.”
Zeba, who is planning the release of her next single titled, ‘Cortados’ on November 15, says, “A few people have reached out to me for playback singing. But my focus is on releasing my independent music. I also do shows with my band, Zeba Tommy Live.”
Published – November 05, 2025 05:15 pm IST
