07 Aug 2022  |   05:54am IST

A huge thank you to Goa’s Nightingale

No singer has been able to have such a huge impact on Konkani music with a career spanning over five decades like Lorna has. As she celebrates her 78th birthday on Tuesday, August 9, Pio Agnelo Fernandes, is releasing a tribute song, ‘Lorna -- Ranni Kogull Goykaranchi (Nightingale of Goa)’ for the living legend, Lorna Cordeiro, on his YouTube channel which features over 40 singers

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er songs are synonymous with Goa and there is an instant connection among Goans, if you can sing a Lorna song at a party. Undoubtedly, known as a the Nightingale of Goa, it was fitting to pay her a tribute for her birthday on August 9, as she completes 78 years and so many wonderful years still entertaining Goans. That is the reason when musician and lyricist, Pio Agnelo Fernandes, asked singers to be a part of the tribute video, none of the singers or musicians could deny the offer.

Under the banner Sky Notes, Pio Agnelo Fernandes will release the video on August 9 as an evergreen tribute to the living legend, Lorna with ‘Ranni Kogull Goykaranchi (Nightingale of Goa)’. Pio Agnelo Fernandes is the lyricist and composer, Norman Cardozo is the composer and Josephern D’Souza is the video director of this mega project. The musicians for the song include Norman Cardozo (keys), Antonio C Azavedo (saxophone), Cannon D’Souza (base guitar), Cliffton Furtado (guitar), Grayston Vaz (lead guitar), John Fernandes (drums), Reagan Fernandes (violin), Semy Braganca (trombone), Senon De Souza (trumpet), Ignatius (Iggy) Rodrigues (keys) and Victor (violin). Mixing and mastering is by Cannon D’Souza and the dubbing was done at ten studios.

Pio Agnelo Fernandes explains his vision for the song, “I am a big fan of Lorna. In the middle of the night, I had a dream in which I was singing a song for Lorna. The words were just flowing and it had a lovely tune. I woke up at 3am and immediately wrote the song meditating on Lorna’s life and her talent. That’s why I call it my dream project. After completing lyrics and composition, I met Norman Cardoso in June 2020 and explained to him my plans. He heard the song and agreed to work on the song. We worked through the pandemic and finally the song is ready for release at the apt time.”

Convincing Lorna was a big task because Fernandes had no connection with her so he asked his friend, Nevis Oliveira and Ira (Lorna’s best friend), to explain the song to her. “She liked the lyrics and tune very much and agreed to do it. She said I want to do this song. I am honored and feeling extremely happy because she said yes and sung my lyrist and compositions. We did her dubbing and shooting in Mumbai and came back. I would like to thank my friend Josephern D’Souza and his team, who went out of way to do this videography and editing,” adds Fernandes.

Lorna plays an important part of the song and she made her studio comeback after a very long time. “It is a very nice song and it felt good because for the first time, so many singers are being a part of a video for me. They all came together for me and that’s what makes this video even more special. When Agnelo requested me to sing the song, I was thrilled and very happy. Though I find singing in a studio very boring and I prefer singing to a live audience, I agreed to sing. We recorded the song before the second lockdown and now I am eager to see the video,” says Lorna.

Norman Cardozo has been performing with Lorna since 2004 and he knows her way of singing perfectly well. “I was privileged to do this song as Agnelo came to me with the confidence that I will do justice to the song. When I heard about Agnelo’s vision for the song, I visualised how Lorna would fit in the picture and I composed the music. We had to give 40 singers a chance to pay tribute to a singer they have all grown up singing,” says Cardozo.

Besides singers based in Goa, there are many singers from the Goan diaspora as well. “Since we called most of the singers from Goa, I taught of getting some Goan singers who are settled in other countries because they too sing Lorna’s songs and are her admirers. The singers include Sanio Fernandes, Frizz Love and Nerissa Cardoso from Dubai. Velerose Pereira from Canada was in Goa in October for Kor Kantar Taleigao where I met her for the first time. I liked the way she sings and plays the trumpet and when I approached her with the song, she immediately agreed. All these singers joined me with great pleasure and did it for free of cost,” says Fernandes.

“I am very grateful to everyone involved in this project because no one has charged me and all sang wholeheartedly, free of cost. Lorna is our pride and love, I will be indebted for the valuable time all these singers and musicians and video team members gave to make this song possible,” concludes Fernandes.