Rhythm of Love: In conversation with Imkong Imchen

 

Meet Imkong Imchen, a young lad of few words, whose love for music was borne  from a journey of pain.

He says music is an outlet to pen down his pain into lyrics and using the art to portray his feelings.

Imchen has released three originals on his YouTube channel ‘Imkong Imchen’ and plans to release a wedding song this year.

His recently released single ‘You’re a miracle’ is a love song that motivates lovers to move forward and to achieve dreams when most believe in “the impossible.”

Read on to know more about this calm artiste.

 

Eastern Mirror:  To start off, tell us about your musical journey.

Imkong Imchen: I never attended any music school as my dad who was a fine acoustic guitarist  wanted me to get my hands on the strings , he thereby gifted me an acoustic guitar on my birthday and taught me to strum. Eventually he left me, that’s when I started to get back to my guitar even more. Music became my best friend,  one who could cease away my pain .

 

Eastern Mirror: Who has been your greatest inspiration?.

Imkong Imchen: My inspiration came not from another artist and painting was never a hobby either.  It was rather an outlet,  a way for me to breathe again . Music and art spoke when words failed to express.

 

Eastern Mirror: What is your recently released single ‘You’re a miracle’ all about?

Imkong Imchen: ‘You’re a miracle’ is a love song. Love can be expressed in many patterns. I wanted to write my love about the strength and the beauty of love. I wanted her to prepare for hard times . I wanted to sing to her about how two souls can move forward and achieve dreams when most beings believe in “the impossible”.

 

Eastern Mirror: Apart from your musical career, your artistic skills seem to have undergone a very successful journey too. Tell us about your major breakthrough in the field of art.

Imkong Imchen: Way back in 2012, my dad passed away. It was such an unexpected and unfortunate event. It came to me as a great  shock. It left me broken inside. Being the son, everyone expected me to be strong. And I knew I needed to be strong for my mom and sister. I acted it, but deep down I was hurting.

I remember, every time I felt tears filling my glasses, I would run towards the garden to hold them back.

Weeks, months and years passed by, but it was really hard for me to accept the fact that never will I see dad’s face again.

At such times (in 2014), I started to portray my feelings in pictures. My pain and my untold sadness in lyrics, not with the intention to let people understand my pain, but because it made me feel good. It was an outlet. A way for me to breathe again. Music and painting became the soul of my heart, it spoke more when words failed to express.

 

Eastern Mirror: How do you manage to break your time for music and art from other regular activities?

Imkong Imchen: Dedication and love for my works makes it possible to manage my time despite my busy schedule.

 

Eastern Mirror:  What do you consider your achievements?

Imkong Imchen: I’ve won in many art competitions, however, I don’t really want to regard those as achievements. For me, my biggest achievement in life is learning to praise God and being happy in all circumstances.

 

Eastern Mirror: Which one would you  wish to be recognised as, a painter or a musician? And why?

Imkong Imchen: Particularly I don’t want to be known as a painter or a musician but as a missionary who serves  through his God given talents .

 

Eastern Mirror: How many songs have you released till date? Any more releases happening this year?

Imkong Imchen: I have released three originals till date namely- You’re  a miracle, 2:00Am Again and ‘Ni Amshiang (Use me lord)’  which is in Ao dialect.