‘Nokre’ is a Konkani reggae song about one-sided love, told through moments of humour and emotion
RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ
When Warren Fernandes started writing ‘Nokre’, he wanted it to be a fun reggae song about relationships. He says, “I got the idea for ‘Nokre’ after listening to an English reggae song. I liked its relaxed sound and felt it suited my band.”
He wrote the chorus and the first verse around the playful tantrums of a girl in a relationship but struggled to complete the rest of the song until a personal experience helped him finish it. “I always believed imagination was enough to write songs. Later, I realised some emotions can only be understood when you experience them yourself,” he says. The finished song keeps its playful tone while also conveying the disappointment of one-sided love.
Written, composed and sung by Warren, ‘Nokre’ is his first original Konkani song. Jonathan Fernandes contributed harmonies and lead guitar, with Emmanuel De Noronha handling the production, mixing and mastering.
A second-year information technology engineering student from Majorda, Warren took an interest in music at a young age. He started learning music in Class 5 but stepped away from it for a few years before returning during his higher secondary studies.
His return to music came when he took part in an annual talent competition at his higher secondary school. Although he did not win, the experience pushed him to work harder on his singing. While preparing for the competition, he met Alger Pacheco, a keyboardist, who travelled on the same school bus. The two began playing music together after Class 12 and Jonathan later joined them. Warren formed the band ‘The Tripod’ last year with Alger and Jonathan.
He says, “I chose the name because our music depends on each of us, much like the legs of a tripod supporting one another.” The band now performs at hotels, roce ceremonies and other events across Goa. They also previously recorded a Konkani cover version of the popular song ‘I Think They Call This Love’.
With ‘Nokre’, Warren reveals that he had doubts initially. He was unsure if the song would reach listeners and worried that the money spent on production would go to waste. Eventually, he decided to take the chance and used his earnings from live performances to fund the recording and music video. “I realised my talent isn’t based on one song,” he says. “I can write many songs like this.”
The team had only a few days to prepare for the music video. Locations and actors were finalised three to four days before filming and the final scene was shot just before sunset. Warren credits his college friends for helping him complete the project.
The music video was directed and edited by Norton D’Silva, with cinematography and colour grading by Langstan Vas. Alec Gracias was part of the video team, Ashlon Braganca recorded behind-the-scenes footage and Norton D’Silva also designed the artwork. The cast includes Rosh Fernandes, Nysa Palyekar, Keenan D’Souza, Yashraj Mayenkar, Glesson Fernandes, Pallavi Suttar. and Nynoshka Furtado.
The response to the track since its release has encouraged Warren to continue working on new releases. He is now working on songs inspired by his faith and personal relationship with God, which he hopes to release in the future. “These songs will not follow a traditional gospel format but will draw from my experiences. I also plan to collaborate with other artistes and continue writing music,” he says.
