Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 12
Back in the year 2017, the young college student from Nagaland, Bozio Nienu was coming home from Shillong for vacation with stories to share and memories to make with friends and families. Sadly, he was welcomed by the conflict and protest that erupted over the election process to 12 Urban Local Bodies which have left two persons dead, many injured and several properties damaged.
In the face of the gloom across Nagaland, 19 years old then, Bozio set out to do one thing- sing an anthem to ‘be the change.’ It required the right kind of message to visualize a better future and turn the tragedy into something meaningful.
“…there was political turmoil and unrest in Nagaland where public buildings were burned down, properties destroyed and internet banned. I came home from my college for vacation around the same time and that is when I wrote the song ‘Be the Change,’ Bozio narrated to The Morung Express.
The song belts out the message to thrive for a life that will glow through the night.
“We will stand out, face our fears, lose the tears. We will rise up, make a change, be the change… On this journey of a million miles away, be the first to say, we overcame the night. Now we see the light and there’s no turning back” – Bozio recorded in his song that went on to become his official debut single.
‘Be the Change’ was released in Indihut. It charted the Top 2 song in Indihut that same year.
“That is how my musical journey officially began... Since then, I have been releasing originals and cover songs and have collaborated with multiple artists as well,”shares the singer, songwriter from Kohima.
For Bozio, releasing ‘Be the Change’ was the biggest turning point as an artists. “When it happened, it kind of pushed me towards an unseen, unspoken direction where I am no longer just a person who sings once in a while but now I am on a new path of creativity and artistry alongside other people undertaking the same journey, if that makes sense,” he puts across.
To his credit, Bozio has the record of performing in some of the biggest stages in Nagaland including the Hornbill Festival opening ceremony, Hornbill Music Festival, World Music Day, NE Multimedia Campaign, and major events.
Bozio went on to become the winner of Rev Dr Neiliezhü Üsou Excellency Award, 2013 andState topper in music in HSLC 2013 & HSSLC 2015. His original ‘Lighthouse’ was awarded Best Indie Rock song at the 13th Music Awards of Nagaland. He was also featured on Rollingstone India and Rock Street Journal for ‘Lighthouse’ in 2021.
“I have a long way to go and I still feel like I just started, but the journey so far has been really interesting,” he said.
Besides his fervent passion in music, Bozio is also a huge football fan and a content creator. “I am also a YouTuber, so a lot of my free time goes into making videos for my entertainment channel. I also enjoy wood carving, event organizing. I am also part of the worship team and very much involved in my local church (Chakhesang Baptist Church Kitsubozou),” he adds.
Engaging on the music he typically creates, Bozio exclaims, “Minimal and raw, in simple words!” He adds, “I try to keep it simple and minimal in the musical/instrumental production with stress on the lyrics which mostly are thought-provoking songs that have come from personal feelings or experiences.”
Sharing an inside at the process of his song writing and production, Bozio says that the creative process differs in each song. “…but mostly for me, I sit down with my guitar on the edge of my terrace in the evenings and try to write a song. It can also be very random at times, where a line or a melody will come to me out of nowhere and I write them down on my notes app, or if a melody comes to me, I record it in my voice memos app. So I have so much incomplete, half written lyrics on my phone and a few hundreds of voice recordings to remember them,” he enlightens.
“But if I feel a certain melody or a sentence strongly, I usually complete that song first and think of producers who will be right for that particular song. Then I take it to them and brainstorm instrumental ideas and the groove of the music, make modifications and structuring of the song before it goes into production,” Bozio adds.
“So many things, but so far, my personal experiences and feelings have been the biggest inspiration on the songs that I have written, and they all come from a place of authenticity and genuineness,” he replies to the query on the biggest influence or inspiration for his music.
Bozio says that he strives ‘to be genuine and true to himself and his art.’ He also puts effort not be afraid to try new things, explore new genres and remind himself not to be complacent.
Talking about the challengesof being a musician, he says, “The biggest challenge as of now would be creating and bringing life to a song and producing them in a way I imagine it to be, from the sounds to the visuals.” According to Bozio, “The limitations in financial and creative imagination have always been a major challenge.”
On the music scene in Nagaland, Bozio feels that it is growing and there is scope for progress. “It is evolving so much that one has to really work hard to keep up, which is a good thing because everyday a new standard is being set with new releases and productions. At this rate, I see a very bright future for our state and our artists, but of course, there is also much room for improvement.”
Stating his opinion on the State’s Task Force for Music and Arts, Bozio expresses, “I respect and admire TaFMA for what they are doing, for stirring up the state in awareness for music and arts.”
“It surely is not easy nurturing a very young and amateur industry but I believe they are the right office to take our music scene to greater heights,” he asserted.
Nonetheless, Bozio highlighted the need for musicians in Nagaland to be more supportive. “…We can be more supportive of each other and STREAM SONGS! The biggest challenge an artist faces right now is the lack of stream revenue from our songs because the numbers are very low and numbers matters a lot in this case. Turn up to each other’s gigs and events, share all their content to friends and families and just help each other grow, which is what we lack in a lot, SUPPORT.”
Today, Bozio has made a mark, and is still progressing, in the music industry in Nagaland. “Don’t be lazy and complacent like I have. It takes much dedication and hard work to make it, but also trust in yourself and the journey,” he recommends for those wanting to follow in his footsteps.
Bozio will be performing in few upcoming exciting shows including the SWAG event (May 13 and 14 at The Heritage, Kohima) and Musicians’ Guild Awards. “Watch my space on social media for more information!” he added.
