Dimapur | December 28: For a solid one year, Kokliba Jings is the King of Music in Nagaland. Winning the biggest singing contest in Nagaland “The Naga Orpheus Hunt” erstwhile “The Naga Idol”, he is entitled to this luxury. Hailing from Kohima, Kokliba had given up his studies in the year 2000 to pursue his love for music. After a decade of striving towards this goal, his patience has paid off, and it has paid off in a big way. He walked away with a cool cash prize of four lakhs.
In an exclusive interview with The Morung Express, Kokliba describes the moment when his name was announced as the winner, Kokliba says that it was a moment of sheer shock. He also admits that he never expected to win the contest at all. In fact before the finale, in a conversation with his friend, he narrates how he felt that the other contestants were far better than him. Winning the title of The Naga Orpheus Hunt, Kokliba is experiencing many changes in his life. One major change in his life is this admission: “I used to be a big drunkard.”
The road leading to winning the Naga Orpheus Hunt was not an easy one. Singing since the age of twelve, he fronted several bands. He fronted the band ‘X-otic Volvo’ from 1999 until 2005, after which he joined ‘Effusion’, and then ‘Mystic Rhyme’. The bands disbanded for one reason or another. However, Kokliba refused to let go of the music in him. He sojourned to Pune in 2007 where he then trained at The Shillong School of Music and joined YWAM, Lonovla, Pune and later Discipleship School and School of Performing Arts (Pune).
Kokliba lists Rock and Roll and Metal music as his preferred genre of music although he says he is also ‘okay’ with pop rock. Transcending from being the front man of rock bands to a solo artist, he says that he faced a lot of difficult ties. For one, he couldn’t find proper soundtracks.
Sharing his practice routine, Kokliba says that every morning before breakfast he practices for half hour to one hour. He is a big fan of Eric Martin, Adam Lambert. From local artist he prefers vocalist Obed from ‘Divine Connection’ and vocalist, Wabong, from contemporary rock act ‘Incipit’.
Kokliba says that his journey at the Naga Orpheus Hunt was packed with lots of fun, where he also learned many things. He is also in high praise for his co-contestants saying that many of them very talented and friendly. There were many experiences at The Naga Orpheus Hunt, he shares. He says that he felt very upset when one of the contestants died and as he states, “I was close to him.”
Kokliba’s says his focus will be on rock music, his first love. He has plans to form a band. He also intends to work on a solo album, and adds “let’s see how long that takes”. Testing his new creative wings of music Kokliba states, “We need to create our own style of music and not follow others, So that we beat others in the field of music.” His music mantra he says is: “If you want to be a good musician, respect music. That is what I believe.” Here’s wishing Kokliba massive success through his talent in his future endeavors and hoping that his positive spirit rubs onto his fellow musicians and the people listening to him.
