Made in Jaffna is a 14-song studio album curated by Toronto-based Tamil artist Shan Vincent de Paul which released on 6 September 2021. It is Shan's third studio album after Saviors (2017) and Kothu Boys (2020).[1] The album describes about identity, perseverance, and reconciliation and learning to embrace the tenets of an outsider juggling multiple identities in a foreign land.[2][3]

Made in Jaffna
Studio album by
Released6 September 2021
Recorded2017–2021
VenueStudio MOCA
Genre
Length12:25
LabelMaajja
ProducerShan Vincent de Paul
Shan Vincent de Paul chronology
Kothu Boys
(2020)
Made in Jaffna
(2021)
Singles from Made in Jaffna
  1. "Savage"
    Released: 28 May 2021
  2. "Neeye Oli"
    Released: 30 June 2021
  3. "Hard Times"
    Released: 9 July 2021
  4. "Uyire"
    Released: 23 July 2021
  5. "After Life"
    Released: 13 August 2021
  6. "Made in Jaffna"
    Released: 1 September 2021
  7. "Star Crossed"
    Released: 10 September 2021

Background

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In an interview with the New York-based Flaunt magazine, Paul had stated:[4]

Just my journey as an artist up to this point. It really is reflective of my community, of the Tamil community, and our experience of juggling two cultures. The story can be related to a lot of people that have left their homeland and had to juggle two cultures. It’s my personal story of growing up in the West and being influenced by hip hop, my family’s story of leaving Sri Lanka and dealing with that. It’s my most autobiographical piece to date, 4 years in the making. I know it’s cliché to say it’s my most personal work, but it really is. The most vulnerable I’ve been on record, I'm super excited to share it.[4]

According to Paul, he called the album his "most personal one" in an interview with Lifestyle Asia.[2] The album is about telling the experiences of he and his family and community coming from Jaffna to Toronto due to the Sri Lankan Civil War and it also comments about the Tamil Eelam experience. He further added that "Tamilians from Sri Lanka are often synonymous with suffering. Here, an artistic renaissance is booming, underlining the redemption and resilience of South Asian communities. Via this album, I want to show others what we are capable of, and we are not about suffering any longer."[2][5]

Release

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When he was announced being a part of Maajja, an independent platform launched by A. R. Rahman,[6][7] he created two independent songs for the project management, one of them being the independent single "Amnesia" and this studio album.[8][9] Paul decided to release 12 singles out of the 14-track album which was scheduled for release on 11 August 2021, but was launched on 6 September 2021.[10] One of his earlier released singles "One Hundred Thousand Flowers" and "Heaven" will also be featured in the album.[3] The first single being titled "Savage" was unveiled on 28 May 2021, with the music video being released on the same day and received overwhelmingly positive response for its picturization and composition.[11][12] The second single "Neeye Oli" co-written by Arivu and composed by Santhosh Narayanan was unveiled on 30 June 2021.[13][14] The track was Narayanan's second collaboration with the platform and also his second independent single after "Enjoy Enjaami",[5] being used as a theme song for the Pa. Ranjith-directed film Sarpatta Parambarai (2021).[15][16] The tracks – "Hard Times", "Uyire" and "After Life" – were launched as singles on 9, 23 July and 13 August.[10] Five days, before the album launch, on 1 September 2021, the title track "Made in Jaffna" was released and received positive response.[17][18] According to Paul, the track is "a scorching tale of personal growth and resilience".[18]

Track listing

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No.TitleLyricsArtist(s)Length
1."Made in Jaffna"Shan Vincent de Paul, Robert BenvegnuShan Vincent de Paul, La+ch4:16
2."Days Like This"Shan Vincent de Paul, Robert BenvegnuShan Vincent de Paul, La+ch2:40
3."Afterlife"Coleman Hell, Pritt (Prithika Pathmanathan), Robert Benvegnu, Sangeeth Varman, Shan Vincent De PaulColeman Hell, Pritt (Prithika Pathmanathan), Shan Vincent De Paul3:18
4."Hard Times"Rob Benvegnu, Shan Vincent De Paul, Tika SimoneShan Vincent De Paul, Tika Simone2:21
5."Savage"Shan Vincent de PaulShan Vincent de Paul2:21
6."Creep Slow"Kirishan Suresh, Robert Benvegnu, Shan Vincent De Paul, Shehzeb IftakharLa+ch, Shan Vincent De Paul, Two's a Company2:53
7."One Hundred Thousand Flowers"Shan Vincent de Paul, Yanchan Rajmohan, Rob BenvegnuShan Vincent de Paul2:51
8."Neeye Oli"Arivu, Shan Vincent de PaulShan Vincent de Paul, Navz-47, Santhosh Narayanan3:57
9."Hangin' on"Arjun Palarajah, Shan Vincent De Paul, Yanchan RajmohanShan Vincent De Paul, Yanchan Rajmohan2:58
10."Star Crossed"Shan Vincent de Paul, Robert BenvegnuShan Vincent de Paul, La+ch2:04
11."Uyire"Shan Vincent De Paul, Yanchan Rajmohan, Sujeev ThiruketheeswaranShan Vincent De Paul, Yanchan Rajmohan2:18
12."Heaven"Naveeni Athanosious, Rob BenvegnuShan Vincent de Paul, Navz-473:16
13."Seeds"Shan Vincent de Paul, Robert Benvegnu, Sid SriramShan Vincent de Paul, La+ch, Sid Sriram3:47
14."Die Iconic 2"Shan Vincent de Paul, Robert BenvegnuShan Vincent de Paul, La+ch4:02
Total length:43:07

Personnel

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  • Shan Vincent de Paul - Vocalist (all tracks), composer (all tracks), album producer (all tracks), lyricist (Track 1,2,3), audio mixing (Track 1,3,4)
  • Santhosh Narayanan - Composer (Track 2), album producer (Track 2), playback singer (Track 2), sound engineer (Future Tense Studios, Chennai) [Track 2]
  • Navz-47 - Playback singer (Track 2,4)
  • Arivu - Lyricist (Track 2)
  • Yanchan Rajmohan - Lyricist (Track 2)
  • Rob Benvegnu - Lyricist (Track 2,3)
  • Naveeni Athanosious - Lyricist (Track 3)
  • RK Sundar - Sound engineer (Future Tense Studios, Chennai) [Track 2]
  • Sai Shravanam - Sound engineer (Resound India, Chennai) [Track 2], audio mixing (Track 2), mastering (Track 2)
  • Gurjith Singh - Mastering (Track 1,3,4)
  • Meenakshi Santhosh - Music co-ordinator (Track 2)

Charts

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Title Chart (2021) Peak
position
"Savage" RMNZ Hot Singles (New Zealand)[19] 15
Billboard Top Triller (Global)[20] 42
Billboard Top Triller (U.S.)[21] 34
United Kingdom Asian Music Chart Top 40 14 [citation needed]
"Neeye Oli" United Kingdom Asian Music Chart Top 40 21 [citation needed]
Billboard Top Triller (Global) 39

References

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  1. ^ "Shan Vincent de Paul on his new album, the rise of Carnatic rap, and challenging traditional masculinity". www.indulgexpress.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Rapper Shan Vincent de Paul on his most personal album, 'Made in Jaffna'". Lifestyle Asia India. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Shan Vincent de Paul's Made in Jaffna". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Shan Vincent de Paul | "Neeye Oli," Fashion & Forthcoming Album 'Made In Jaffna'". Flaunt Magazine. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b Turner, Rianna. "Rapper Shan Vincent de Paul Finds His Audience". Forbes. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Unchained melody: AR Rahman discusses his new platform, maajja". Hindustan Times. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  7. ^ Majumdar, Meghna (27 January 2021). "A. R. Rahman bats for independent musicians with new initiative 'Maajja'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  8. ^ "AR Rahman launches Maajja, a platform for South Asian independent musicians". Cinema Express. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  9. ^ "New platform maajja announces talents and plans for 2021". www.radioandmusic.com. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Made in Jaffna, Toronto-based Tamil rapper Shan Vincent de Paul's highly-anticipated album, is finally out". www.radioandmusic.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Fierce and unfiltered: Toronto-based Tamil artist Shan Vincent de Paul's releases new single 'Savage'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Toronto-based Tamil rapper Shan Vincent de Paul drops new single 'Savage'". dtNext.in. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Rapper Shan Vincent de Paul dons director's hat with cinematic music video for his track 'Neeye Oli'". www.radioandmusic.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  14. ^ Akundi, Sweta (24 July 2021). "'Neeye Oli' rapper Shan Vincent de Paul wants to bring the Tamil diaspora closer to the motherland". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Neeye Oli by Shan Vincent de Paul, synced to Pa Ranjith's next release, is finally out!". www.indulgexpress.com. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Santhosh Narayanan's new track 'Neeye Oli' features Shan Vincent de Paul, Navz-47". The News Minute. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  17. ^ "The Spirit of Bravery". GQ India. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  18. ^ a b Shan Vincent de Paul - Made in Jaffna, retrieved 19 January 2022
  19. ^ "HOT 40 SINGLES". Recorded Music NZ. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Top Triller Global Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  21. ^ "Top Triller U.S. Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2021.