Paadarivom Padipparivom traces its origins to the lockdowns of 2020. Former IT professional Naggeshwerran S., aged 43, known as NGR in the music community, noticed a pattern while scrolling through the Smule karaoke app.

A singalong on wheels today

“People were singing because they enjoyed it, but many of them were also being mocked online. We realised there were many people who wanted to sing but did not know where to learn,” says Naggeshwerran.

A decision to do something about this led to free live sessions on Facebook and YouTube, where participants got to learn one Tamil song every week. The lessons were as simple as they can be: songs were broken down into simple sounds and rhythmic patterns. “I have been singing since 1992, but I never learnt Carnatic music. Friends would teach me using sounds instead of swaras. We thought if this method worked for me, it could work for others too,” he says. The first session, held on May 4, 2020, drew close to 500 viewers, far exceeding the organisers’ expectations. Requests for regular classes soon followed, leading to the formation of Paadarivom Padipparivom.

The community now operates from two studios —Madipakkam and Saligramam which serve as its primary spaces for learning and singing. Each studio can accommodate around 25-30 people and hosts regular singing classes, rehearsals, karaoke sessions and community singalongs. Members also gather there for Jam Along Vaanga, where they perform solo or duet songs before an audience.

As participation grew, the community began extending beyond its studios. An invitation from Cookgramam restaurant in Anna Nagar led to regular singalong sessions at the venue on the first and third Friday of every month. The sessions, which combine music with a shared meal, accommodate around 65 to 70 participants and are consistently full. The group has since partnered with an event venue in Adyar for larger singalong sessions and has also received requests from a venue on OMR to host similar events. A majority of those who join are above the age of 30. “Most activities in music are designed for children or youngsters. We wanted to create something for people in their thirties, forties, fifties and beyond. Many of them are not looking for a career in music. They simply want a place where they can sing without being judged,” says Naggeshwerran.

The organisation follows a structured cinema music curriculum rather than teaching only individual songs. Learners are introduced to concepts such as pitch, rhythm and expression through familiar film songs. Since 2020, the team has released lessons for nearly 300 Tamil film songs, each available on YouTube for learners to revisit.

As interest grew, the organisers realised members wanted opportunities to sing outside the classroom. This led to the launch of Jam Along Vaanga, a karaoke programme where participants perform solo or duet songs before an audience. “We call it ‘Bathroom to Green Room’. Many people only sing inside their homes. We wanted to create a path where they could first learn, then practise and finally perform before an audience,” says Naggeshwerran.

The community now has around 3,000 members across WhatsApp groups, with participants from 26 countries joining both physical and online events.

An auction of singers

The group also organises Paattu Paraak, a singing competition inspired by the Indian Premier League. Participants are grouped into teams of six through a conceptual auction, without any exchange of money. Teams then compete in a cricket-style format, chasing each other’s total scores across multiple rounds. The finals are organised as fundraising events, with the proceeds donated to charitable organisations. In the past two years, funds raised through the competition have been contributed to Akshaya Homes, a free residential home for destitute senior citizens.

Registrations for all events are managed through the group’s PP Music mobile app. Participants can register, make payments and reserve slots for singalongs, competitions and other programmes through the app. Paadarivom Padipparivom has kept the registration fee for a singalong event at ₹299 to make it accessible to more people. Members with an annual subscription can attend events without paying separately, as the fee is included in their membership.

Beyond registrations, the app functions as a learning platform. Users can access free teaching videos, submit recordings of songs for feedback from mentors, and receive personalised comments on areas for improvement. It also features a “Voice Bank”, where aspiring singers can store their recordings, a digital library of solo and duet lessons in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi for annual members, competition registrations, and a chat section that allows members to interact with one another.

For further details, contact 86680 18282 or @ppmusic0405 on Instagram

Published - August 02, 2026 07:14 am IST