Minni Minni Thaarakam Vaniluyarnnu by Justin Philip Thomas, Jesfin Simon, Sam Philip, Jerin Thomas, Albin Roy

Few songs from 2020 have held their ground as well as Minni Minni Thaarakam Vaniluyarnnu, a track that keeps finding new audiences. Credit goes to Traditional for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

Justin Philip Thomas, Jesfin Simon, Sam Philip, Jerin Thomas, Albin Roy's vocal here has a quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to miss — it simply feels true. The chemistry of a talented ensemble cast is embedded in every moment of Minni Minni Thaarakam Vaniluyarnnu, making it as much a performance as a song.

By the end of 2020, Minni Minni Thaarakam Vaniluyarnnu had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. Some music is background. Minni Minni Thaarakam Vaniluyarnnu demands attention — not aggressively, but in the way a good conversation does.

Running to 3:09, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. The staying power of Minni Minni Thaarakam Vaniluyarnnu is not a mystery. It is just what happens when every element of a song is exactly right.