Pooviliyaay Pookkudayaay by Naren Pulappatta

Few songs from 2020 have held their ground as well as Pooviliyaay Pookkudayaay, a track that keeps finding new audiences. Babu Narayanan's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

Naren Pulappatta inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. The connection between a talented ensemble cast and this song is part of what makes it resonate beyond the film itself.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Pooviliyaay Pookkudayaay was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Pooviliyaay Pookkudayaay differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 4:27, 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 Pooviliyaay Pookkudayaay is not a mystery. It is just what happens when every element of a song is exactly right.