An entrepreneur on account of professional leanings even as the artisticness of her being lends her also an entirely different identity altogether, Nagaland girl Pelenuo Yhome seamlessly weaves two entirely different strands of an existence each as integral to her person into a singular narrative of uniqueneness. Complementing further the trait of such distinction is her singing bearing a ‘dual’ character- sister to musician Jonathan Yhome, Pelenuo’s musical journey begins from and more often than not syncs with the melodious musings of her younger brother.
The love for music has been familial an affair for the Yhomes and Pelenuo’s realisation of this artistic innateness as being intertwined a part of her personal expression would be then only natural a continuation of that passion. Having forever enjoyed being part of the numerous family singalongs should have made pursuing a singing career be the most obvious choice for Pelenuo, as it had been for Jonathan whose professional identity has by now spanned a considerable decade long period of making music. But creativity flowed also through a young Pelenuo in different measures and assertions of talent. With a flair for all thing that appeases the senses and soothes the soul, she would go on to assume identity as an interior designer and be as impressive as well with her creative mastery over this segment of the architectural.
Pelenuo Yhome is a spatial and furniture designer by profession but she also has a degree in civil engineering. This dual route of treading on account of academic qualifications has also meant that the 26 year old has not confined herself to any one particular sphere of dabbling. This is something that extends as well to her musical sensibilities with even her limited repertoire of melodies bearing ample evidence to the versatility of her craft. The very extent of her free flight is essentially imbued with a sense of uniqueness, produces as she does such music that is unlike anyone else’s. Even then, her pursuance of what she regards as a hobby in producing sounds of own sonority is based upon a very simple premise of eternal human standing- of seeking out the profoundness of the smaller moments of life and hanging on to them as indelible memories that make living all the more worthwhile.
Hers is a soulful sentiment indeed then that nurtures her being such that has led her to be more present in the ‘mainstream’ identity as an interior designer. The physical designs that she works out occur as as symphonic a marker of her creativity but even beyond such knack for capturing attention in whatever capacity of heartfelt expression, Yhome comes across also as an individual heartwarming in the core of what she holds within herself. Even when such regard of her being unfurls as a more ambitious intent in enterprising, the talented Pelenuo is essentially stirred by the same strands of sensibilities that defines her music.
Founder of Züb Züb India, a cleaning service startup based in Kohima, Yhome seeks to ‘make an impact and touch people’s lives’ through this venture that begun in 2020 as something emulating an ideal very dear to her. Then there’s also the sister identity of Züb Züb Your City emerging from this same sentiment, the collective vision of which has been remarkable enough for Pelenuo to have found recognition and honoring by Assam Rifles as an Women Achiever. And why not indeed, with such a noble intention directing the activities of this denotation that tends to a profoundness in meaning something that’s close to perfection, Züb Züb India epitomises the very essence of who Pelenuo Yhome is in the entirety of her identity as someone intricately composed in sensitiveness to command for herself a parallel regard accruing through the artistic.
Delving into the wholesomeness of her person, whether in lauding her philosophy in living or delighting in the attributes of her musical ability is something that would be only arganic an occurring for anyone who manages to chance upon Pelenuo. She boasts an effortlessness that is enviable enough for the sheer magic of what it creates but also exactly the reason that endears her to her every listener. Pure is how brother Jonathan describes Yhome’s music and that indeed is the truest emotion evoked out of every tune and each strumming by the young singer- songwriter. The way she works emotions into her songs is a relaying of the depths she scours as perhaps a natural extent of her soulful identity. And it is exactly this expression in capturing the more essential concerns of the human that makes Pelenuo’s songs emerge as honest and realistic representation to which her listeners and fans relate in their every vibe.
Her very first single Build A Story very poignantly depicts this personal account of what Yhome’s music always happens to be, as an exploration of her own emotions and feelings. She aspires as well for her music to be the ‘language’ that appeals in all universalness such that a part of them lingers long in the ears and memories of whoever is struck by their authenticity. Serene and charming in her every rendition such that casts a spell of beauty one does not wish to escape with such depth of lyrics that resonates and resounds long after they have ceased playing, Pelenuo’s musical identity offers an account of who she is as a person. And yet for all her exemplifying the artistry of elocution that composes so crucial a character of what curates the sounds and soul of music, she still struggles with such words that would attend to the highly eloquent standards of conversation.
It indeed would not be for Pelenuo Yhome’s ‘limitation’ in articulating that would lead to her musical skills finding repression. For someone more comfortable in making music than she is passionate about it, her musical delivery then is a case in also lending others a certain sense of gratification. Her reservation with the general regards of communicating might lead to assumptions arising about the non assimilating manner of diction that she admits herself as being localised. But such is the artisticness of Yhome’s nature that characterise indeed her dealing with music that led her to be one of the 24 artists sought out from across the country as part of NEXA Music’s initiative to shine the spotlight upon emerging and indigenous original English language musicians.
Tutored by music legend A R Rahman along with brother Jonathan to record their original English compositions, Pelenuo Yhome’s musical aspirations received quite a boost even in nascency. Trust though the more cosmopolitan make and measure of her being to also take the chance in acquiring as well some life lessons from the maestro himself and one cannot help but marvel at the intricateness of what shapes up her larger character.
This all-rounded approach to life in general persists as being a part of Pelenuo’s musical identity such that also has her strumming the guitar besides writing and composing and singing songs. Her creativity then is an eclectic mix of the many facets that nourishes her soul even as the ‘dimension’ in which she has been exploring her musical might has been more restricted. Exclusively digital with her releases for now and unperturbed by the somewhat unheralded occurring of her identity despite being nuanced in what she does, Yhome though does want to transcend the barrier of what exists either in diction or genre or region so as to find her audience in a more global zone. That she has been working towards this end from a proud presence in her region of belonging, having chosen to return even after studying in a more diversified part of the country paints a pretty picture of this budding artist comfortable throughout every expression of her identity.
