Jassie Gift

Biography

Jassie Gift is an Indian cinematic music composer and playback singer. He composes songs and sings for Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films. He became famous after the release of the song "Lajjavathiye" from the film 4 The People.
He won the Best Music Director award at The Bangalore Times Film Awards 2011. He is credited with popularising Rapping and Hip-hop in Kerala. He is also known for Sanju Weds Geetha (2011), Anniyan (2005) and Myna (2013).

Biography

Hailing from Vithura, Jassie was born to Isaac Gift Israel and Rajamma. He was interested in music from childhood and was highly influenced by western music. He admired Ilayaraja and was a fan of Freddie Mercury. He had lessons in western piano from a young age and started singing and playing the keyboard in local bands. He is a singer and keyboard player of the band Moby Dick.
He entered the film music industry under the guidance of director Jayaraj. Before entering films he composed songs for a couple of albums in Malayalam, including the hit album Soona Soona, and also composed singles. He pioneered the use of reggae fusion music in the Malayalam music industry with the backing roots of Indian ragas. Jassie's first film composition was for the movie Saphalam. His songs written for the movie 4 The People became hits in Kerala, especially "Lajjavathiye", and his music contributed to the success of the film, which became 2004's biggest Malayalam film. The film was later remade in Tamil, and also as Malliswarive in Telugu The song was successful in all languages.
Jassie mixed Indian and western music on the album, Rain Rain Come Again, as well as the music for the Kannada film Hudugaata, and the songs "Eno Onthara", "Mandakiniye" and "Ommomme Heegu". He has worked with many South Indian musicians such as Harris Jayaraj, Devisri Prasad, Yuvan Shankar Raja, and M M Keeravani, and Anirudh Ravichander, and collaborated with many music directors from south India. He composed songs for the movie Sanju Weds Geetha, sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam.
Jassie Gift has a master's degree in Philosophy from University College Thiruvananthapuram, and a PhD in Philosophy from Kannur University on the topic of "The Philosophy of Harmony and Bliss with Reference to Advaita and Buddhism".

Personal life

On 11 September 2012, Jassie married Athulya Jayakumar, who accomplished a PhD in Information Technology/Physics from Kannur University.
On 24 December 2021, Jassie Gift has been appointed as chairman of Kerala State Development Corporation for Christian Converts from Scheduled Castes and the Recommended Communities.

Controversy

In March 2024, while Gift and his band crew was performing on St. Peter's College, Kolenchery, the principal snatched mic and announced "there was technical error in the show". She later said, the band was allowed to perform only because it was promised Gift would be the only one singing while chorus was singing with him. Following this, Gift left the stage and the next day, the students of the college were protesting in front of principal's cabin.