Vanakkam! Twitter introduces emoji for #TamilSpaces
India, 06 Aug 2021: Spaces help facilitate a dynamic on Twitter that feels known, intimate and safe through live audio conversations. It also presents an authentic opportunity for people to communicate with others by way of sound and voice. Tamil audiences, in particular, have been enthusiastic early adopters of Twitter Spaces. They’ve been making the best use of the feature to connect and discuss matters that are close to their heart, pertinent issues that need attention, and even for casual chats to keep themselves entertained.
To celebrate this, Twitter is introducing an emoji for Tamil Spaces, which can be activated with hashtags – #TamilSpaces, #TamilSpace, #தமிழ்Spaces, and #தமிழ்Space. The emoji depicts a purple-blue microphone with the first letter (‘அ’ ) of the Tamil alphabet on it. It’s a celebration of the Tamil language on Twitter, and the microphone is a nod to the intimacy and nuance that only live audio conversations can bring.
Embedded Tweet link: https://twitter.com/TwitterIndia/status/1423512516202680323
Cheryl-Ann Couto, Partnerships Manager at Twitter India, said, “Twitter Spaces has been received super well in India, with an especially impressive adoption by indic-language audiences. Audiences from Tamil Nadu constitute some of Twitter’s most dynamic users. Over the past few months since Spaces was made available to everyone in India, Tamil Spaces have grown in frequency, reach, creativity as well as scope of conversations. Looking at this popularity, we wa nted to encourage and recognise #TamilSpaces conversations on the service, and so it felt fitting to introduce a custom emoji to add an element of fun and fan delight. We are looking forward to the continued growth and engagement and are optimistic that the emoji will encourage conversation on the timeline about all the cool things happening in #TamilSpaces.”
Emojis help people identify and participate more easily in specific conversations, along with adding an element of fun and colour to text.
To celebrate and mark the occasion of the launch of the #TamilSpaces emoji, singer Chinmayi (@Chinmayi) will be hosting a virtual concert today (August 6) at 7.30 pm IST, where she will perform song requests from some of the fans who Tweet using the hashtag.
In fact, audiences are in for a treat to an interesting line-up of #TamilSpaces that will take place through the weekend –
- New Voices in Tamil Comedy
Ravina Raval (@RavinaRawal) of comedy publisher Dead Ant (@DeadAntCo) and SA Aravind (@Aravind_SA) will co-host a Spaces session and present listeners with new voices from Tamil stand-up comedy, sending them on a laughter riot. This Spaces session is scheduled for Saturday, 07 August, 2 pm.- Speakers/Talent: Jagan Krishnan (@jaggenius)
- Syama Harini (@Syamathegaama)
- Praveen Kumar (@Comedy_Praveen)
- Karthi Durai (@kdthecomic)
- Make Films Like a Woman
Women Technicians of Tamil Cinema (@WTTC_community) and Tamil filmmaker and poet Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) will host a session on whether the future of Tamil cinema can be female and what happens when women are empowered to lead.- Speakers: Film producer Abinaya Selvam (@abinaya_selvam)
- Director/Producer Madhumitha (@memadhumita)
- Tamil Literature and Poetry in Translation
Poetry and literature lovers can tune in to #TamilSpaces on Sunday, 08 August at 4 pm. The session will be co-hosted by writer and researcher Nadika N (@NadjaNadika) and Queer Chennai Chronicles (@qcchronicles).- Speakers: Chenthil Nathan (@chenthil_nathan) who runs the very popular @OldTamilPoetry translation
- Violet (@violetreess) who is a queer trans woman writer and translator
- Gireesh, a writer and translator and the first openly gay tamil novelist
- Kavitha Muralitharan (@kavithamurali) a writer, journalist, activist and translator at Pari
- G Ragavan (@ragavanG) a Tamil writer and translator
- Santhosh Narayan (@Music_Santhosh) and the emergence of Tamil independent music
In collaboration with Majja, music maestro Santhosh Narayan (@Music_Santhosh) and film critic Ashanti Omkar (@AshantiOmkar) discuss his big-ticket collaborations with fresh new voices, and the rising tide of independent Tamil music trends. He will be joined by several other singers and artists who have worked on big-ticket projects. The session is scheduled for Sunday, 08 August, 7:30 pm.- Speakers:
- Shan Vincent de Paul (@shanvd)
- Navz-47 (@Navz_47)
- Gana Muthu
- Gana Ulagam Dharani
- Gana Isaivani (@GIsaivani)
Since Spaces launched earlier this year, popular artists and stars from the region have leaned into Spaces to enga ge with fans, including A.R. Rahman (@arrahman) who took to Spaces to talk about his directorial debut #99Song s. Ahead of superstar Vijay’s (@actorvijay) 47th birthday, his fans organised a special birthday bash on Twitter Spa ces. The Space was hosted by actress Dhivya Dharshini (@DhivyaDharshini) and several other actors includ ing Keerthy Suresh (@KeerthyOfficial), Malavika Mohanan (@MalavikaM), Anirudh Ravichander (@anirudhoff icial), and Lokesh Kanagaraj (@Dir_Lokesh) joined in the virtual celebrations.
In India, everyone has access to host and tune into a Space on Android and iOS. Audiences can also use Spaces on Twitter.com, for desktop web and mobile web.
