Pride Month 2025: Meet musician and transman Nique Singh Ningthoujam at home in Hyderabad

Musician and transman Nique Singh Ningthoujam charts a powerful path through identity, music, and belonging in Hyderabad

Nique Singh Ningthoujam (Pronouns: He/Him) walks in at Domino’s Pizza in Mehdipatnam with quiet pride. Confident, independent, and multi-faceted — the singer and trans man has called Hyderabad home for nearly a decade. “Hyderabad has stood by me like a good friend,” says the 27-year-old. “It has helped me become who I am. I’m respected here as an artist, and as myself.”

Nique’s journey from Manipur to Hyderabad began as an academic pursuit — but over time, the city became his canvas for self-discovery. Born Ningthoujam Namrata Devi — lovingly called Nikitha — in the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal, Nique was just six when he first found his voice. “Subah se shaam tak hamaare ghar mein gaana bajaana chalta tha,” he recalls. “Music played from morning till night at home.”

Recognising his talent early on, guru Huidrom Nowboy offered to train him in semi-classical Hindustani music for four years — without charge. After the family moved to Awang Sekmai Awang Leikai, Nique, then still known as Namrata, became the youngest to take the stage at local musical shows. Music offered solace, but didn’t silence the growing dissonance he felt within. “There was a deep discomfort in wearing girls’ clothes,” he shares. “But I didn’t have the words, or the space, to express it.”

In 2014, Nique made his way to Hyderabad alone, determined to carve out a future on his own terms The next five years unfolded in a blur of grit and growth — pursuing a degree at St. Ann’s College, Mehdipatnam, teaching guitar to neighbourhood kids to fund his education, and representing his state in judo and kho kho at the national level. He even reached the audition rounds of India’s Got Talent and Indian Idol in 2018, while fronting the now-defunct all-girl city band, Pretty Coats.

But beneath the achievements simmered an inner turmoil, a deep need to confront questions around gender and identity. “After the music show auditions, I realised I couldn’t keep living a lie,” says Nique. “In my mind, I was a man trapped in a woman’s body. I needed to be financially independent — maybe even travel abroad for surgery someday.”

With the help of a fellow queer friend, Nique found access to an endocrinologist and underwent psychological evaluation. In 2019, he transitioned, marking the beginning of a more authentic chapter. “As Namrata, I had 10 fan pages online. Some were shocked, some upset, but I also found new friendships and a deeper sense of self.”

The transition, however, came with a cost — particularly to his voice. “Hormone therapy changed everything. My vocals broke. I couldn’t sing or speak properly. I felt like I was losing myself,” he shares. Nique had to relearn his relationship with music from scratch. “Singing in a male voice felt alien; it left me confused and sometimes, really low. I would call musician friends just to ask what scale I should sing ‘Sa Re Ga Ma’ in.”