She released three classical albums by the age of 25
Among creative musicians, British Asian women have carved a unique path with their unapologetic attitude and motivation to break the mould around ‘typical’ artists.
South Asian women generally have found success in genres like Bhangra, Punjabi and folk music.
However, British Asian women have struggled to even enter the music industry as a whole.
In the past, this was down to cultural and societal values where the importance was put on education, solid careers and earning a good wage.
Over time, with more opportunities and representation, British Asian women have been given the space to display their vocals and skills.
But, this has not come by luck.
There have been certain figures who have shattered a male-dominated industry, weaving together the sounds and sensibilities of the East and West.
These women represent the very essence of a diaspora, embodying the harmonious blend of cultural heritages.
Each artist carries a profound legacy, utilising their music as a conduit for cultural exploration and unity.
These women have redefined vocal experimentation, fused sufi with jazz, and ventured into uncharted territories with themes around politics and identity.
Who are these trailblazing women?
Join us, as we explore their careers in all their glory and emphasise the impact they’ve had in sparking new generations of female talent.
Sheila Chandra
Some artists merely skim the surface, while others dive deep, unearthing treasures hidden in the vast sea of sound.
Sheila Chandra is undoubtedly one of the latter.
Her vocal prowess was nothing short of enchanting, with a range that stretched from the depths of ancient Indian classical music to the contemporary heights of Western pop.
Sheila’s journey began with the formation of the band Monsoon in the early ’80s.
Their debut album, Third Eye, was a revelation, a fusion of Indian ragas and pop that shook the music world to its core.
In 1982, at only 16 years old, Sheila along with Monsoon had a UK Top Ten hit with their first single ‘Ever So Lonely’.
Yet, Sheila was never content to rest on her laurels.
She embarked on a solo career that saw her pushing the boundaries of genre and style.
Signing to Steve Coe’s Indipop label in 1984, Sheila released four solo albums in the space of two years.
Projects like Weaving My Ancestors’ Voices and The Zen Kiss showcased her ability to seamlessly weave intricate vocal layers, electronic beats, and classical motifs.
Off the back of her mesmerising live performances and her ability to create a unique listening experience, Billboard stated:
“In the past five years, a new round of second-generation British Asian musicians have emerged.
“They all owe a debt of gratitude to this 36-year-old singer’s pioneering work.”
Whilst Sheila succeeded in numerous avenues of music, a defying moment was when she sang ‘Breath of Life’.
The track is from Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack.
However, in 2007, Sheila’s musical journey took an unexpected twist when she encountered a physical condition known as burning mouth syndrome, which temporarily silenced her ability to sing.
But in a moment of sheer creative genius, she discovered a new vocal technique, which she called “speaking in tongues”.
This innovation allowed her to continue making music that sounded like singing but didn’t strain her vocal cords.
It was an awe-inspiring example of her ingenuity.
Furthermore, it emphasised her unwavering motivation to defy trends and create her own limitless boundaries.
Najma Akhtar
Najma Akhtar is a musical pioneer whose innovative fusion of traditional ghazal and sufi styles with subtle jazz nuances carved her a unique niche in music history.
Her groundbreaking debut album, Qareeb, remains a touchstone, catapulting her to international acclaim.
Her versatility as a writer and composer is a hallmark of her career.
While rooted in the traditional music of her heritage, her body of work spans a wide spectrum, from traditional and jazz-infused ghazal albums to collaborations with influential musicians worldwide.
One of her remarkable collaborations was with Grammy-nominated guitarist Gary Lucas in RISHTE.
The project is an eclectic blend of blues, rock, psychedelia, and Indian influences, symbolising her remarkable foray into crossover music.
Throughout her career, Najma has explored various musical dimensions.
She paid tribute to legendary Indian composer S.D. Burman in Forbidden Kiss and seamlessly merged Persian, Indian, and African instruments in Pukar.
Likewise, Najma’s music has transcended albums to grace films, theatre productions, and TV documentaries.
Her tracks have found a home in films such as Pret a Porter and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid.
She’s also composed soundtracks for films like Bollywood Queen and Brick Lane.
Najma Akhtar’s success highlighted the capabilities of British Asian women, who were sometimes confined to their household or gender-based roles.
She has received widespread critical acclaim, with accolades from notable figures such as David Fricke of Rolling Stone, who lauded her “effortless artistry and emotional daring.”.
Anoushka Shankar
One cannot talk about the pioneering British Asian women in music without mentioning Anoushka Shankar.
Her life story reads like an anthology of diverse talents and groundbreaking achievements.
She’s not just a masterful sitarist but a film composer, impassioned activist, and a trailblazing figure in the music world.
Born in London in 1981, Anoushka Shankar was destined for musical greatness.
As the daughter of the legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, Anoushka’s journey began at the tender age of 9 under her father’s teachings.
By 13, she made her professional debut, and at 18, she embarked on a successful touring career on the back of her debut album Anoushka.
Her distinctive virtuosity, emotional playing style, and rhythmic precision set her apart.
Anoushka’s musical exploration wasn’t limited to classical Indian music.
A fascination with electronic music and the Goan psychedelic trance scene led her to draw parallels between the meditative qualities of Indian classical music and the ecstatic release of the dancefloor.
She released three classical albums by the age of 25.
Her 2005 project, Rise, marked a turning point as she delved into earthy ambience and deep textures.
With electronic collaborations alongside Gaurav Raina of the MIDIval Punditz, she was a two-time Grammy nominee, shaping her distinct solo career.
Her journey with Deutsche Grammophon from 2011 onwards ushered in a decade of creative fertility.
Across four Grammy-nominated albums, she seamlessly wove disparate threads into a mesmerising tapestry.
Her music explored love, loss, raga improvisations, the intersection of Indian classical and Spanish flamenco, and themes like the global refugee crisis.
Her unique sound resonates across unpredictable instrumentation, devoid of exotification, as exemplified in ‘Land Of Gold’.
In addition to her solo work, Anoushka’s collaborations have spanned genres and artists, including luminaries like Herbie Hancock, Patti Smith, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Her live performances, from intimate jazz cafes to grand Symphony Halls and festival stages, turn every location into a personal experience for her audience.
Beyond music, Anoushka has scored for film, notably the Indian silent feature Shiraz.
Her activism work reflects her unwavering commitment to various causes, from One Billion Rising to raising awareness for the refugee crisis.
In 2020, Anoushka was appointed as the inaugural President of the F-List, a UK database promoting gender equality in music.
Anoushka’s music resonates with the past and the future, and her activism demonstrates her desire to make a positive impact on the world.
She is an artist who seamlessly balances multiple roles, each a natural expression of her creative spirit.
There’s no denying that Anoushka had a profound impact on the music scene and placed importance on experimentation.
Susheela Raman
Susheela Raman, a musical maverick and a genre-defying artist, effortlessly traverses across boundaries and genres, making her mark as a singer, composer, and curator.
The singer was born to South Indian parents in London and raised in Australia.
With an incandescent stage presence and a bewitching allure, Susheela has entranced audiences worldwide.
As aptly noted by The Guardian, she is “wildly original, passionate, and dangerous”.
Susheela is a song-driven artist with a rare ability to seamlessly shape-shift between genres.
Her repertoire spans from Sanskrit mantras to throbbing gristle covers, to her own borderless compositions, from roots-infused melodies to twelve-tone sounds.
Susheela’s debut album, Salt Rain, came in 2001 and featured a mix of original compositions and reimagined traditional songs.
Whilst, Love Trap, released in 2003, incorporated elements of rock, blues, and folk.
However, 33 1/3, marked a departure from Susheela’s previous work, with a focus on darker and more introspective themes.
It delved into electronic and trip-hop elements, demonstrating her willingness to evolve her sound.
While some may label her music as “World”, she prefers the term “unearthly” to capture its mystical character.
The essence of her music is its defiance of boundaries, marked by a continuous evolution and a refusal to be confined to any one genre.
While she’s driven to experiment, she never loses sight of her gift for delivering melodies that strike straight to the heart.
Subsequent albums like Vel and Queen Between delved into creating musical landscapes and moulding different sounds to create one overall sonic symphony.
Susheela’s unorthodox approach to her Indian roots challenges the hierarchical norms of classical music.
Her reinterpretation of South Indian Bhakti traditional songs, coupled with Sufi qawwali fusion, sparked both popularity and controversy.
Her music brings diverse audiences together, creating a multi-layered experience that resonates on many levels.
Having released her Ghost Gamelan album in 2018, Susheela’s career spans 20+ years and she undoubtedly has affected British Asian women in pursuing music.
M.I.A
Whilst Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, better known as M.I.A., was born in London, she and her family moved back to Sri Lanka when she was just six months old.
Self-describing she and her family as living in “big-time poverty” due to the Sri Lankan Civil War, M.I.A. managed to emerge from the chaos.
This journey, from a war-torn homeland to the global music stage, shaped her unique perspective and artistic vision.
With a booming London scene, inspired by dancehall and hip hop, M.I.A. developed a taste for art and mediums to express her thoughts.
M.I.A. burst onto the music scene with her electrifying debut single, ‘Galang,’ in 2003.
Her music was an exhilarating blend of electronic beats, hip-hop, dancehall, and politically charged lyrics.
It was an anthem for a new generation, an audacious declaration of artistic independence.
M.I.A.’s first two albums Arula and Kala became critical and commercial successes, earning her Grammy nominations and a coveted spot on many “Best of the Year” lists.
It was Arula that really shone, described as a “game-changing masterpiece”, the project received a Mercury Prize nomination and earned a spot in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
However, it was her single ‘Paper Planes’ that really skyrocketed the musician’s profile.
The track featured in big Hollywood movies like Slumdog Millionaire and Pineapple Express.
Subsequently, it was picked up by American superstar, Kanye West, who sampled the track to create the single ‘Swagga Like Us’.
In an ode to the impact the song had on the music industry, the 51st Grammy Awards got M.I.A. to perform a medley of ‘Paper Planes’ and ‘Swagga Like Us’, as she was joined on stage with Jay Z, Kanye, T.I. and Lil Wayne.
M.I.A. isn’t just a musician; she’s a provocateur. Her lyrics touch on war, poverty, and social justice.
Her music videos are a visual feast, often laced with a political subtext.
She doesn’t shy away from controversy, but instead, she leans into it, making her a force to be reckoned with in the world of music.
For example, ‘Paper Planes’ received immense backlash from the Sri Lankan government as they saw the song as promoting “terrorist propaganda”.
However, M.I.A.’s impact transcends her music. She’s a vocal advocate for human rights, immigration issues, and social justice.
Her activism often blurs the lines between her art and her political beliefs.
She doesn’t merely sing about change, she actively seeks to bring it about.
M.I.A. has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, from Madonna to Travis Scott and her work reflects an eclectic blend of sounds and styles.
The musician doesn’t belong to one genre and her extreme versatility and often a raw blend of melodies add to her stardom.
She’s an innovator who shattered conventions, paving the way for a more diverse and politically conscious music landscape.
Her music and presence contributed to the new wave of British Asian women we see today in the industry.
Whilst her sound cannot be imitated, her sheer tenacity, willingness to probe other genres, and challenge herself are all elements that have ignited a surge of refreshing women in music.
The cultural impact of these trailblazing women cannot be overstated.
Their influence extends to a new generation of British Asian artists, who have found in these pioneers both inspiration and a roadmap for success.
From experimenting with new sounds to boldly addressing social and political issues, these emerging musicians continue the legacy of their predecessors.
Their indomitable spirit and relentless pursuit have paved the way for a brighter future in music, for British Asian artists and music lovers alike.
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