June 8, 2025
Sydney 29

Conveying the poignancy in Bhadrachala Ramadasu’s songs

Shruthi S Bhat accompanied by G. Kaliasapathy on the violin and G.N. Bhuvan on the mridangam. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Shruthi S. Bhat made a statement with both intent and content right at the outset of her concert, which was devoted exclusively to the compositions of Bhadrachala Ramadasu. It is rare to come across a […]

How Girija Devi continues to inspire artistes

Girija Devi, who elevated the profile of thumri | Photo Credit: S. R. Raghunathan It may be eight years since her passing, but musical soirees in memory of thumri queen Girija Devi continue to be held. It shows the lasting impact of her music and persona. The recent one was organised in Delhi to mark […]

Musician Job Kurian on his latest release, ‘Nizhal’, and his two-decades-long journey in the industry

Singer-composer Job Kurian at his concert | Photo Credit: Robin Joseph Job Kurian is a few months away from completing 20 years as a professional musician. Job is among those few reality show stars whose careers did not fizzle out after their initial tryst with fame; he soldiered on in the independent music scene as […]

Singer-songwriter Ditty’s new album is all about environment, society, gender and everything in between

The album’s cover showcases Menty Jamir’s photo of singer-songwriter Ditty in the forests of Aravallis | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Verse by verse, chorus by chorus, singer-songwriter Ditty unfolds the uncomfortable layers of society in a sonic space so melodically comforting that it lulls the listener of her new album, KĀLĪ, into a dream of an […]

How the Rajasthani folk band SAZ is experimenting with sounds of the desert

Sadiq, Asin and Zakir | Photo Credit: Courtesy: SAZ The music of Rajasthani folk band, SAZ (an acronym for Sadiq, Asin and Zakir), inhabits spaces between the traditional and the contemporary. Their original compositions create much curiosity among community elders and musical mentors in the village. Urban listeners (who encore and keep them on stage […]

Mumzy Stranger Returns with ‘Ki Kori’

It is a homecoming of sorts for the British-Bangladeshi rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer Mumzy Stranger with the recently-released ‘Ki Kori’ (‘What Can I Do’ in Bengali) featuring American artiste Muza. In an interview, Mumzy says ‘Ki Kori’ is not just another musical experiment, but a deeply personal, global statement. He opens up about the […]

Hamsageethe: Standing the test of time

The year 1975 was a culturally significant one for parallel cinema in Karnataka, with the release of MS Sathyu’s Garam Hava, BV Karanth’s Chomana Dudi, Pallavi by P Lankesh, Kankana by MBS Prasad and GV Iyer’s Hamsageethe. While the first two films received a great deal of critical attention, Hamsageethe faded from public memory despite […]

GNB: A Carnatic vocalist who thought ahead of time

In a hall resonant with reverence, rare echoes from the bygone era of Carnatic music came alive. At Narada Gana Sabha, in the presence of Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, veteran Carnatic vocalist Trichur V Ramachandran paid a heartfelt tribute to his guru, the inimitable G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB), on the maestro’s 60th Memorial Day. The event, a […]

How S.D. Burman’s music was deeply influenced by folk and classical traditions

Recalling an amusing incident on the sets of the 1960 film Kala Bazar, actor Waheeda Rahman describes how the entire team laughed when music director Sachin Dev Burman lifted his dhoti up to demonstrate what steps she should do in the song ‘Rimjhim ke taraane’. “We found it really sweet,” she says. In another instance, […]

An Indo-American artiste’s Punjabi song is part of a Hollywood animated movie

This image released by Paramount Animation shows Papa Smurf, voiced by John Goodman in the film “Smurfs.” (Paramount Animation via AP) | Photo Credit: Paramount Animation It’s not every day that a Punjabi song features in a Hollywood animated film, but singer-songwriter Subhi has set a trend. The Indo-American artiste recently became the first South […]