Intertwining her training in classical Indian dance with hip hop, Raja Kumari is an international sensation who really needs no introduction. A fine fusion of the two cultures, her tunes are unconventional, fearless and the genius of her art speaks for itself. Catch her in all her glory and power in this behind the scenes… Continue reading Go Behind The Scenes With Raja Kumari On The Set Of Our July 2021 Digital Cover Shoot
I knew the Zoom interview with Raja Kumari was going to be an interesting one—how could it not be? Besides being a musical icon of sorts, Raja Kumari is a loud and proud feminist, a body-positive activist, a cheerleader for lifting people with her, and a dog mama. She’s the ‘cool girl’ we all want… Continue reading #ELLEDigitalCoverStar: Raja Kumari, Changing The Narrative
For Ambika Nayak, better known as Kayan, music was almost written in her destiny. Brought up in a household immersed in music, dance, theatre, and the arts, it was only a matter of time that she would choose it as her career. The electronic and hip hop artist is best known for her soulful vocals… Continue reading ELLE Artist of The Month: Kayan
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who… it’s the photos of these greats that grace the covers of Rock playlists and dominate critical conversations about rock and roll. A cursory scroll through forums that attempt a deep dive into why rock music is so male-dominated brings to light how casually misogynistic listeners can be. Comments… Continue reading Where Are the Women In Rock And Roll?
There’s no denying the massive cultural impact that K-pop has had over the past couple of years. Psy’s Gangnam Style isn’t the only popular K-pop release anymore, and believe you me, the world has taken note. Not only have the musicians from the genre shattered reductive stereotypes that East Asians have had to face, but… Continue reading 8 Releases By K-Pop Musicians That Need To Be On Your Playlist
I have a confession to make: I’ve always been the worst at discovering new music. Friends would get the coolest tracks on LimeWire (shout out to an oldie!) while I would struggle to find one decent song. But as I grew older, and finally understood how to discover new music (the trick is to listen to every… Continue reading 8 Songs By Indian Indie Musicians That Deserve A Spot In Your Playlist
After making waves in the Latin music scene in the USA in 2009, musician Leslie Grace has quickly climbed up the charts and garnered critical acclaim for her music. And with her latest collaboration with music producer Boi-1da and rapper Meek Mill, remaking the iconic Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine song Conga for BACARDI,… Continue reading #ELLEExclusive: In Conversation With Latin-American Singer-Songwriter Leslie Grace
From Prateek Kuhad’s latest to upcoming band Corner Cafe Chronicle’s debut album, queue up some fantastic music by homegrown indie musicians: 1. Singer-songwriter Alisha Batth‘s new single about letting go and finding liberation and joy. 2. The video of Prateek Kuhad’s Kasoor is as beautiful as the song. 3. Nirali Kartik and Kartik Shah of… Continue reading 9 new songs by Indian indie musicians that deserve a spot on your playlist
From her light-hearted, soothing covers to her smashing new single, musician Lisa Mishra knows how to hit the right spot with her music. The singer started her musical journey by moving from Chicago to the city of dreams, Mumbai. And there, we saw her make a breakthrough with her rendition of Tareefan. We caught up… Continue reading Musician Lisa Mishra on her new single, journey to fame, career and more
SOCIAL WORKER AND MUSICIAN People have often been unreasonably insensitive about my choice of wearing a burqa and a veil. I’ve stopped looking at negative comments on social media, which can range from being called a dustbin to a tent. While dealing with trolls can be very emotionally draining, having a strong support system in… Continue reading Singer and social worker Khatija Rahman on how she holds her ground for her sartorial choices
Grammy-nominated rapper Raja Kumari has become music royalty both in East and West. But, her success wouldn’t have been possible without undulating faith in her creative instincts as she infused hip hop with Indian sensibilities. Her music, thus, has always empowered her audiences and nudged them to embrace themselves unapologetically. In an interview, she talks… Continue reading Raja Kumari on the importance of inclusivity, authenticity and fitness
In Ganavya Doraiswamy’s debut album, Aikyam: Onnu, there’s a track called ‘Black, Brown, Beige (Are the Colors)’. The track—in Tamil and English—uses Tamil poet, writer and activist, Subramania Bharathi’s iconic composition, ‘Parukkulle Nalla Naadu Yengul Bharata Naadu (Our Bharat is the best in the Universe)’, as the central motif to weave over and within it… Continue reading Vocalist Ganavya Doraiswamy’s new album merges prose with genre-bending music
WHO: Ajay Friese WHAT: Actor and musician WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW HIM: For his acclaimed debut in indie film Riot Girls, and for portraying the role of Vijay Dhar in the Netflix Original Series Lost in Space, and appearing in the popular murder-mystery soap Riverdale. LOOKS UP TO: “Shia LaBeouf, Meryl Streep, Dev Patel,… Continue reading Canadian actor Ajay Friese is set to be the new darling of indie features
