Her Tempo
By Ananya Roy
Her TempoJun 25, 2021
EP 10: Stand your ground | Diversifying Beatboxing with Manasi Nene
Manasi is a writer, filmmaker, and musician who is keen on exploring issues of education, technology and community mental health. She has also been active in the beatboxing and slam poetry communities of India. Off-the-clock, she can be found cycling, daydreaming, or daydreaming about cycling.
EP 9: What's in a Genre? | Exploring artistic identities with Pragnya Wakhlu
Hailed second by Vogue in the top 12 Indian indie acts of 2020, Pragnya Wakhlu is an award-winning musician, composer and activist based out of New Delhi, India. She been an active part of the independent music industry for the last 12 years with three released studio albums and five singles to her credit. Pragnya is one of the first Indian Independent musicians and very few Indians to be elected to be a prestiguous member of the Grammy Recording Academy this year .
Her travelling audio-visual show with her band 'The Kahwa Speaks Ensemble' has been successful in highlighting the positives of Kashmiri culture and changing the negative media narrative cross India, U.SA and Hong Kong.
In this episode, Pragnya talks about her unique approach to social advocacy and leveraging the power of music to promote positive change.
Check out "Lessons in Love" by Pragnya Wakhlu, now out on all streaming platforms: https://linktr.ee/pragnyawakhlu
EP 8: Why I Sing the Blues | Understanding the art of hustling with Pratika Gopinath
Embodying the iconic track "Why I Sing the Blues" sung by Etta James, Pratika talks about finding the drive to become a better artist and exploring musical styles beyond her comfort zone. She stresses on the need to be genuine while releasing original music and overcoming the desire for instant gratification to truly grow as a musician.
Check out the latest track by Easy Wanderlings, "Makin' My Move" here: https://linktr.ee/EasyWanderlings
Check out Pratika's collaborative track with Michael Starita, "Changing" here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1vuqSOwJnBlOjtR5zmfVBJ
EP 7: Wrath of My Madness | Understanding the impact of the digital revolution on music with Pratika Prabhune
A fearless vocalist, metalhead and rapper, Pratika is a force to be reckoned with - embodying the track "Wrath of My Madness" by the iconic Queen Latifah. She puts up no pretenses and is currently in the process of building a powerful community of female rappers (read: Wontribe, WildWildWomen).
We had a delightful conversation about social media perceptions and the evolution of the indie music industry.
Check out WildWildWomen's latest banger, "I do it for Hip Hop" here: https://lnk.to/IDoItForHipHop
Check out Pratika's latest single produced by her brother, PrabhuNeigh here: https://lnk.to/Survival-Single
Beats per Minute 06: Manasi Manohar
If you’ve not yet had a review of your music or performance, you will. And while a good one can make your day, a bad one can ruin it or even put you off music altogether. This shouldn’t happen though if you’re mentally and practically prepared for it. Manasi talks about dealing with feedback as an independent musician and how you can manifest it to bring out the best in your own musicality. Check out the complete episode on Her Tempo.
Beats per Minute 05: Vasundhara Vee
Vasundhara talks about female identifying professionals, performers and fans breaking barriers despite the industry's various prejudices. Resilience is key to reducing the devaluation of female involvement in music scenes, and the good news is it's getting better every day. Check out the complete episode on Her Tempo.
Beats per Minute 04: Kalyaani Sakkarwal
Every now and then, there comes a revolution in the music scene of the decade. In India, however, things operate a little differently. Our country’s music scene has majorly been monopolized by Bollywood but at the same time, we can’t deny that it once housed a rich indie culture with several promising Indian independent artists and bands. Kalyaani stresses on giving these artists their due recognition and escaping the rat race to focus on the things you really care about. Check out the complete episode on Her Tempo.
Beats per Minute 03: Vrnda Dhar
The role of women in the music industry has become an increasingly present topic as women from all walks of life and within all sectors continue to flourish in this male-saturated business, although there’s still a way to go.
Vrnda talks about her experience with the Revisit Project and why it's so important for female musicians to receive support from their own bands and fellow artists.
Beats per Minute 02: Amrapali Shindhe
In 2015, the music blog "Crack" tweeted a doctored image of the poster for the Reading and Leeds festival, erasing all acts that didn’t include a female performer. Only 10 groups remained. This started a conversation about gender inequality at music festivals – an issue that, despite the outcry, persists in 2021. Amrapali talks about how it’s high time we proactively start to nurture female talent. We need to see a rise in all-female lineups at music festivals; this is a necessary phase to help redress the balance.
Beats per Minute 01: Aarya Ganesan
The world loves to stereotype. but when it comes to artists exploring their musicality, their is no other option but to be authentic. What comes to mind when someone says "Rap is really shallow" and "Pop is just for teen girls"? While most people would not say these phrases or even consciously believe in these stereotypes, they often unconsciously perpetuate them when they remain close-minded about their own and others’ music preferences. Aarya talks about how the existence of these stereotypes stifles the diversity within music and limits its unique ability to convey messages to the public. Check out the complete episode on Her Tempo.
EP 6: Doves In The Wind | Understanding the evolution of an artist with Manasi Manohar
Manasi is one of the most talented and unique voices in the Indian indie music scene today. A lawyer by profession, she continues to pursue her passion for singing and songwriting through multiple live and virtual performances in and around Pune.
Watch out for her debut single, "Sink or Swim", releasing in just a few months! It's an incredibly honest, heartfelt piece of music and I'm an ardent fan after just one listen.
EP 5: Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves | Understanding showmanship with Vasundhara Vee
Essentially the Soul Queen of the Indian subcontinent, Vasundhara Vee is as close of a legend to Aretha Franklin we might ever see in this timeline of the Indian music scene. And just like the Aretha classic "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves", she believes there is no force stronger than women standing up for each other.
She is seen in the finest Soul, RnB and Jazz ensembles across the world. In this episode, Vasundhara taps into the intricacies of music as a means to spread joy, "personal humanity" and self-love.
Check out her original release "The Everyman" with her contemporary band Merkaba- out on all streaming platforms.
Also, her debut novel "Big Dreams, Bold Choices" is the perfect stepping guide for all aspiring musicians, and a truly fascinating read.
EP 4: Move Me No Mountain | Understanding music through nature with Kalyaani Sakkarwal
Reminiscent of the song "Move Me No Mountain" by Chaka Khan, Kalyaani Sakkarwal talks about finding her strength by supporting and promoting other female artists.
A seasoned artist, teacher, manager and producer- Kalyaani is a pioneer for women in the indie music scene in India. From Mumbai to Himachal, her story really is as ingenious and inspiring as it gets.
Check out her debut album, "Noises in My Head" out now on all streaming platforms.
EP 3: Funk the Fear | Understanding how to stay authentic with Vrnda Dhar
The Revisit Project's vocalist Vrnda Dhar expresses the same sentiment as "Funk the Fear" by the legendary Esperanza Spalding: as long as you stay true to yourself, the world will eventually catch up. After all, art should influence culture and society - not the other way around.
In case her rich, powerful vocals weren't impressive enough, Vrnda's eye-opening reflections on all things music are sure to bowl you over . One of the most promising soul vocalists of our time, Vrnda's work with the Revisit Project has revealed a whole new space of jazz and funk fusion in the Indian music scene. Check out their latest single, "Locked Away" -out now on all streaming platforms.
EP 2: Backlash Blues | Understanding gender bias in the industry with Amrapali Shindhe
Just like the iconic track "Backlash Blues" by Nina Simone, Amrapali Shindhe highlights the dark side of the music industry and how it takes a village to raise a strong, independent female musician.
A fearless and incredibly versatile singer-songwriter, Amrapali Shindhe minces no words in stating her opinions- be it about the lockdown blues or the women (or lack thereof) in music festivals. Catch her latest release, "Mi Amor"- out now on all streaming platforms.
EP 1: 'Tain't What You Do, It's the Way That Cha Do It | Understanding how to keep trying against all odds with Aarya Ganesan
Aarya Ganesan's work ethic perfectly embodies the timeless track by Ella Fitzgerald - 'Tain't What You Do, It's the Way That Cha Do It.
An eclectic artist and outstanding creator, this Berklee student has infinite words of widsom and insight to share with any upcoming musician.
Check out her latest single, "What I Want" - out now on all streaming platforms.
Why you should listen to this podcast.
There were several reasons I felt this podcast was necessary. It could be not seeing too many accomplished female instrumentalists while growing up, or hearing about too many women being mistreated in the music industry. But mostly, it's because pushing incredible music and musicians under the radar solely because of their gender is a disservice to all of society.
Please listen to and support more female musicians.
Let's do our bit to level the field.
Trailer
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