Blog

This Tamil-Canadian barrier breaker uses her artistic career path to help create an equal platform for both men and women in the South Asian society.

Other than touring around the world, Naveeni’s day-to-day before she became a musical sensation remained the same – composing and vocalizing as a form of personal expression.

Now with 3.1K subscribers on her YouTube channel, she humbly connects with her audience on the premise of her personal battles with scrutiny against gender and the color of her skin. Focusing not only on the upliftment of women but unity between all, she particularly combats the imposed opinions of the Desi “aunties and uncles” on the lives of those in the newer generation.

Rapper and vocalist Navz-47 will be featured at this year’s DesiFEST, so be sure to check out her set as she connects the culture of Sri Lanka and Canada, and stomps on stigmas in both communities!

Looking to check out her latest collaborations? Visit her Instagram platform @navz_47 for all the info you need!

This passionate Punjabi artist not only creates covers of our favorite Bollywood hits but couples these creations with heartwarming music videos. Though his art lies beyond his sweet melodies and also in his talent with tech – did you know that he directs and produces his own music videos? Based in Ottawa, Canada he uses his videos to capture breathtaking scenery and sheds light upon another enticing part of Canada.

It is through his artistic craft that he narrates his life experiences and sets it as a reminder that this life that we live has immense beauty to it and our job is to capture that in all that we do.

This year at DesiFEST 2019 AnkushMusic will be featured, so come on out on June 8^th to check out his melodies! Be sure to also stay updated with his latest performances by following his Instagram page, ankushmusic!

With an acoustic and electric guitar by their side – and not to mention their smooth vocals – Lakhia Bros 2.0 are onto creating their musical pathway in the Desi community!

The brothers and musical duo, Parth and Dhaval Lakhia release to their audience covers of nostalgic songs from Bollywood movies we grew up with and continue to indulge in. They’ve even recently began to embellish their renditions as can be seen in the latest tease of their metal mix of the hit track, Khalibali from the movie, Pudmaavat.

Their first upload on their YouTube channel was in fact quite recent in January 2018, but they’re on their way to making a name for themselves in the Bollywood realm.

The duo has been previously featured at various showcases, including Milton’s Canada Day Celebration and festivals such as the Taste of India Food and TD Mosaic, and they are officially booked for DesiFEST 2019! Be sure to support this up-and-coming talent by checking them out at this year’s festival!

Check their Facebook and Instagram

Vocalist, Jaz Dhami’s musical career was inspired by his father, lead vocalist of the Bhangra group Sangam, though his music identifies more with the genre of folkhop, a blend of Bhangra and hip-hop.

Among his musical talents though, Jaz finds beauty and excitement in the creative process – beginning with a blank canvas and curating a story through mere words on a page that are then brought to life by rhythm and dance. And you see, it’s this encapsulated energy that he places emphasis on, whether it’s the energy in the atmospheres he works in and how that fuels his drive, the energy infused into his music and how that resonates with his audience or the energy he irradiates and how it inspires others to pursue what may be an unconventional passion.

Jaz was quite lucky to have a father who paved a path that allowed his artistic interest to flourish, but this isn’t often the case with many South Asian families. It’s with this understanding though that he has become a leading advocate for youth participation in sports – namely football – as means of breaking some of the cultural barriers imposed on young children.

With four albums and over 20 singles, Dhami, “the guy with the harmonium” is creating his own vibe in the realm of Bhangra. Don’t miss out on his melodies and be sure to check out his set at this year’s DesiFest 2019!

Creating a runway of her own, this Indian Princess bridges her Eastern roots with her embraced culture of the West, through the art of music.

Though born and raised in California, being a first generation American meant that as a child, songwriter and rapper, Raja Kumari was more acquainted with her Indian roots as opposed to the occidental culture at her doorsteps. From the age of 7 she trained to become fluent in forms of classical Indian dance, where she grew accustomed to thinking in melodic patterns and in allowing her body and mind to resonate with various beats and sounds. It was through these acquired characteristics that she in fact became enticed by the rhythms of Western rap and hip-hop, as these modes of music spoke to her similar to how Bharatanatyam did, through the use of drums, beats and bass.

Through her music she not only pays homage to her cultural roots but provides a doorway for foreign listeners to appropriately acquaint themselves with Indian culture and she therefore seems to be creating more unified societies.

After much collaboration with top artists in the game she pursued the strength of her own voice and creates music that fuses together the two cultures she’s incredible proud to represent.

Reserve your spot at this year’s DesiFEST 2019 to vibe with Raja Kumari’s bold beats and riveting rhythms.