Natasha Chandel is a South Asian triple threat in acting, singing, and dancing. Chandel has had the opportunity to work for some of Canada’s top networks and television shows such as CHUM (FashionTelevision and MuchMusic), CBC, Rogers Television, CCI Entertainment, and is a Digital Producer for MTV News in New York City. Originally from Canada, she is now a New York City resident working on her newest venture, Landing in Mumbai.  Here’s what she had to share with BG.

 BG: Three words to describe yourself?

 NC: Creative, Loving, Driven

BG:  I’ve been reading everywhere that you’re a triple threat performer, with singing, acting, and dancing under your belt, what is your favorite among the three?

NC:  They each hold a different place in my heart.  Singing is very personal and emotional for me and I don’t do it that often anymore; dancing allows me to feel the most free; but acting is where I discover myself and humanity the most.  If I had to choose, acting is my favorite by a small margin.  I love the arts, period.

BG: Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

NC:  It’s hard to say exactly what I might be doing, but I see myself as a healthy, thriving performing artist and media entrepreneur in Hollywood, hopefully leading in my profession, with a good partner and hopefully able to travel the world a bit more!

BG: If you had the opportunity to work with any actor/actress who would it be and why?

NC:  Hands down – Meryl Streep.  I value versatility in an actor and she transforms in every role she undertakes and has such a glow about her in life.  She seems joyful on and off screen and I think just by being in her vicinity, I could learn an incomparable amount, just by observing her at work.

BG: Tell me about Mumbai Chopra and what made you want to take on this role?

NC:  Mumbai Chopra is the lead character in a comedy web series I created and wrote, Landing in Mumbai.  She is the sweet yet materialistic daughter of a spiritual guru who endures a video scandal and haphazardly tries to find enlightenment in her life.  She is an edgy, funny, confident young woman with a heart of gold and, kind of, the yin to my yang.  When I created the character, I had such a specific look and persona in mind that I felt I had to play her.  I love letting loose through this character and saying all the things that I would never dream of saying in real life!  Like “Daddy says I’m breast, I mean blessed!”  She’s fun and flirty and over-the-top and yet somehow makes a positive difference in the lives of others.  We always see the underdog story and I was tired of that.  Mumbai is the unlikely heroine and that’s what I love about her.  She seems to have it all, but she really doesn’t because NO ONE DOES!  You learn to love and feel for her when you realize that.  As an actor, she’s a great challenge – creating this “House” like character to be likable and loving.

BG: What has your proudest moment been in your career thus far?

NC:  I have been blessed with awards and recognition for my work, and for every compliment I have heard from the world, I am humbled.  But, I struggled growing up trying to convince my family that the path I was taking was the correct one for me.  When, I told my parents I was going to create this web series based on the TV pilot I had written and they supported me but had no idea what I was really talking about.  Once the first season of Landing in Mumbai launched, my parents called me to tell me how proud they were of me, that they finally understood this was for me and they finally understood what I was putting all my energy towards.  From then on, they have been my biggest proponents and to have their blessings means the world, so that has to be my proudest moment.  I’m pretty sure I cried after that phone call.

BG: Tell me who some influential people have been throughout your life?

NC:  These are some great questions you’re asking!  I am someone who is influenced by Life and have had so many great teachers along the way, but the three most influential people in my life have been: my mother (for watching her strength has given me strength, she has to be my biggest hero and is the one that picks me up every time I fall and there are a lot of falls in this business), my father (for loving me the most and pushing me the most to be better than myself, to expect the most of myself), and Oprah (because I love television the way a fat kid loves cake) and she was the first person I saw who used the medium in a positive way and watching someone who came from nothing, no connections in this biz and made it as one of the largest media moguls ever has been nothing but inspiring for me).

BG: What advice do you have for girls in the South Asian community wanting to pursue a career much like yours?

NC:  Go for it!  Your ethnicity should never stop you from fulfilling your dreams.  Growing up, I never even knew or understood what race I was.  It was only when I got into my teens that it put in my head I was “different.”  But I never let it stop me.  If you want to pursue a career in media – go for it!  Study, study, study.  Take it seriously and it will take you seriously.  And use everything you come from to your advantage.  It only adds dimension to your character.  If your parents are against it, show them you take it seriously and not as a side hobby because you hope to be famous (and there is nothing wrong with wanting that either) but this is a tough business and the more arsenal you have in your bag, the better chances you stand.  I look forward to working with you!

If you want to know more about Natasha’s newest web series visit, http://www.mumbaichopra.com/

Photo credit Paul Gregory

 Sharon Mathai is a 19 year old, South Indian girl from Dallas, Texas who recently took her chances and auditioned for NBC’s The Voice. Sharon was born into a family of doctors, but decided to break away from the norm and pave a new path for herself in the music business. Mathai chose to compete on Adam Levine’s team after winning the attention of three out of the four judges.

AE: What has the experience been like, working with top artist judges?

M: It’s incredible, a dream come true. I can’t even believe it sometimes. To even just be in their presence is definitely a blessing. I’m trying my best to reassure every single moment because it’s so surreal.

AE: Many of us are so thrilled to see a fellow Brown Girl on TV. What has the support from the South Asian community been like?

M: I think it’s blown everyone away, I’ve been getting tweets from my brown girls…and guys too saying things like, “you’re the Jeremy Lin of the music industry.” I just want to do well and represent our culture and show everyone that there is talent throughout all cultures.

AE: How have your parents and family been handling the whole thing?

M: They’ve been good, I think back to high school, freshman year and they wouldn’t allow me to wear sleeveless shirts, or skirts and slowly over the years they have opened their minds, especially to this. They are focusing more on the motivations in my heart rather than the things I do and what people in our society will think.

AE: What does music mean to you?

M: Music is everything. It’s everywhere, it’s part of us, it arises out of every emotion, it’s a remedy, music is the language of the heart, as cheesy as that is.

AE: Do you think you will ever go back to school or medicine if you make a name for yourself in music?

M: I really believe I will. That’s always been an expectation for myself. The Indian inside of me won’t be satisfied until I do.

AE: What made you chose Adele’s “Rumour Has It?”

M: It’s sassy and fun. I’m not a sassy person but I thought I’d bring something different, something that would move the crowd and get them going.

AE: What made you chose to be on Adam’s team?

M: It was honestly, impulsive. I decided to just go with my gut feeling at the time and stop thinking and overanalyzing and just go with it. First instincts are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. I thought Adam and I aligned really well in what he wants and I believe I have that.

AE: What advice do you have for South Asian girls, like you, wanting to pursue a career in music?

M: If you truly believe you have a dream or a talent and you know you have the passion for it, then you need to fight lovingly and gently with your parents and fight for your dreams if you believe you’re supposed to.

To keep up with Mathai, watch Mondays at 7 p.m. on NBC. Follow her on Twitter, ‘Like’ her fan page on Facebook or visit her website  www.mathaimusic.com  for more information.

 Headline photo via Pam Lennard

Deer Park Avenue is a band of two, well-travelled sisters with a penchance for high-energy, power-pop and punk music. Their sophomore album, Stop & Go, was released in October.

BGM: You’ve traveled everywhere from Switzerland and New York to Germany and California, all with an Indian mother. What kind of music did you grow up with? 

DPA: Music was always playing in our home, from Bach, Beethoven, Albinoni, to soundtracks by our favorite composer John Barry. Both our parents were fans of rock and pop, so we heard a lot of classic rock like the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Doors, and the Eagles, to Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen.

We also listened to the music they brought over from when they lived in Europe — German, French, and Italian pop music. And of course from our mum’s side, we had a lot of Bollywood influences from movies she had grown up with like Yaadon Ki Baaraat and Bobby, and other Indian artists like Ravi and Ananda Shankar.

Growing up, we were also into these amazing bands on the radio like Green Day, No Doubt, the Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer, Oasis…the 90’s were a brilliant decade for music.

BGM: How and when did you formally decide to create DPA and pursue a career in music seriously?

DPA: We started Deer Park Avenue a couple years ago. We’d been playing music since we could remember – we were in a cover band in Switzerland called the Bandits with some friends of ours, and were having a great time making music.

After we moved from Switzerland back to the US, we had these songs that we’d written together and our cousin Gregg (Bissonette), who had gotten us into playing music together, told us, “You guys should record at my brother Matt’s place.” So we did! It was our first time in the studio and Matt is an amazing musician and producer, and he’s been our producer ever since.

BGM: Do both of you have different styles/preferences in music? How does this affect your song writing process?

DPA: What’s great about being sisters is that we always know what the other is thinking. Sometimes one of us will have lyrics, and the other will have a melody, and we’ll just put the two together and they fit perfectly. That’s what happened with Over Again, the first track we ever laid down. It seems to be a formula that works well for us!

BGM: Your sophomore release, Stop & Go, came out this past fall. How is it different from your older material?

DPA: Stop & Go is probably a more complex collection of songs than our first EP – it’s darker, grittier, while still maintaining a lot of pop elements, and a bit of punk, a genre we’ve always loved as well. All of the songs in Stop & Go are from experiences we’ve had – relationship stories like Hey Maria or Say Goodbye, or something less tangible like breaking away from something that’s holding you back, like Darkness Hides Me or Millionaire.

BGM: If you could write a dream list of other artists and producers to work with, who would be on it?

DPA: We are incredibly blessed that the top people on our list are people we actually get to work with on a regular basis! Matt Bissonette (who has played bass with people like Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys and Don Henley from the Eagles – he currently tours with Rick Springfield) is an amazing musician and musical genius.

Gregg Bissonette (they’re brothers) played double drums (with Stephanie) on our song Millionaire, which was another huge honour for us. He’s played drums with Ringo Starr, David Lee Roth back in the 80s, Santana, and he’s also been a mentor to us.

BGM: I’ve seen that you’ve performed quite a bit in California. Any upcoming tours or shows in 2012 our readers should know about?

DPA: We were one of the winning bands in a competition to play at the Hard Rock Café in San Francisco. The show is Friday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m. Our next ‘home’ show in Sacramento is at the Boardwalk on Saturday, March 24, at 8:00 p.m., which is presented by Myki Angeline of Backstage Pass and sponsored by local rock radio v103, who will also be streaming the show live! So no matter where you are in the world, you can be a part of that one.

There are also some tour plans in the works for 2012, either a west-coast tour or cross-country trip. The best way to keep up to date on our tour plans is on our Facebook, or our website.

I don’t usually get crazy nervous when I interview sources for stories but tonight, my nerves took a crazy rollercoaster ride. I felt like a 10-year-old girl at a Spice Girls concert. I had the privilege of speaking with one of my favorite up and coming South Asian artists, Arjun. His debut single ‘Remember Tonight’, gained him the title as ‘Best Newcomer‘ at the Brit Asia Music Awards 2011. I was first introduced to Arjun’s music from one of my best friends and now I cannot stop listening. If you haven’t checked him out, you need to. He has gained whopping 3,696,331 views thus far for his version of the famous, “Why This Kolaveri Di” Tamil hit. Here’s how the Skype interview went:

BG: Some may say that you’re the next Jay Sean or Lomaticc, what do you think about the accuracy of that statement?

 A: I get that a lot really, I do love both artists and their work. Jay Sean has paved the way for Asian artists so thanks to him for that. I just don’t think our sound is the same since my work is guitar based and I also compose all of my own music. All three of us have our own kind of sound, which makes us unique.

BG: Of all the places you’ve performed at so far, which has been your favorite venue or audience?

A: I’ve done some big gigs in England recently, Diwali on the square at Trafalgar Square with an audience of about 30,000 people.  I’ve performed on beaches in Sri Lanka. However, my all time favorite has to be supporting Jagged Edge and Blackstreet at a club in London.

BG: Speaking of performances, are there any plans of you coming to the U.S…more optimistically, Texas?

A: I’m hoping to come to at least 4/5 cities in the US right now like L.A or New York. I’d love to come to Texas if something comes up so give me a shout out if something comes up!

BG: Not that anyone’s counting, but the last time I checked, your “Why This Kolaveri Di English R&B Mix” had a grand total of 3,313,830 views. How do you feel about that?

A: One day, for fun I was humming the tune and ended up adding English to it and then decided to produce it. I got online the next morning and saw the number of views it had and was shocked. I’m really glad I did it. I think it’s also in due part to Facebook and Twitter and becoming so viral online.

 BG: Who are some of your mentors or inspiration for your music?

 A: Craig David. He has a very similar guitar sound and in the late 90’s he was such a great inspiration to me. 112, Genuwine, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. I love all kinds of music and I hope that reflects in my own tracks.

 BG: If someone asked you what your favorite song on the radio is, what would your answer be?

 A: I like that Jay-Z and Kanye track, I can’t say the name but you know, “N” word in Paris.

 BG: When you’re not making music, what do you enjoy doing?

 A: I really enjoy playing cricket and just sports in general. I’m also into architecture and artsy things. Normal things, chilling with my mates and going clubbing.

 BG: If you could do a collaboration with any artist, who would it be and why?

A: From an R&B perspective obviously I’d love to do one with a rapper…so Jay-Z would be a privilege. Ryan Leslie would be great too. I really look up to him and respect what he does so one day hopefully I will get to work with him.

 Friend him, Tweet him,Youtube him!

Meet Prita Chhabra, an up and coming South Asian artist taking the music scene by storm one performance at a time! Prita was born in Canada but at the age of fifteen, she moved to Orlando, Florida. She returned to her hometown and obtained a psychology degree from Concordia University. Chhabra started her singing and songwriting career in both Orlando and Toronto. Prita strives to blend both a Western and Indian style in her music to appeal to both audiences. In only the past year, Prita has been given the opportunity to perform with artists like, Jay Sean, comic Russell Peters, and Grammy nominee Eric Robertson. Chhabra was nominated for Best Female Act at the 2010 Toronto Independent Music Awards and received a 2010 Excellence in Entertainment award from the National Association of Indo-Canadians.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Prita. You can check out her music on her MySpace as well as Facebook page.

BG: Who inspired your music career/ who are your influences?

In grade 1, I told my teacher I was going to be a star (because I wanted to be the cartoon character Jem!) but in grade 2 I heard Bette Midler singing and a flame was lit in my heart that has yet to die. Throughout the years I’ve had many influences ranging from pop to rock to R&B, and I love all sorts of music. I love that you can be moved, inspired and healed through music; it truly is a beautiful thing!

BG: What advice do you have for other South Asian girls aspiring to make it in the music industry?

To be the first you and not the next somebody else. Make sure you’re making music for the right reasons, and don’t worry about what others are doing or saying about you. Whether it’s your family or your competition, just spend all your time and energy on yourself and get yourself to where you want to be. All is possible if you have faith that it is possible.

  BG: What’s something not many people know about you?

That I’m a big high-energy dork! Haha!
BG:  What are some of your upcoming goal and plans?

I’m working on releasing my next CD and my intentions are to move as many people as I can. I have a few more videos that I’ve shot that I will be releasing and I’d like to get into some acting! I’m also working on furthering my own HIV/AIDS awareness campaign!

BG: If you could be a fruit, which one would you be and why?

I’d be a whole fruit salad diced and prepared, ready to go!

It’s been almost a year since I’ve interviewed Reena Shah, then serving as one half of musical duo My Pet Dragon.  Since then, the band has expanded to a full 5-member outfit and they have finished up their first album, Mountains and Cities, debuting on iTunes and Gimme That Sound on August 2^nd.  I got a chance to listen to it, and loved what I heard.

Their first single, Flow, has a nice balance of being catchy enough to appeal to a wide audience, while also still maintaining a quirky enough sound to distinguish it from other generic hooks that seem to make up a large amount of released singles these days. Listening to the rest of the album, the songs create a cohesive tone of instrumental and vocal harmony.

Much of the album’s theme relates to dancing, drinking, and romancing. The first half plays out like a love letter, which admittedly at some moments can get a bit campy and overbearing. But the amount of sincerity more than makes up for the few moments of gushiness that the cynical-hearted like myself tend to avoid. One such track, “Siren,” is one of the softer, melody-driven songs on Mountains and Cities and is an authentic and unabashed account of devotion and admiration – “You’re the siren in the night/sends chills up my spine.”

Other songs like “Moonshine,” and “Lightning Inside” have a dance-pop energy reminiscent of a mix between The Flaming Lips and Coldplay. “Moonshine” in particular is an upbeat tempo with the kind of infectious sound and positive energy that is probably best listened to in live concert, dancing and singing along with hundreds of other people around.

It may not be for everybody, but it’s a solid first album and definitely worth a listen. Part love letter, part dance hall, the album has a good range and enough funkiness to make it exciting with style and substance. Other highlight songs to look out for are “Love Anthem,” “Songbird,” and their title track, “Mountains and Cities.”

Their website offers a free download of “Magestic Lovers” and also provides further information on their background and upcoming activities.

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2011/07/my-pet-dragon-%e2%80%93-mountains-and-cities/feed/ 0 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2011/06/ey-chammak-chalo/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2011/06/ey-chammak-chalo/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:00:38 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/?p=3564 by Nadya Agrawal – UCLA

In response to Akon’s new song “Chammak Chalo” for the upcoming Bollywood film Ra One.

Ey, Chammak Chalo

My beyootiful girl with the almond eyes

And red scarf

With those kickin curves, you got my heart

Filled with sand of your distant land

Ima rap at choo shorty, meri pyaari jaan

Meri chammak chalo, talking loud and slow

——

Watchu think, boo, you gonna win me over with a song?

As though I was waiting on the street corner for you

To sweet talk me with my own tongue?

I was just playing with the bells on my ankles, hoping you’d drive up

Smooth and slow, whispering “Ey, wanna be my Chammak Chalo?”

You know me, I swoon at that

Quick, catch me before I trip over

My sari hem.  Can’t be having that.

Don’t let me breathe into your face, who knows how spicy I taste

I might just set you on fire with the curry I had last night.

You ain’t gonna see me bubblin’ quietly,

Under the surface and all that shit

I feel like raging like a goddess on fire

Kali a flame and Durga dancing on a pyre

And don’t think you gotta save me from some primeval sati ritual

Where Ima sacrifice myself for your after life – I don’t need you to say

“Baby, just be my wife, we don’t need those traditions

we’ll make our own life far away from this barbarism”

As you casually take my pay and insist I stay at home all day

Like a good Hindu wife, growing fat on burnt rice

Fuck that shit, ima do me

And I don’t care what you do with you.

So call me Chammak Chalo one more time, big daddy

Stroke my silk and tug on my scarf

See what I do, see how I blaze

This chai pot’s gonna boil over, my bangles will break

I’ll come at you with all I got

And you’ll see Shiva’s third eye in my bindi dot

—–

Punjabi girl with those long lashes

Bombay chick in those fillum flashes

Where you go, baby, I’m gonna follow

Ey, Chammak Chalo, beating the dhol hard and slow

Raise the volume, zore se bolo, you gonna be my Chammak Chalo?

NO.

by Komal Thakkar

I have grown up at the ballet barre beginning at age five, and I have never known a life without dance. In the artistic environments that I was brought up in, minorities are a rare sight. Thus, when I learn of a South Asian making strides in the performing arts, I am deeply intrigued and truly encouraged. When I saw Sonia Rao singing on NBC’s new show The Voice, I knew I had to contact her. Rao grew up in Freehold, NJ (right by my hometown!) to first generation immigrant parents. I had the opportunity to speak to her to learn a little bit more about her background and her future endeavors. She’s definitely a Brown Girl to be inspired by!

Tell me a little bit about your musical background.

I always played instruments. My mom was very interested that I learn violins and piano. I had to practice everyday. At the time, I was very resistant and annoyed. Now I look back on it, and I’m so happy that I have these skills because it’s so relevant to what I’m doing today.

Have you trained in classical Indian art forms at all?

My mom always wanted me to do Bharatanatyam, but I was so resistant at the time because I wanted to do ballet. It’s what was on TV and what I saw around me. Now, I’m getting into Ravishankar and other classical artists.

When did you realize that singing and songwriting was what you wanted to do?

I went to UC Berkely to study psychology. At the beginning, I wanted to be a singer but it seemed so farfetched. My parents drilled it into me that it was a ridiculous idea. I was going to be a psychologist, but my parents wanted me to be pre- med. San Francisco is where I started writing. I sang in college, and I danced. Once I studied song writing after I graduated though, it was so clear that this was what I wanted to do.

When did making a career out of singing become a feasible idea?

Up until the end of high school, you are mostly under your parents’ influence. None of my high school friends were going into artistic fields, so I had no one to look to as an example. In college, I found people taking different arts classes, and it just seemed so much more plausible than when I was in New Jersey.

How have your parents reacted to your decision to sing?

Peoples’ reactions to my being on The Voice had them do a 180. Before, every time I’d call, they’d ask me about Graduate School.  They haven’t mentioned anything since family members have emailed them saying that they saw me on the show. I know they love me and they want me to be secure, but it’s certainly been a bit of struggle. The show has definitely helped.

What was it like on The Voice?

It was an amazing experience. I spent a lot of time with sixty amazing musicians who had taken all these different paths to get there, and I learned so much from them.

Has being on the show altered your career path at all?

My album is coming out over the summer. I was going to release it anyway, but now I have this incredible twitter following and much more support.

Who are the some of the artists that have had an influence on you and your upcoming album?

Florence and the Machine, Ingrid Michaelson, and Sara Bareilles

What’s been your favorite experience or most memorable moment in your singing career thus far?

Writing my first song. I was ecstatic. It’s called Calm Her. I felt like I had tried dancing and painting and all these different artistic mediums my whole life, and when I wrote that first song I had finally found my outlet. Being on The Voice was also a highlight.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I hope that I am still writing and putting out music. I have three singles out, but this will be the first album. I’m really excited, and I want to continue singing, performing, and writing like I am now.

For more information check out her website at http://soniarao.com/

You can also find her on Itunes by searching Sonia Rao.

When I asked a rap music aficionado friend for some new upbeat songs to work out to, I expected the usual women bashing, violence infused songs that have dominated airwaves for a decade. Instead, he sent me the mixtape of Pakistani-American rapper Kamran Rashid Khan, also known as Lazarus.

I played the songs continuously, transfixed by the Detroit-raised musician/medical student Lazarus breaking down the immigrant experience in America. From experiencing prejudice against Muslims post 9-11, living up to desi parent’s expectations, and struggling with social acceptance, Lazarus expresses himself with grace and clarity.

I recently spoke to Lazarus, now a resident after completing medical school, to learn his story.

How did you become interested in rapping?

“Rap was what I listened to in high school. I spent time growing up in the suburbs and city and [felt] more comfortable in the city. Hip hop gave me a channel to express myself. My friends started writing rhymes and [though] it started as a hobby, I ended up becoming extremely passionate about it.”

After high school, Khan won a presidential scholarship to Wayne State University, in the heart of downtown Detroit.

“I started studying pre-med and I was taking a lot of credits at that time. But I continued to write rhymes and would meet my friends at Wayne State to rap together.

All the radio stations had rap battles. I started winning competitions. There was no concept of a desi rapper so I would gather everyone from the library to listen to me. I started developing a confidence I never really had. Everyone at Wayne State recognized me. “

After gaining recognition on Detroit’s mainstream radio station FM 95.5 and FM 105.9, Lazarus attracted the attention of FM 98 WJLB, the number one radio station for hip hop and R&B in Detroit. Lazarus began selling his mixtapes and performed at prestigious Detroit venues, such as the Joe Louis Arena, St. Andrews, the Bull Frog, and the Majestic Theatre opening for D12 and G-Unit.

How did you balance your music career and medical school?

“Medical school is not something you can joke around with.  I contemplated stopping my music altogether. I put it to the side for a bit. Then the Discovery Channel came to FM 98 and asked about the underground rappers. They interviewed me – they felt my ethnicity and my profession were quite unique and distinct for the background of a hip hop artist, so I gave them my story.”

The documentary called “The Real 8 Mile,” aired worldwide and was hosted by 2-time Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times writer Charlie LeDuff.

Lazarus recorded his first LP, “Chapter One: The Prince Who Would be King” with the help of producers I.V. Duncan and Alpha-Bet.

Lazarus was nominated for “Lyricist of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” and “Artist of the Year” at the 2007 Detroit Hip Hop Awards. The lead single off the album, “Let the Game Know” has been played on radio stations internationally. MTV VMA award nominee Anthony Garth (director of The White Stripes, Eminem, Three Six Mafia, and Jim Jones) directed the video for Lazarus’ first album single “Let The Game Know.”

The video for “Drug of Choice” was filmed in Pakistan, where it continues to get international airplay.

One of my favorite songs is “Like a Cigarette Smoke” when you talk about the pressure your father placed on you to be a doctor. How have you dealt with that pressure and your musical ambitions? It’s a very common problem for young South Asians.

“They want their sons and daughters to be successful. It makes sense for parents to want them to be financially stable. What are the chances of a desi making it in the hip hop field? The probability is a million to one, or actually more like a million to none. That’s the reason they discourage it. They are coming from a different mindset, but there has to be someone to break the mold.”

Where do you want to go with your rap career?

“People said I couldn’t be a med student and a rapper at the same time and I did it.

If I can do it, anyone can do it. If they have dreams and they have passion, they can maintain a professional career and pursue their passion simultaneously.

Regardless of how successful I get, I know it will be part of my life forever. Even now, I feel as if I’ve reached places in my music I never dreamed of when I first started rapping.  It can only grow further from this point onwards.”

Follow Lazarus on facebook or Twitter and visit his website!

Lately, I’ve been busy; I’ve been running around… I’ve been… I’m out of excuses. Truth is I had a small case of writer’s block. Actually, in this book for writers I read (well skimmed through the first ten pages of) I read that ‘writer’s block’ is just writers being lazy. If you have the talent, then creativity and material are just a step away. Just need to get up off your bum and ‘hone your craft’. Writing, like any other sport, hobby, talent, passion, etc. must be actively practiced if any results wish to be seen. SO here I am practicing whilst jamming to my much beloved Bollywood music.

Speaking of Bollywood –*does pseudo-garba/giddha dance* Moving on –

I absolutely adore Indian music. It is as essential to my life as the very air I breathe. I can literally find an Indian song for EVERY mood I’m in. The music never fails to propel me into a world comprised perfectly of melodies, lyrics, and feelings that would be incomplete without each other. The ‘item numbers’ have me subconsciously doing a jig in my seat imaging myself to be the bodacious babe turning heads with my sweet and scintillating hips. The absolutely perfect ‘love songs’ make my heart yearn like a love-struck teenager at my balcony waiting for my true love to whisk me away through the cornfields (we have a lot of those in India) and into the monsoon (because sunsets are so cliché). The ‘broken-heart’ songs make my entire being well with emotion so profound that I can hear the teardrops of pain hit the ground and create cracks in the seemingly smooth and impenetrable surface of love.

I must indulge in a few of my favorite songs:

*Ek Ladki Ko Dekha – 1942 Love Story

*Pehla Nasha – Jo Jita Woh Sikhandar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAmAlQ272KE

*O Re Piya – Aaja Nachle

*Maula Mere Maula – Anwar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvAPcNPXVDQ

*Kaahe Chhed Mohe – Devdas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQrZr8c-xRY

*Pee Loon – Once Upon A Time in Mumbai

*Aadat – Man Push Cart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvxm8JW6mxM

*Munni Badnaam Hui – Dabaang

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpnohT_a-2I

A palette of human emotion is achieved by one genre of music; Indian music has the ability to evoke nostalgia, love, hurt, laughter, anger, and excitement.  I can still remember what I was feeling when I hear certain songs that are near and dear to my heart. It’s a mind boggling experience to be in the present moment at one minute, and then to be catapulted to the past and run head on right into frenzied emotions that were thought to be at bay. It’s nostalgia at its finest. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.