In an increasingly multicultural world, many diasporic and homegrown creatives use their art as an expression of their diverse identities. Musicians meet Eastern instrumentation with Western genres, fashion brands meld streetwear silhouettes with Indian craft traditions, and so on. There’s no denying that fusion art has become immensely popular in the past few years, and yet, new artists continue to find fresh ways to bring different cultures together.
When I stumbled upon a video of BombayMami snowboarding down the Swiss Alps in a bright red lehenga, her dupatta billowing behind her in the wind, I realised I had discovered something truly special. The Indo-Swiss artist rapped along to her latest single, ‘Fire in Delhi,’ while soaring down the slopes, her sultry voice backed by an Indian classical-inspired beat and a sitar.
Her mixed musical influences and the striking contrast between her Indian garb against the snow have caught the attention of viewers from across the world. One comment, left by model and influencer Nic Kauffman, reads, “As a half-Indian, half-German guy, this is exactly what inside my brain feels like.” This consolidation of identities is exactly what makes BombayMami’s music and visuals stand out. The beauty of cultural fusion is that it offers infinite room for play, whether it’s adding a tabla to a hip-hop beat or a Bollywood girl to Switzerland’s snowy peaks.
BombayMami is a songwriter, performer, and clothing designer based in London. Growing up, the multihyphenate bounced between her hometown of Bern, Switzerland, and Delhi. She was formerly known as Tashan, but decided to pivot to the moniker BombayMami as she started connecting more deeply with her roots. Over the past few years, the artist started learning Hindustani classical music, a sound that she had grown up around but was yet to fully dive into. She told Zoot Magazine that developing classical vocal techniques and learning how to play the tabla have transformed her approach to making music.
This is evident in ‘Fire in Delhi,’ which doesn’t just use Indian instruments as a nod to her culture but as a tool to uplift and differentiate her sound. The official music video includes classical musicians and a kathak dancer, paying homage to her Indian background as she sings about spiritual growth and independence. ‘Fire In Delhi’ is part of BombayMami’s upcoming album, Peaceful Attitude, featured alongside the lead single she dropped last summer, ‘DhinDhinDha.’
The best works of fusion art are the ones that tap into the unexpected. BombayMami’s ability to channel her unique cultural background into fresh, exciting music and visuals got her on our radar, and now, we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Follow BombayMami here.
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