'Queendom' Unabashedly Celebrates Brown Feminine Energy Through Their Music

Often I find myself detached from the contemporary music scene amidst day-to-day conversations surrounding music. All my favorite artists either died too young or lived decades ago. However, sometimes I am able to escape my cocoon of nostalgia for artists of the past and embrace the artists of the present, who are undoubtedly on their way to becoming even more accomplished artists of the future.

With that context in mind, I was dazzled when I recently discovered the brilliant vocal trio, Queendom and their rendition of the famous song Bairi Piya from the film Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. They created this cover as a tribute to one of the most iconic contemporary singers of our nation, Shreya Ghoshal, who was only sixteen years old at the time she had sung this song. The track is a perfect marriage of Indian classical and Bollywood, to which Queendom has added their own flavor and created the cover. The inspiration behind the cover was to experiment with the process of arranging this iconic track into a live performance. Meera Desai, an Indian classical vocalist student, lent her voice alongside Queendom to create this musical masterpiece. The music video is a vibrant expression of brown feminine energy that fuels the rendition, seamlessly blended and crafted with care.

After discovering this cover by Queendom, I have probably heard almost all their music that’s available online. The best facet about them is their range— not just their vocal ranges which oscillate from the lowest to the highest homophonic textures but the range of genres that their vocals can effortlessly tune into. Imagine if we transcended geographical and timeline barriers and were to make collaboration possible between the renowned American pop singing group, The Andrew Sisters, and the ultra-talented Alka Yagnik, that would produce music somewhat similar to this.

Queendom was conceived within the nurturing confines of the True School of Music in Jambrung, Maharashtra. The trio, consisting of Ananya Sharma, Brecilla D’Souza, and Damini Gautam, embodies a harmonious fusion of distinctive identities and seamless musical synergy. Renowned for their ethereal harmonies and impeccable vocal synchronization, Queendom has emerged as a singular and versatile presence in India's music landscape. Their creative scope spans a wide spectrum, encompassing diverse genres ranging from R&B, jazz, and funk across multiple styles to regional and even Bollywood compositions.

Immersed in Mumbai's independent music circuit, Queendom has become a dynamic force, gracing numerous venues throughout and beyond the city. One of their most notable appearances was a captivating live performance, broadcasted on VH1, for the celebrated global event, International Jazz Day. Every once in a while when I discover such homegrown gems like Queendom, no matter how much I yearn for the music of the past, it makes me feel wonderful to live in the present moment where such contemporary dynamic forces are weaving magic through music.

Follow Queendom here.

If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:

A Homegrown Artist Reviving The Baithak Tradition Of Hindustani Music

Arooj Aftab Reaches Out & Touches Your Soul On Her Latest Experimental Jazz Album

Meet The Indian Family Who've Been Crafting Tanpuras For Seven Generations