Music by Sukhmani
Here
Sukhmani’s music is a kaleidoscope, a weaving of cultures and experiences, that presents the rich, sometimes sultry, sometimes punchy sounds of her songs as an invitation to take you on a journey into the many worlds she inhabits. Sukhmani mixes classical Indian musical rhythms with contemporary grooves to create a beautiful alchemy. She fuses electronic drumbeat programming (inspired by her nights dancing to the West Indian and Asian DJ’s in Leeds’ underground music scene) with the classical rhythms of her training as a tabla player to create a sound and feeling that’s never been heard before.
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Her evocative voice floats over electronic and organic beats as an invitation for you to embrace every facet of your unique self. Her raw and honest lyrics pull back the curtain on her own quest to do the same.
Everybody's Best Friends
Sukhmani’s third single, Everybody’s Best Friend, is a light and playful Indie-pop song with a twist that delves into emotions of loneliness in a room full of friends. It’s a song about the duality of self awareness and confusion, of the lightness found as we abandon our constraints, of recklessness with a twist and the profound importance in the moments in life that prompt change. Layered with dreamy reverb and a mellifluous groove, the song dances listeners through experiences of confusion and loneliness and finding empowerment in self-awareness and acceptance.
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Sukhmani says "Everybody’s Best Friend is a playful and honest take on the moments that might not be our proudest, but hold profound importance in how they prompt change. The song walks listeners through the hectic thoughts of someone working their way through an unexpected phase, experiencing feelings of confusion and loneliness. It details the sometimes painful reality of being self aware, swept away in a cycle of reckless abandon. Despite this, the song conveys the empowerment of being self aware, and the lightness found as we abandon our constraints. It is neither too much in its sadness or happiness, rather observant of both, and curious about what’s on the other side. It is a song that I hope can remind listeners to love themselves just that little bit more. "
Not Your Exotic
“Not Your Exotic” is a rich, high energy single that showcases Sukhmani’s rhythmic brilliance, in addition to her angelic vocals, with a masterfully layered, textured percussion line. The layers of her hypnotic voice caress the melody in a silky blanket of colorful harmony and offer a captivating depth to the rich soundscape.
Sukhmani says: “I am a brown skinned woman. The child of Punjabi immigrants. Raised in a rich, vibrant culture. I am written in the ink of my ancestors. Proud of my earth tones and mother tongue. Not your Exotic is a statement that stemmed from my own recognition of the complexities of belonging, and how our feelings around identity can be skewed by the often misinformed perceptions of others. I wanted to draw upon my experience, and the experience of so many others, of being exoticized, otherized, objectified, and measured against standards of whiteness, so much so that hiding the parts of us that don’t seem to fit in becomes common practice. The song is a call for us to appreciate and celebrate ourselves as well as each other, honouring diversity whilst acknowledging our inherent oneness.”
At its core, this track implores listeners to honor diversity while acknowledging our inherent oneness. Sukhmani hopes that listeners can see the song as the invitation for togetherness and inclusivity that it is.
Divination
At its heart, Divination is a song about the empowerment found from diving into the unknown.
Inspired by the ‘Strength’ tarot card, the song calls for us to recognise our innate, gentle inner strength and knowing. It calls for us to understand that we have the courage and capacity to endure.
I wanted the song to immerse listeners in mystery and magic, as though suspended weightless among the stars, feeling the beauty and complexity of our experiences with no attachment to a destination.
Ash + Bone
Ash + Bone is a call to the wildness in each of us that longs for freedom. The song’s deep roots lie in friendship, and in the desire to empower one another to seek that freedom at all costs. We howl to the courage in each other as we witness the beauty of transformation.
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Ash + Bone is an acoustic collaboration between songstresses Ajeet, Sukhmani and Aisling Urwin. Rich with 3-part harmonies throughout, all instruments are also played by these three with Ajeet on guitar; Sukhmani on Calabash, an African percussion instrument made from a large gourd; and Aisling on harp.
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