Check out my playlists on Apple Music or follow me on Apple Music @anushkadas
If you look through my playlists, you’re probably confused by why some of the playlists are weirdly named. Most are sorted into a genre, but I like to name my playlists alphabetically for my organizational ocd tendencies. Some are RnB, some with alt indie, some modern rock, some are old romantics, then some of my favourite ones I’ve carefully curated are my Indian/Pakistani playlists.
I don’t have specific favorite genres, but lately, I’ve been exploring emerging Punjabi and Hindi/Urdu artists outside the mainstream Bollywood scene. The album covers shared here simply reflect my musical interests, but they don’t necessarily indicate my top favorite songs or albums.
Music has been a huge part of my life since childhood, with training as a kid in Hindustani Classical singing. After years, I am finally now starting to reignite my passion for it.
In 2024, one of my goals is to also delve into the realm of the Sitar. While I’ve always had the desire to learn a stringed instrument, the Sitar has fascinates me the most due to its rich history in the Indian subcontinent. I want to learn the Sitar to connect with my cultural roots and contribute to its preservation. I think there’s a contemporary shift in India towards excessive Western cultural influence, and less and less people are inclined towards learning our music and musical instrument. I want to embrace my roots and carry forward the rich musical heritage of my motherland.
Beyond viewing music as a way to connect with my culture, I have also always seen music as a tool to connect with people.
When I came to the States, music became my go-to for fitting in and making friends. It was also my secret weapon for learning English!
I came from a Hindi-medium school, so naturally, moving to the States and interacting in English was hard in the beginning. Since I lacked confidence in my conversational abilities, I lacked confidence in making new friends.
I decided to change that, and the first thing I did was download a bunch of pop songs and I’d listen to them on repeat.
Oh the amount of times I listened to Roar by Katy Perry…
I used to dive into song lyrics and pick up pop culture slang from the tunes. As time went on, I started exploring a variety of music genres, from classic country to hip-hop to jazz. Connecting with people over music became a breeze—I’d share my love for Bryan Adams with my friends’ parents and kick off chats with folks my age by asking about their favorite artists. Before I knew it, I was on a music exploration spree, getting hooked on all kinds of genres and songs.
From loving country because my dad introduced me to Kenny Rogers as a child to loving 80s and 90s rock cause of my high school friend to getting obsessed with bands like Arctic Monkeys but also passionately repeating verses from J Cole’s songs with the windows down driving back home from school, I initially went through a phase where I only listened to English Music.
It was during my college years that I rediscovered my appreciation for music from my own culture. The influence came from both bonding with brown friends and gaining confidence in fully embracing my Indian identity. I started immersing myself in the tunes of Muhammad Rafi and ghazals, drawing from the memories of my parents singing to each other and slow dancing in the living room. While enjoying Hindustani Classical, I also cherished nights lit by candles, with my diary in hand, accompanied by qawwalis and Sufi music, romanticizing life and thinking about spirituality.
Exploring the vibrant music scene, I began finding joy in the work of emerging artists, particularly in Punjabi music. At the same time, through friendships with South Indians, I developed a fondness for desi beats, making songs like “Thaai Kelavi” or “Pakka Local” my go-to party tracks. Introduced by a boy I was talking to, I fell in love with Coke Studio Pakistan, where I discovered a sense of tranquility in the voices of Pakistani singers that I thought Bollywood has been missing for some time.
If you can’t tell by now, well, I love music. I am always looking for new recommendations or good conversations about songs and artists, or a good late night drive, listening to all kinds of music.
If you’re as excited about sharing songs with people, feel free to send me your favorite tunes and playlists. There’s no better feeling than connecting with someone who appreciates the same tunes as you.
Anushka Das 