Raghu Dixit / Chris Tye & Jayne Powell / Finding Calcutta
Raghu Dixit has fast become a shining beacon in the burgeoning Indian independent music scene. Raghu’s debut self-titled album was released in 2008 and went on to become India’s highest selling non-film music release last year – with most of these sales being made at concerts rather than off the shelf. On March 13th Raghu will be performing to over 150,000 fans in an open-air concert in his hometown of Bangalore. Another small landmark in Indian history is that Raghu’s band, The Raghu Dixit Project, is the first and only group to have performed a concert inside an Indian jail. Raghu’s reaction to local press reiterating this feat: “I’ve never been an activist. I’ve never done protest songs. I sing happy songs. I just want to try and make them (inmates) forget where they are, if for only one day”. This humble nature has won the hearts of legions of fans back home helping him become India’s most successful folk fusion artist, for which he has now become recognised. Despite shying away from the popular sound of Bollywood, Raghu has always managed to capture the hearts and imagination of the population with his direct yet inimitable brand of music. With a towering voice fronting traditional Indian folk music, subtly infused with elements of Western Rock, Arabic, Latino and Reggae textures and rhythms, Raghu’s music transcends borders. His lyrics, though intense, are direct and speak about everyday themes, emotions and experiences making his songs truly universal. He has played all over the world including at the Womad and Lovebox festivals in the UK,
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