Devika Chawla
Encyclopedia
Devika is an India
n pop
singer.
Devika started vocal music training in New Delhi
, India when she was eight years old. She continued her training and entered the enchanting world of Ragas and Hindustani Classical Music
, learning under the supervision of several great teachers. The classical training provided her a great base for expansion to other popular styles. She performed frequently through high school (Modern School, New Delhi), using both classical and popular styles to capture her audience.
She moved to the United States
for her undergraduate study in Computer Science
at Georgetown University
. It was during these years that she experimented with a fusion of Indian classical music
and western compositions and teamed up with Holmes Ives and performed vocals for the album titled Satyriasis. After graduation she resumed her formal training in Hindustani Classical Music
under the supervision of a highly revered teacher.
She recorded a self titled Indian pop music album with Shehzad Hassan (Shahi) of Vital Signs, Pakistan
's most well known pop band, Noor Lodhi, Manesh Judge and Anshuman Chandra of SaazMantra. Phat Phish Records, winner of the 2005 MTV Immies
Best Video of the Year award for Rabbi Shergill
's song "Bulla Ki Jaana Mein Kaun" has directed the video for her title track - "Kehnde Ne Naina".
Sony BMG India released a compilation called "Teri Deewani" with her hit track "Kehnde Ne Naina" in August, 2007. The compilation has been billed as the "Top 14 Sufi Music Tracks of all time". Other artists on the compilation include Kailash Kher, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sona, Roopkumar Rathod, Rabbi, A. R.Rahman, Shafqat, Rekha Bhardwaj and Devika.
Teri Deewani, featuring Devika's "Kehnde Ne Naina" remains the #1 top selling music album in India for 6 months in a row.
Devika was featured on 4 tracks in Bohemia
the Punjabi rapper's album "Da Rap Star". The album was released through Universal Music India, and remained in the Top 10 pop albums of 2009.
Saregama India Limited (HMV India), India's oldest and largest record label released Devika's second solo album "Saari Raat" on Nov 17, 2009. Saari Raat is a contemporary Sufi album and is available on Saregama, CD Baby and iTunes.
Saregama (HMV India) released a compilation called "Colours : Sufi Ke Anek Rang" in December 2009 featuring the track "Barkha Bahaar" from Devika's Saari Raat album. The compilation features tracks from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, A R Rahman and Sonu Nigam.
Sony Music India licensed "Barkha Bahaar" and "Kehnde Ne Naina"for their compilation titled "Sufiaana : The Complete Sufi Experience" in 2010.
Devika's track "Kotthay Uttay" was remixed and licensed by the producers of "A Beautiful Wife", a Barbara Mori movie that was dubbed in Hindi and released in India in November 2010 as "Spanish Beauty".
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer.
Devika started vocal music training in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India when she was eight years old. She continued her training and entered the enchanting world of Ragas and Hindustani Classical Music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
, learning under the supervision of several great teachers. The classical training provided her a great base for expansion to other popular styles. She performed frequently through high school (Modern School, New Delhi), using both classical and popular styles to capture her audience.
She moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for her undergraduate study in Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. It was during these years that she experimented with a fusion of Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
and western compositions and teamed up with Holmes Ives and performed vocals for the album titled Satyriasis. After graduation she resumed her formal training in Hindustani Classical Music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
under the supervision of a highly revered teacher.
She recorded a self titled Indian pop music album with Shehzad Hassan (Shahi) of Vital Signs, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's most well known pop band, Noor Lodhi, Manesh Judge and Anshuman Chandra of SaazMantra. Phat Phish Records, winner of the 2005 MTV Immies
MTV Immies
The MTV Immies are held every year with an aim to award the best talents in the Indian music industry. In 2005 The Immies supported relief for the quake victims of India and Pakistan. Also, proceeds from donor passes were given to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund...
Best Video of the Year award for Rabbi Shergill
Rabbi Shergill
Rabbi Shergill in Jatt Sikh family is an Indian musician well known for his debut album Rabbi and the chart-topper song of 2005, "Bulla Ki Jaana"...
's song "Bulla Ki Jaana Mein Kaun" has directed the video for her title track - "Kehnde Ne Naina".
Sony BMG India released a compilation called "Teri Deewani" with her hit track "Kehnde Ne Naina" in August, 2007. The compilation has been billed as the "Top 14 Sufi Music Tracks of all time". Other artists on the compilation include Kailash Kher, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sona, Roopkumar Rathod, Rabbi, A. R.Rahman, Shafqat, Rekha Bhardwaj and Devika.
Teri Deewani, featuring Devika's "Kehnde Ne Naina" remains the #1 top selling music album in India for 6 months in a row.
Devika was featured on 4 tracks in Bohemia
Bohemia (musician)
Bohemia is an Pakistani American Punjabi rapper and a music producer from California, Bohemia quickly gained popularity in 2003 with his independent debut album, ‘Vich Pardesan De ’ which hit the Top 10 on BBC Radio 1 UK. The following album, ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’, became the first full-length...
the Punjabi rapper's album "Da Rap Star". The album was released through Universal Music India, and remained in the Top 10 pop albums of 2009.
Saregama India Limited (HMV India), India's oldest and largest record label released Devika's second solo album "Saari Raat" on Nov 17, 2009. Saari Raat is a contemporary Sufi album and is available on Saregama, CD Baby and iTunes.
Saregama (HMV India) released a compilation called "Colours : Sufi Ke Anek Rang" in December 2009 featuring the track "Barkha Bahaar" from Devika's Saari Raat album. The compilation features tracks from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, A R Rahman and Sonu Nigam.
Sony Music India licensed "Barkha Bahaar" and "Kehnde Ne Naina"for their compilation titled "Sufiaana : The Complete Sufi Experience" in 2010.
Devika's track "Kotthay Uttay" was remixed and licensed by the producers of "A Beautiful Wife", a Barbara Mori movie that was dubbed in Hindi and released in India in November 2010 as "Spanish Beauty".
Discography
- Satyriasis (Ova Records, Shaken Not Stirred Records, 2001) with Holmes Ives
- Devika (Faith Records, 2007) with Shahi Hassan, Manesh Judge, Noor Nodhi, Anshuman Chandra
- Teri Deewani (Sony BMG India, 2007) a compilation with Artists including A. R. Rahman, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Kailash Kher, Rabbi and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
- Ek Kaagaz (2008) an Internet-Only advertising supported single with Pralay Bakshi and Saazmantra.
- Da Rap Star (Universal Music India, 2009) with BohemiaBohemia (musician)Bohemia is an Pakistani American Punjabi rapper and a music producer from California, Bohemia quickly gained popularity in 2003 with his independent debut album, ‘Vich Pardesan De ’ which hit the Top 10 on BBC Radio 1 UK. The following album, ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’, became the first full-length...
- Saari Raat (Saregama/HMV, 2009) with Shahi Hassan, Manesh Judge and Noor Lodhi
- Colours : Sufi Ke Anek Rang (Saregama/HMV, 2009) a compilation with Artists including A. R. Rahman, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sonu Nigam