Falu
Encyclopedia
Falu, born Falguni Shah in Mumbai
, India
is a New York-based singer and songwriter
whose music blends ancient classical Indian melodies with contemporary western sounds. In her burgeoning U.S.-based career, she has worked with and performed alongside a wide array of artists including A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire
), Yo-Yo Ma
(in The Silk Road Project), Philip Glass
, Wyclef Jean
, her teacher Ustad Sultan Khan
, Blues Traveler, and Bernie Worrell
(Parliament Funkadelic).
In 2001, she met up with Asian Massive leader Karsh Kale, and hit the nationwide university, club and festival circuits. After fulfilling a 2-year Indian music visiting lectureship at Tufts University in Boston, Falu moved to New York where she formed her own band of the same name. They began performing at music venues throughout New York, quickly garnering the attention of fans across the city.
In 2004, Falu was invited to perform as a soloist with Yo-Yo Ma
's Silk Road Project. In 2005 she was asked to serve as one of Carnegie Hall
's Musical Ambassadors to New York City.
In May 2006, she delivered her debut solo performance at Carnegie Hall (Zankel). Later in the year she joined the Born Into Brothels Ensemble (from the 2004 Academy-Award winning film) and in early 2007 she collaborated with Wyclef Jean
, lending her vocal style to the score of Angelina Jolie's directorial debut A Place in Time. In January 2008, Falu and her band were featured on FOX channel's Fearless Music
, where her original song Rabba became the first Hindi song ever to be aired on the network.
In August 2007, Falu released her self-titled debut CD. Soon afterward, her "Indie Hindi" musical style made its mark in the Wall Street Journal as representative of a new class of musical hybrids.
In May 2009, Falu made a special appearance at the Time 100 Gala—Time Magazine’s yearly gala celebrating their list of the 100 most influential people in the world—performing a rendition of “Jai Ho” alongside Slumdog Millionaire
film composer AR Rahman, for an exclusive and star-studded crowd which included First Lady Michelle Obama
, Oprah, Barbara Walters
, Stella McCartney
, Liv Tyler
, M.I.A.
and more.
In November 2009, Falu was invited to the White House to again sing alongside A.R. Rahman at President Obama’s first State Dinner in honor of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Falu's band of the same name includes musicians who draw from Indian classical, alternative rock, contemporary pop, and electronic styles to create a mix of East and West. The band members are Gaurav Shah (vocals / harmonium), Mark Tewarson (guitars), Borahm Lee (keys), Justin Wallace (bass), and Ramsey Jones (drums).
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
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...
is a New York-based singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
whose music blends ancient classical Indian melodies with contemporary western sounds. In her burgeoning U.S.-based career, she has worked with and performed alongside a wide array of artists including A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
), Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
(in The Silk Road Project), Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
, Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, her teacher Ustad Sultan Khan
Ustad Sultan Khan
Ustad Sultan Khan was an Indian sarangi player and singer who performed Hindustani classical music. He was one of the members of the Indian fusion group Tabla Beat Science, with Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell...
, Blues Traveler, and Bernie Worrell
Bernie Worrell
George Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
(Parliament Funkadelic).
Biography
In her early years in Mumbai, Falu was trained rigorously in the Jaipur gharana musical tradition, honing her talent for up to 16 hours a day at times. She later continued studying under the legendary sarangi/vocal master Ustad Sultan Khan. Falu moved to the States in 2000, and joined the Boston-based Indo-American band Karyshma as lead vocalist.In 2001, she met up with Asian Massive leader Karsh Kale, and hit the nationwide university, club and festival circuits. After fulfilling a 2-year Indian music visiting lectureship at Tufts University in Boston, Falu moved to New York where she formed her own band of the same name. They began performing at music venues throughout New York, quickly garnering the attention of fans across the city.
In 2004, Falu was invited to perform as a soloist with Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
's Silk Road Project. In 2005 she was asked to serve as one of Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
's Musical Ambassadors to New York City.
In May 2006, she delivered her debut solo performance at Carnegie Hall (Zankel). Later in the year she joined the Born Into Brothels Ensemble (from the 2004 Academy-Award winning film) and in early 2007 she collaborated with Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, lending her vocal style to the score of Angelina Jolie's directorial debut A Place in Time. In January 2008, Falu and her band were featured on FOX channel's Fearless Music
Fearless Music
Fearless Music is a musical showcase filmed in New York City, NY featuring bands that are on the cusp of the mainstream and indie rock circuits. The word "fearless" refers to the show taking a chance on musicians that other mainstream media would be afraid to promote.The show started and currently...
, where her original song Rabba became the first Hindi song ever to be aired on the network.
In August 2007, Falu released her self-titled debut CD. Soon afterward, her "Indie Hindi" musical style made its mark in the Wall Street Journal as representative of a new class of musical hybrids.
In May 2009, Falu made a special appearance at the Time 100 Gala—Time Magazine’s yearly gala celebrating their list of the 100 most influential people in the world—performing a rendition of “Jai Ho” alongside Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
film composer AR Rahman, for an exclusive and star-studded crowd which included First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
, Oprah, Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
, Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney is an English fashion designer. She is the daughter of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney and the late photographer and animal rights activist, Linda McCartney.-Early life:...
, Liv Tyler
Liv Tyler
Liv Rundgren Tyler is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's lead singer, Steven Tyler, and Bebe Buell, model and singer. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of 14, but after less than a year she decided to focus on acting. She made her film debut in the 1994...
, M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
and more.
In November 2009, Falu was invited to the White House to again sing alongside A.R. Rahman at President Obama’s first State Dinner in honor of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Falu's band of the same name includes musicians who draw from Indian classical, alternative rock, contemporary pop, and electronic styles to create a mix of East and West. The band members are Gaurav Shah (vocals / harmonium), Mark Tewarson (guitars), Borahm Lee (keys), Justin Wallace (bass), and Ramsey Jones (drums).
Discography (including contributions as vocalist)
- Global Noize (Shanachie, 2008) with Jason Miles, DJ Logic and others
- Falu (Self-Titled Debut, Monsoon Records, 2007)
- Asana OHM Shanti (Meta, 2006) by Bill Laswell
- Rare Elements (Five Points Records, 2004) with Ustad Sultan Khan, Thievery Corporation, Joe Clausell, Ralphi Rosari
- Nearly Home by Karyshma (2003)
- Melodies of Cirumstance (Dharma Moon, 2003)
- Liberation by Karsh KaleKarsh KaleKarsh Kale is an Indian American musician, producer and composer, and is considered one of the pioneering figures in defining the Asian Underground genre by mixing disparate genres of music such as Indian classical and folk with electronica, rock, pop and ambient music...
(Six Degrees, 2003) - Om Yoga Mix (Dharma Moon, 2003)
- At Ease (Dharma Moon, 2003)
- Realize by Karsh KaleKarsh KaleKarsh Kale is an Indian American musician, producer and composer, and is considered one of the pioneering figures in defining the Asian Underground genre by mixing disparate genres of music such as Indian classical and folk with electronica, rock, pop and ambient music...
(Six Degrees, 2001)