Singer Devika Chawla is using her music to represent her roots in the West

San Francisco-based artist Devika Chawla opens up about her decision to present Punjabi lyrics and songwriting in an ‘offbeat manner’ in the West

US-based singer Devika Chawla is working her way in the music industry in the West by collaborating with international artistes including filmmaker George Masin. However, she is not leaving her identity behind. In fact, the singer shares that she’s working on preserving her roots through the tunes of her songs.

After the success of Dil Tenu, Devika recently released single, Kalli Kalli Raati

Recently, Devika also worked with Ambika B Sanjana, who has lent her creative expertise on global hit, Bridgerton. She was styled by Sanjana for her last track, Kalli Kalli Raati.

“I grew up listening to my parents speak Punjabi at home, and somehow, while I spoke Hindi and English in Delhi, when I started recording music and writing music, it organically came out in Punjabi,” says Devika, adding, “Perhaps it was me trying to preserve what I loved growing up with -- I have fond memories of many family traditions and celebrations featuring Punjabi music -- at weddings, and prayer ceremonies”.

While the singer is capturing the rhythms of her roots in her songs, she’s ensuring that by adding a modern spin to it. Explaining the thought, Devika tells us, “I’ve always gravitated towards experimentation and as a result, I’ve fused Punjabi music and lyrics with a contemporary sound to create something unique, something that is uniquely a representation of my life, persona and experiences.”

In fact, the Grammy-submitted artiste admits that it has become easier for her to explain Indian culture while working on a video of the song in the West now, as she exclaims, “That’s because of the large influx of Indian movies, TV shows that are watched by audiences in the West across various Digital and OTT platforms. We’ve been on a journey to create a more inclusive world. I’ve observed this across different industries including entertainment, business and technology. A lot more projects involve diverse teams that bring diverse experiences and showcase different styles. I recently co-created the Bollywood trailer with an American producer.”

Even Devika’s track, Hai Ek Zindagi, was a collaboration with artistes in the US, who she says identify with different cultures and genres of music. “The track was a unique fusion of our different styles - mainstream rock, contemporary Indian music, and hip-hop,” she shares, adding, “There’s more inclusion and many more narratives and compositions that draw from elements of Indian culture and music. As a result, I feel that there is more appreciation and additional opportunities for me to connect with audiences through my music.”