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Vibe check: Is BombayMami more Swiss or desi?
Delhi or Bern? Raclette or chaat? Alps or the Himalayas? Swiss-Indian singer BombayMami debates which country does it better, and where her loyalties lie
For singer BombayMami, being half-Swiss and half-Indian means getting the best of both worlds. Her father is from Varanasi; her mother, from Bern. Growing up, it was normal for fondue and pani puri to be polished off on the same day; for Swiss folk songs and Hindustani classical music to play back-to-back in their living room.
Earlier this year, BombayMami went viral for her video cruising down the Swiss slopes in a fiery red lehenga. But she’s been creating music for longer than that. Born Shanta Azalea Venkatesh, the rapper and songwriter took on the name Ta’Shan before re-launching herself as BombayMami. She’s trained in Hindustani classical vocal music, and has performed at the UK’s Glastonbury and Great Escape festivals.
BombayMami’s music is catchy — Western pop with Indian classical music liberally stirred in. So, badass lyrics about being imperfect and rejecting convention are set to the almost-delicate harmonies of the sitar and sarod. She shows up in her music videos in maxi dresses and puffer jackets, jhumkas, maang tikkas and nose rings.
The lehenga video was a promo for her song, Fire in Delhi, and drew comments from her Indian-Swiss fans – and mixed-race Indians – who said, “This is exactly what the inside of my brain looks like.”
So, we asked her to pick sides. Can Indian mithai beat Swiss chocolate? Is a Geneva market more fun than a Mumbai bazaar? Which country has more bizarre rules? Let’s find out.
Which capital city would you rather spend a day exploring, Bern or Delhi?
Delhi, for sure! Bern is adorable, but you see everything that needs to be seen in one hour. I’d love to explore Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini market, see the Red Fort and Jama Masjid and the Lotus Temple. And the Lodhi art district, too.
Which country does snacks better?
So tough! Raclette on the go is delish. But I have to choose chaat.
Who’s more romantic, Indian men or Swiss men?
I wish I knew. I have no experience with both, to be honest!
Who does nightlife, party culture, and clubbing better?
India, without a doubt. There is an underground music scene in Bern. We’re seeing a hip-hop music movement happening, and lots of cool DJs are springing up on the scene. But it’s not as crazy as India. From what I remember going out as a teenager more than a decade ago in Delhi, it was buzzing.
What do you look best in, tracht (the traditional Swiss garment) or a sari?
Saris all the way, baby! I’m always looking for quirky ways to style them, like you see in my music videos.
Swiss watches or jhumkas?
Jhumkas. And Indian jewellery in general. I have so much stuff – and it may sound greedy, but it’s never enough. I love wearing jhoomars in my hair. They’re so dramatic and glamorous. Anything to do with Indian fashion, Je suis #obsessed.
Calm Indian winter or a vibrant Swiss summer?
Switzerland is beautiful in the summer. But I want to experience a proper Indian winter, with chai and pakodas!
What soothes you better when you’re stressed, the intricate compositions of Swiss folk songs, or the emotional melodies of Indian classical music?
Indian music inspires me, in all moods and seasons. I love Kishori Amonkar – her voice and emotional depth just cut through. The way she explored ragas felt like storytelling through sound. Pandit Jasraj’s devotionals have a softness and power at the same time. Ustad Amir Khan’s vilambit style is so meditative and expansive. And MS Subbulakshmi, of course – her bhajans and Carnatic renderings are just divine, and her voice feels like a prayer. These voices shaped my relationship with Indian classical music—they gave me that sense of legacy and longing.
Would you rather get back home on the Metro in India or body-surf through a Swiss river?
Body-surf through a river for sure. The adrenaline hit is intense. Just a few weeks ago, I jumped into the Aare river after a long workday. The water was ice-cold, but the sun was golden. At one point, I floated on my back and looked at the mountains in the distance—feeling completely free, cold, and alive. That moment reminded me how wild peace can feel. Definitely one of my highlights this season.
Which country has the better vibe?
Switzerland helps you know your place within the system. Everything is well-ordered and functions like clockwork. But sometimes, it feels like it’s a little... too perfect, if you know what I mean? So, yes, I do love living in Bern, but I miss the edginess and unpredictability that India has.
When the craving hits, do you reach for Swiss chocolate or Indian mithai?
Swiss chocolate, always! I love Toblerone and the classic Lindor chocolate balls. In terms of Indian dessert, I love kulfi and mishti doi. Yum.
Which country has the more bizarre unspoken rules of conduct?
India for sure. In India, our actions are motivated by so many cultural and religious factors. It’s also a given that you’re supposed to overshare – and tell people about your salary, job, and status in life, what illness you have!
Swiss people don’t even like you standing too close or invading their space.
A chalet in the Alps, or a cottage in the Himalayas?
The Himalayas. I’ve found it to be so removed from the bustle of normal life that it forces you to take a step back and reset.
Whose art scene is more happening?
In Switzerland, you’re exposed to such a diversity of artists because we have Art Basel. We have a high density of museums too.
Which country do you feel more rich in?
India, of course. Whether it’s the culture or the music or the history, everything is so layered. I often think that the country is like a little continent that houses several countries within it. I think we don’t give ourselves enough credit for how interesting we all are. Yes, there’s a sensory overload at times, and we’re always extreme in India, but it’s part of our quirks.
Which place can you make the best memories in?
Both! There’s no place you can make “the” best memory, because both have such different things to offer. It’s about how you explore them.
Where would you rather spend a day shopping, a Swiss market or an Indian bazaar?
Let me loose in the bazaar, please! When I was living in Delhi, we’d always pick up stuff from Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar. If I were to have a day in the bazaar, I’d head to the fabric shops first. I’m always having custom outfits made. Give me any fabric that has sequins and beads, and I’m happy.
What is one thing that India has that Switzerland doesn’t, and vice-versa?
In terms of the variety of food, Switzerland could never top India. But it does have structure!
They’re similar in that both countries have a lot of diversity. It’s just the scale of it that’s different.
What don’t Indians know about Swiss people, and vice-versa?
I don’t think Swiss people know how much there is to know about India, especially the dynamics within families – Indian families just function in a very specific way. On the other hand, that’s something Indians don’t understand – how Swiss people are their own little individual units, contained within themselves. The thrive in their independence.
Box: Top fashion picks
The red lehenga from Fire in Delhi. “We were shooting the promo videos out on the Alps and it seems cold in the Reel, but the sun was nice and bright. And the vibrant red lehenga looks stunning against the frosty white slopes. It just sums up both facets of my identity so well.”
The gold lingerie in the video. “Designer Angelis Blade created a custom, sculpted gold set for the Fire in Delhi music video. It has skulls and crosses, and the design is not Indian at all, but on me, it just looks like something out of a Bollywood movie.”
The white sari from the Dhin Dhin Da music video. “I just pulled out all the jewellery I had and mix-and-matched pieces that worked. For me, it’s always more is more – both my stylist, Jonni Boi, and I are maximalists. It’s not as crazy as my other looks, but it suited the calm tone of the song.”
The embellished cap and scarf photoshoot. “The scarfs are from my parents’ fashion brand, Shava Creations. I threw together this look for a photoshoot because the vibe I was going for was “Jennifer Lopez, but make it Bollywood”. The combination of the cap and the Indian jewellery gives it a desi R&B edge.”
From HT Brunch, May 31, 2025
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