AR Rahman's band JHALAA to debut at WAVES
What's the story
JHALAA, a new music ensemble rooted in Indian classical music, will debut at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Thursday.
The group of 12 musicians—six women and six men—blends traditional raga music with a contemporary twist.
The name "JHALAA" is taken from Hindustani classical music, symbolizing the thrilling climax of a raga.
Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman is behind this innovative band.
Award initiative
JHALAA was created from 500 applicants
JHALAA is the flagship project under the Bharat Maestro(a) Awards, an initiative by music legend Rahman. The project aims to honor India's rich musical heritage and nurture future classical musicians.
Curated by Rahman through a global talent search, which received over 500 entries, JHALAA's ensemble is made up of young artists trained in Indian classical music and dance forms.
Performance details
JHALAA's performances to showcase India's legendary 'gharanas'
JHALAA's performances will include live, natural instrumentation sans pre-recorded tracks or digital layering.
The ensemble will showcase unique compositions from India's legendary gharanas, including works of Padma Bhushan Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saab, Oothukkaadu Venkata Subbaiyyar, Guni Gandharva Pt. Laxmanprasad Jaipurwale, Padma Vibhushan Ghulam Mustafa Khan Saab, Kunwar Shyam Ji, and the saint Amir Khusrau Rahmatullah.
Interestingly, their launch at WAVES is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Audience engagement
'JHALAA curated to expand audience for Indian classical art forms'
Award-winning composer Khatija Rahman, who has been instrumental in bringing JHALAA to life, said in a statement, "JHALAA's music is curated with great care to expand the audience for Indian classical art forms."
The ensemble hopes to reignite a passion for raga-based music among young Indians and global audiences.
The WAVES is just the beginning of JHALAA's journey, with national and international performances lined up for the year ahead.
Members
Meet the members of JHALAA
The members of JHALAA are Ambadi MA, Mayuri Saha, Abby V, Antara Nandy, Sudeep Jaipurwale, Karamjeet Madonna, Jaydeep Vaidya, Sivasri Skandaprasad, Faiz Mustafa, Aishwarya Meenakshi, Steven Samuel Devassy, and Divya Nayar.
Pt. Bhavdeep Jaipurwale and Dr. Narayanan K serve as the vocal supervisors, while Sarthak Kalyani is the music supervisor for the ensemble.