Anandi Bhattacharya

From “daughter of” to crown jewel

Yes, Anandi is the daughter of Indian slide virtuoso Debashish Bhattacharya, who, along with tabla player Tanmoy Bose, will accompany her during Music Meeting. But she’s also come to be a star in her own right. The 22-year-old singer has paid her dues at khyal, a “light” form of Indian classical music, thanks in part to a years-long apprenticeship with her father.

She’s all but single-minded, with Radiohead, Ella Fitzgerald, and Joni Mitchell among her favorite artists. You might not immediately hear that listening to her music, but then again her debut album Joys Abounds doesn’t shun keyboards and studio-engineering. Her music videos depict her as a modern young woman, equally at ease with Lulo Reinhardt’s gypsy jazz, as with traditional music by the old gypsies of Rajasthan.

Still, it’s mainly her singular musical journey that sets her apart. Indian influences are of course noticeable in her work, but you can never quite pin her down on one particular style. Let’s leave it at homemade high quality Indian pop, but with a cosmopolitan bent. Oh, and it’s a dream to let your mind wander to.

Formation

Anandi Bhattacharya - Vocals
Debashish Bhattacharya - Hindu slide guitar
Tanmoy Bose - Tabla