Indian American musician Sheela Bringi has been exploring the connections between her ancestral and actual homelands her entire life. The Grammy-nominated musician sings and plays a 36-string harp, the Indian harmonium and bansuri (Indian bamboo flute).
As a young woman Bringi was influenced by M.I.A. and Dead Can Dance, studied with Cecil Taylor and Meredith Monk, while at the same time deepened her studies with Indian classical masters like Pandit G.S. Sachdev and Ustaad Aashish Khan.
This unique background has resulted in her debut album, Incantations (Black Swan Sounds), rooted in India’s classical music tradition and the beauty of its mantras, as well as a groundbreaking exploration of American jazz and blues. The album was released in 2014 and has garnered praise from National Public Radio, the Guardian, Public Radio International and more, and debuted at #9 on the iTunes World Music chart. Bringi’s latest release is the chant album Shakti Sutra (New Earth Records).
She has performed in a wide range of venues, including concert halls and universities presenting traditional material, yoga studios leading kirtans and in dance clubs overtop throbbing, bass-heavy beats (she’s toured with Karsh Kale, DJ Drez, and many others).
SELECTED VIDEOS
MUSIC
Press Highlights
Meet the harpist using traditional Indian music and American jazz to ‘bridge worlds’ – NBC News
“This music isn’t just for your yoga practice.” – NPR
“What do you get when you cross British-Tamil pop, avant-garde piano and ancient Vedic chanting? Sheela Bringi.” – Public Radio International
“Sheela Bringi…conveying her deep spiritual love in a way that even the most secular listener can relate to.” – Yoga Journal
“…a thought-provoking release where sparks fly with a real feeling for Hindu divinity” – fRoots Magazine
Complete listing of articles, interviews and reviews
DISCOGRAPHY
Shakti Sutra New Earth Records (2016)
Incantations Black Swan Sounds (2014)
A Shrine To All Things PremaSoul Music (2009)
SELECTED CREDITS
MADI DAS. Bhakti Without Borders (2015 – Grammy Nomination)
MONKEY KINGDOM (feature film documentary score by Harry Gregson Williams). Disney Nature (2015)
DJ DREZ Chanting With Tigers ‘Nandalala feat. Sheela Bringi’ (lead vocals, bansuri) Black Swan Sounds (2013)
EARTHRISE SOUNDSYSTEM Rock Beats Paper ‘Bhavani feat. Sheela Bringi’ (lead vocals, bansuri) Yoga Organix/Black Swan Sounds (2013)
MASOOD ALI KHAN Hang With Angels ‘Gopala feat. Sheela Bringi’ (lead vocals, harp) White Swan Records (2012)
NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN & MICHEAL BROOK: Remixed. Star Rise. Real World Records (2013)
SNATAM KAUR. Light of the Naam: Morning Chants. Spirit Voyage.
GURUNAM. Breath of Devotion. Spirit Voyage Records (2013)
JAI JAGADEESH. Of Heaven and Earth. Spirit Voyage Records (2013)
KRISHNA KAUR. One Creator. Spirit Voyage Records (2013)
FRED FRITH. Eye to Ear, Vol 3. TZADIK (2010)
FRED FRITH. Happy End Problem. ReR USA (2007)
GALLERY
