Lil Idli is the experimental pop duo of vocalist Ranjani Prabhakar and producer/percussionist Deepak Gopinath. Their compelling and soulful style seamlessly weaves together a unified sound reflecting their hybrid cultural roots and artistic identities. Combining Prabhakar’s insightful lyricism and radiant vocals with Gopinath’s knack for exploratory and textural soundscapes, the colorfully expressive vibes of Lil Idli gently ask us: why are we here and what do we owe one another?

Loaded with layered synth melodies & mesmerizing vocals, Lil Idli’s debut song “Little Girl” displayed their multi-faceted sound and artistry, taking influences in minimalism, classic R&B, and neo-soul. Lil Idli continues to delve into the art of making music from every angle as they refine the material for their upcoming album, Mitochondria, scheduled to be released in 2022. Mitochondria explores our awakening human consciousness amidst ecological turmoil and generational shifts.

Thought-provoking, insightfully artistic, and resoundingly real at a time where the world needs it most – Lil Idli creates a radiant array of music for the mind, played with undeniable heart.

Prabhakar got her start in the classical arts, training as a child in Indian classical voice and Western violin. Her evolution into songwriting blossomed through a search for resonance and fluidity in divergent cultural and aesthetic worlds, through a tapestry of synths, moving melodies, and pop idioms. Gopinath is a producer, composer, and percussionist who started as a small town drummer in Kerala, India, and made his way to the Berklee College of Music and the Georgia Tech Music Technology program, where he focused on avant-garde electronic arts and assistive robotics, respectively.

Together and separately, the duo have performed in cities across the United States, Mexico and India at storied venues such as the Rock ‘n Roll Hotel in Washington, DC; The Bowery and Drom in New York City; Ryles Jazz Club in Boston; The Elbo Room in Chicago; The Blue Frog in Mumbai, India; and Cafe Jazzorca and Anahuacalli Museum in Mexico City, Mexico.

See Ranjani Prabhakar of Lil Idli perform at the Artist Showcase on Saturday, June 25th at Indian Boundary Park Cultural Center. Before her set, Ranjani joins in for an improvisational session with P.M. Tummala, Ashwaty Chennat, and Krissy Bergmark.

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