“Between the columns, a window opens to another world, to the unimaginable, and that wonderful voice of Priya
Darshini!” – Hi Fidelity Magazine

Born in Chennai, raised in Mumbai, India, and based in New York, Priya Darshini’s distinct style takes inspiration from her diverse cultural and life experiences. Rooted in Hindustani and Carnatic Indian Classical music, her improvisational mastery, and vast knowledge of music from around the world, Priya’s music is elegant, tranquil, virtuosic, intricately layered, and
pushes compositional boundaries while effortlessly weaving her distinct multi-cultural experience into a unique and timeless musical tapestry. As John Schafer of NPR remarks “[Priya Darshini’s] music incorporates a world of influences” and “lives on the (cultural) periphery, much like herself.“

In 2020, Priya Darshini released her debut solo album – Periphery – on Chesky Records, and was nominated for the 63rd Annual GRAMMY® Award for Best New Age Album. The album, inspired from her own experiences as an immigrant, was written for those feeling isolated and on the outside. It was recorded live, on one microphone in a vacant church in Brooklyn without any added EQ or compression. Drawing from the traditions of the past, intuitive intelligence of the present, and in collaboration with the technology of the future, the result is a daring and tempting feast for the senses and an album that is a significant
addition to the world music vocabulary. In 2021, Variety Magazine listed her amongst 10 Grammy-Nominated Women to Know, while Tatler Asia listed her amongst “Six Asian women changing the face of music around the world.”

In addition to her background of chart-topping Bollywood movie soundtracks (Dil Di Nazar, Ek Pal ki Zindagi), Priya Darshini is also an actor (The Letters), the first Indian woman to complete the 100-mile Himalayan Ultra Marathon, an entrepreneur with her Ultra Marathon company The Wind Chasers, and an environmental advocate. She serves on the Board of Directors of the International Wildlife Coexistence Network, and is a trustee of the Mumbai-based non-profit organization Jana Rakshita – working with underserved pediatric cancer patients, and building educational infrastructure, with a focus on education for girls.

“Priya Darshini takes a Bjork-sized leap into minimalist, vocal-led experimental music on her album Periphery,”  – Rolling Stone India “Priya Darshini’s album, Periphery, stands out as a beacon of hope for cultural unanimity.” – Elle Magazine

See Priya perform along with Max ZT at the Artist Showcase on Friday, June 24th at Indian Boundary Park Cultural Center. Join us for a robust evening of contemporary expressions from South Asian diasporic artists.

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