UK's South Asian Sounds festival celebrates Bollywood, classical music

London, Jul 1 (PTI) The UK’s annual South Asian Sounds festival opened at London’s Southbank Centre on Wednesday as a celebration of Bollywood and classical beats, showcasing popular artists such as Talvin Singh, Hariharan and Raghu Dixit.

The five-day celebration of music and dance will bring together household names and cutting-edge new talent from across the Indian subcontinent, representing an array of genres including diasporic pop and jazz-influenced songwriting.

This year’s line-up also features live comedy and storytelling art forms to mark the 75th anniversary of one of the UK capital’s largest multi-arts centres by the River Thames.

“In our 75th anniversary year it’s important to mark the incredible contribution of South Asian artists

to our cultural life and to highlight emerging voices that connect to new generations of audiences,” said Mark Ball, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre.

“South Asian Sounds has become an anchor of our annual music programme, platforming some of the most exciting artists from across South Asia with a vibrant and exciting programme of live performances,” he added.

This week’s series will feature the increasingly popular London Bollywood Orchestra (LBO), joined by singer Priyani Vani Panditt for a special performance charting the growth of the Indian film industry’s distinctive sound with its roots in Hindustani classical music.

“With all the musical influences in Bollywood music it is hard to forget that central to its identity is the rich artistic treasury provided by classical ragas. Priyani has an exceptional voice that will blend with the youthful vibrance of the LBO, featuring some of London’s top musical talent,” said LBO music director and conductor Tim Pottier.

“The London Bollywood Orchestra is breaking new ground in popular Hindi film music by bringing to life the original, authentic sounds of Mumbai’s recording studios, with London’s finest classical and jazz talent,” added LBO founder Vimal Anandpura.

Singer-composer Raghu Dixit will bring his unique musical blend of Indian folk with modern, genre-crossing sounds and has promised a lot of new material from his new album.

“It is a privilege to be part of South Asian Sounds and to share music in a space that celebrates the incredible diversity of voices, stories and traditions that make up South Asia,” said Dixit.

He said festivals such as South Asian Sounds are a reminder that cultures travel with people.

“Across continents and generations, music remains a powerful way for diasporic communities to stay connected to their roots while also creating new identities and expressions.

“As an artist, I’ve been fortunate to take folk music from India to distant corners of the world and in doing so, witness how music can resonate with audiences far beyond its place of origin. The emotions, stories and human experiences embedded in these traditions are universal. In a world that often feels increasingly divided, cultural gatherings like South Asian Sounds are extremely important for they allow us an opportunity to celebrate together,” he said.

British Indian musician Talvin Singh will be paying homage to legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, who passed away in December 2024.

“These milestone concerts underscore our commitment to broadening artistic horizons across the UK,” said Jaswinder Singh, director of Asian Arts Agency – a founding-partner of the South Asian Sounds festival, now in its third year.

While talented playback singer Hariharan will be performing ‘Soul India’ – a show that will open with folk music, flow into ghazal and incorporate film songs to dissolve into fusion music; Amrita Kaur is set to present a versatile repertoire of devotional, ghazal, Sufi, Punjabi folk and Hindi film music. PTI AK RB RB