Check out this exclusive Desi Hits! interview with rising star Anjulie at New York City's Joe's Pub. The Indian singer/songwriter hailing from Canada gives us an insider's look into her influences, culture, and new album.
She has already been featured on hit MTV shows like 'The Hills' and 'The City' and toured with Jesse McCartney, whose fans gave her a thumbs up. Even Kanye West recently posted her music video on his personal blog. Here's what she had to tell us.
Many of our fans may be unfamiliar with your music, so can you tell us a little about your personal musical journey?
Anjulie: I'm from Canada, my parents are from Guyana which is a state bordered by Brazil and Venezuela, and my grandparents emigrated from India. When I moved to New York City, I really found that I had many songs to write and I began to write the album. It just progressed from there. It'll be out on August 4th on Hear Music which is a record label created by partners Starbucks and the famous Jazz label Concord Music Group. It's definitely an album that will have something for everyone.
Nylon Magazine said that we could "pick up on three generations of [your] families "migration patterns" in your music. How do you think we hear this in your work?
Anjulie: I grew up in a house where there was always music. My parents played calypso and reggae and on the other end of the spectrum, my brother listened to Michael Jackson-so I think I've been influenced by that. And when I was growing up I really loved Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill,' which was truly an amazing album encompassing female independence.
Boom
You play the guitar, but do you play any other instruments? And do you have any training?
Anjulie: I play computer music and use programs like Garage Band. Other than that I think my training is more from being immersed in music while I was growing up.
So which mainstream artist would you say you're most influenced by?
Anjulie: Like I said, Alanis Morissette is a big influence and Lauryn Hill.
At Desi Hits! we're big on engineering collaborations amongst artists. Besides Alanis Morissette or Lauryn Hill who else would be your dream collaborators?
Anjulie: Definitely Timbaland and Kanye West. He featured me on his blog which was so amazing!
Do you feel that you've been influenced musically by your cultural background at all?
Anjulie: I grew up around a lot of white kids, but I always felt something different inside. I think the colors and music of South America and India are what I draw from my culture.
So what do you do to get ready for a show?
Anjulie: (Laughs) I do twenty-seven pushups to get myself ready. And when I'm out there it's all about the performance. I'm not at the point where it's boring because I tour so much, so I put everything into my performances and I think that you can see when I'm up there that that's my strong point.
Are you familiar with Bollywood at all?
Anjulie: (Laughs) I'm really just familiar with the American Bollywood movies like 'Bride and Prejudice'.
If someone from Bollywood approached you to work on a Bollywood soundtrack, would you agree to do it?
Anjulie: I would! I mean, I would want to learn more about it before I went in to do something like that. I don't want people to assume that just because I have brown skin that I can just go in and do it, but yeah I would definitely be open to that.
Now for a totally random question...what is your favorite food?
Anjulie: Mango! I just love a good sweet, juicy mango where the skin just falls right off.
You need to hear some of Anjulie's tunes. Check out the music video below and let us know what you think.
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