Indo-American singer and YouTube sensation Vidya Iyer, famously known as Vidya Vox, feels India holds an important place globally more than ever as many Indian musicians settled abroad are letting the world know about the country's music and culture through their work.
"India is more important in the world, more than ever. There are so many talented artists and musicians who are of Indian origin and grew up in different parts of the world, paying homage to their roots. By doing that, more parts of the world are learning about India and Indian music and culture," Vidya told IANS in an email interview.
Vidya is currently seen in a music video by brand Global Desi owned by designer Anita Dongre.
The ace designer is collaborating with women music artistes for her #VoiceYourStyle maiden music property that has been launched under her boho chic fashion label and will celebrate India in the best way possible.
Vidya has created an exclusive song track called "Minnale", whose video also reflects the vibe of the brand. Minnale means lighting in Tamil. The song is in English and Tamil and merges western pop with electronic dance music.
Vidya says that there was such an infectious energy on set, and everyone was genuinely having a great time while shooting.
"Especially all of the scenes where the dancers and I are grooving together, it was a party! I have always been fascinated by the idea of lightning. I love how it can be powerful, and beautiful at the same time. Shankar Tucker directed this video and he really wanted to have a contrast between urban LA (Los Angeles) landscapes with the colourful clothes and energy of the dancing. It took a while to plan and do the video, and I couldn't be happier by the way it turned out," said Vidya.
Vidya was born in Chennai and raised in the US and is known for blending songs from both countries. So does this define her identity too - mix of both the world?
"It definitely is the source of my identity and the reason why I do the music I do. I embraced that side of me fully. The Indian music is amazing these days -- so many people who share similar backgrounds to me are making amazing music that is true to their story and I'm so excited to be able to have such amazing peers," said Vidya.
Vidya brings together influences of her Indian-American heritage to create music that is refreshingly new, unique and contemporary, seamlessly fusing together the intricacies of Indian music with elements of electronic and hip-hop for an undeniably catchy sound.
Since launching her YouTube channel in 2015 with mashups of Western pop hits and music from her native India, Vidya has amassed over 350 million views and over 3 million subscribers, changing the course of her life in ways she never thought possible.
So what kind of influence does Vidya want to be on young aspirants who look up to her?
"I just want all young musicians to do music that is true to themselves and their story. There is no shortcut to working hard, you just have to hustle and not be afraid to reinvent yourself. Be unapologetic and don't release any work that you're 100 per cent proud of," said Vidya.
Will she ever do Bollywood films?
"Absolutely! If the right project comes along, I'd love to be a part of it. Right now, I'm just focusing on writing new songs," she said.
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