Women's Day: Let the queens reign with this line-up of breakthrough artistes

Sheherazaad (second from left) at a performance in Mumbai

There is no surprise that many might bristle at the rise of Rihanna's rock star status. While her talent as a singer-songwriter is non pareil, her standing as a female star with reach, power and influence over such a large audience does not always sit well with many. Yet, the times, as Dylan said, are a-changin'. The weekend, Amplify Showcase will bring to the city stage a women-majority line-up of breakthrough artistes.

Among the line-up is US-based singer-songwriter Sanjana Shukla AKA Sheherazaad whose latest EP Qasr blends jazz structures with Urdu lyricality. "People often attribute the lyrical influence to ghazals, but I rarely listen to ghazals," says the singer who grew up on a steady diet of Indian musical influences from film to classical. Her EP, Qasr, that released on March 1, is a synthesis of these unique influences.

Queendom perform on stage

The five-track EP, she says, emerged organically over time. "It was a natural process. I often seek to create story-driven lyrics and songs that build a world for the characters in them," she says. The choice of using Urdu for her folk pop-synth style makes for an interesting listen.

The music aside, the week has been one of celebration for the singer. At the showcase, she will join peers like city-based singer-songwriters Urmila Sivadas AKA Perp, Tiana Tara and the trio of Queendom led by Ananya Sharma, Brecilla D'Souza and Damini Gautam. "It's very exciting to be playing in a majority woman line-up and to see my fellow independent female musicians, who I've known for a while, and whose journey began around the same time," says Tiana Tara, adding that her performance will include a lot of unreleased material from her repertoire.

Perp

While the showcase will also feature the breakthrough acts of Second Sight and Sudan, there is a sisterhood that runs through it. Queendom, for instance, will also be collaborating with Sivadas AKA Perp. For Queendom though, the showcase is an opportunity to band together with fellow indie musicians to express themselves. They say, "All of us are extremely passionate musicians looking to make our voice heard and that's a constant - all-woman line-up or not. Of course, it's amazing to be here and show solidarity to our sisters, but that is purely incidental," says Sharma.

On: March 9; 7.30 pm
At: G5A Warehouse, Laxmi Mills Estate, Shakti Mills Lane, Mahalaxmi West.
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 499