Sandhya Chari’s “My Roots” is a celebration of South Asian culture

India Post News Service

The Tamil-American artist’s debut single taps into the traditions of the subcontinent to pay homage to her cross-cultural journey

Tamil-American artist Sandhya Chari hails from a family of musicians and dancers. Honoring her history and legacy, her debut independent single “My Roots” is a kaleidoscope of her homeland’s diversity. The rising artist is redefining how one claims their origins through this celebratory debut. An influential new voice, Sandhya is forging a connection with the subcontinent’s past, present and future in this crossover track. “My Roots” is a homage to the multiculturalism that is inherent and abundant in South Asia. Breaking barriers, the diaspora artist’s “My Roots” is also a feminist anthem that invokes people to rise in their power.

The multilingual track comprises verses in English, Hindi and Tamil. The music video has encompassed the heritage of South Asia, particularly the regions of India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

As a first-generation Indian-American, Sandhya first rose to prominence as a YouTuber whose incredible cross-cultural mashups brought her acclaim. Her covers of “High On Love + FRIENDS” and “Munbe Vaa” were celebrated by thousands of viewers. Sandhya was also one of the winners of Academy and Grammy-Award winning musician A.R. Rahman’s #99SongsCoverStar contest; her rendition of “Sofia” was viewed and selected by the maestro himself.

Sandhya’s debut original single “My Roots” is a testament to her passion and vision as a musician. The music video for the empowering single features 14 women from different parts of South Asia, each representing their own unique story and background. The song, much like its themes of representation, feminism, decolonization and more, encompasses various forms of music that are melded together to create a distinctive sound. Western pop beats, classical music, South Indian folk and Bollywood elements have all been beautifully strung together to create Sandhya’s powerful debut track “My Roots.”