Talented musical artists are not born, they develop throughout childhood with the hope that they will have the opportunity to continue growing for their entire lives. American mainstream media would have everyone believe that they are the best resource for sorting out who is gifted enough to grace a stage. The judges and pageantry are just a big show put on to give a universal face to what a small, secularized group is leading in the music industry. Music has many genres, and is part of each and every culture around the world. For many musicians, it is far more important to make one’s way than to fit into the mainstream. Learn about how Indian Pop Star Rimi Basu in New York has crafted her own musical career.
There wasn’t one magical moment when the curtains opened up and judges determined that Rimi Basu was going to be a star. Her musical ambition is something that has developed from her culturally rich background. As a young child she was exposed to the culture of India through music and dance training. Rimi’s parents are Indian immigrants, who wanted to raise their daughter in the United States. Splitting her interests between the Indian Language School her father founded, and listening to American hip-hop, pop, and rap she developed an interesting outlook on music. It was not until later as a young woman that she realized her true ambition was to make music, however.
Leaving behind a prestigious medical school, Rimi chose to become an Indian pop star in New York. It was more complicated than that, though. Pursuing her passion for music led her to travel to India and live on her own for several years in Calcutta and Mumbai to study her musical heritage. Rimi learned much about the Indian classical music of India from Ajoy Chakrobarty of the Srutinandan school in Calcutta before entering into the world of Indian pop and Bollywood music. There she began her musical career with performances that included both singing and belly dancing.
Since then, Rimi Basu has performed across India, Southeast Asia, Europe, and back in the United States. She is one of many musicians who have made their own way. Redefining the benchmarks of her own success, this Indian pop star in New York makes music for the right reasons. She and others like her are special for their personal dedication to their craft.
