Association of South-Asian A Cappella
Tell us about the origins of your journey as a South Asian creative. What led you down this path? What motivates you each day to do what you do?:
“I have always been surrounded by music growing up. I started off learning how to play the harmonium in India and after my family moved to the United States when I was a kid, I took piano lessons, picked up the guitar, and was in choir in middle and high school. However, I started to feel like I was losing touch with South Asian music. In college, I heard Penn Masala’s mashup of Viva La Vida and Jashn-e-Bahaara, and almost instantly fell in love with South Asian A Cappella. A few months later, I started a team, then started a competition the next year, and then co-founded the Association of South A Cappella and the All-American Awaaz championship after graduating. The fusion of music in South Asian A Cappella perfectly bridged the gap between my two worlds, and I was able to share that experience with people who have had the same duality of an upbringing as I have. To put it simply: I found my people. This community gave me so much, and I felt a strong motivation to continue giving back so that others can continue to gain so much from the community as I did.” - Arjun Aggarwal, Founder of ASA and ASA Advisor
In your own words, why do you make your art?:
"Being on a South Asian a cappella team in college was one of the best experiences I’ve had! What I love about this community and genre is that it truly gives a space to everyone and allows them to blend their cultural identities through music, which is something that South Asian creatives may not necessarily be able to find in mainstream Western a cappella. Serving on ASA board allows us to contribute to a vibrant and supportive community that amplifies South Asian voices, where individuals can celebrate their cultural heritage and build lasting connections through the shared love of music." -Mallika Dinakar, VP of Relations at ASA
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement thus far as a South Asian creative?:
Since our inception in 2016, we have expanded from overseeing a couple competitions to hosting virtual and in-person learning, networking, and performance opportunities for our 7500+ member nationwide community to promote the South Asian a cappella art form. Our competitive collegiate circuit has also grown to include 85+ groups, 8 competitions, and a national championship. Even during the height of the pandemic in 2021, we as South Asian creatives increased our online presence and continued to spread the genre across the world by hosting a virtual competition season where collegiate teams remotely arranged, recorded, and edited their musical sets. We are proud to say that many of our bid competitions come back year after year with great success, growing enthusiasm, and continued improvement, and our 8th annual national championship All-American Awaaz will take place in Chicago this April.
Who or what is your creative “role model” and/or serves as the greatest influence on your work?:
"When it comes to my personal creative "role models," I'd have to say 1) Jacob Collier, an English Grammy award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist producer, and 2) Salil Chowdhary, an Indian music director whose renowned music I grew up listening to.
Jacob Collier's analytical mind that can deconstruct a piece of music down to its core elements, as well as his abilities to incorporate jazz elements with harmonizations are incredible. His arrangements, reimagined into multi-layered compositions, have influenced the way I think about music and its underlying principles.
Salil Chowdhary's music always fascinated me as the most unique Hindi music I had ever listened to. I remember being enthralled by the melodies that clearly blended Indian raagas with western instrument choices. His childhood consisted of local folk-music of Assam and classical music of Beethoven and Mozart - he had once said "I want to create a style which shall transcend borders – a genre which is emphatic and polished, but never predictable." His love for the blending of musical styles and the redefinition of a genre still live in my mind to this day.
Both these artists have influenced my musical journey and are ones I look up to. The genre of South Asian A Cappella relies heavily on fusion music, various types of rhythms, beats, melodies, and harmonies from various cultures, which leads to limitless creativity. This organization's values tie strongly with what these two artists stand for. I speak for many South Asian A Cappella enthusiasts who all take inspiration from a combination of several South Asian and Non-South Asian artists to fuel their imagination. This liberal art form yields creative musical blends showcasing unique cultural expression." - Sri Bhamidipati, VP of Relations at ASA
What are your strengths as an organization?
We find strength in diversity, celebrating the mosaic of languages and musical genres that shape our identity. We encourage exploration and innovation, incorporating different elements of South Asian music to push the boundaries of cultural expression.
What do you envision for yourself in your future of South Asian A Capella?:
“As both an artist and the COO of ASA, I envision a future where South Asian a cappella thrives as a globally recognized art form. Through my leadership role in ASA, I aim to lay the groundwork upon which the South Asian A Cappella genre finds its global voice, with the goal to establish a distinct identity for our genre and its artists worldwide. With a platform where musicians can flourish creatively, ASA not only nurtures talent but also pioneers the evolution of our unique art form. With a commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and innovation, I'm dedicated to shaping the future of South Asian a cappella and providing a platform for its diverse voices to resonate on a global scale.” - Divyesh Balamurali, Chief Operations Officer at ASA
"Our community has gone through a lot of change over the years and we as leaders within ASA have watched true embrace of a dual identity, different musical backgrounds and education, as well as a large mixture of traditions, languages, and cultures across this world-wide genre. I truly hope to see more awareness and enjoyment of this beautiful style of music, featuring more and more voices in the future. Additionally, I’m beyond excited to watch the repertoire continue to expand to include more contemporary genres, regional/folk music, and other international styles of music as we grow as artists.” - Aashika Ashok, Chief Development Officer at ASA
“As artists, we're always looking for like-minded people to collaborate and grow with. We at ASA hope to continue to provide more unique platforms for our fellow musicians to collaborate and share their voice on larger stages, both in-person and virtually. Over the years, our organization has hosted several events and initiatives, such as All-American Awaaz , the A(SATB) challenge - a virtual community challenge for a cappella enthusiasts, Battle of the Beats - a virtual contest spotlighting South Asian beatboxers, and several regional a cappella competitions and showcases in partnership with universities around the country, and we’re always looking to do more. Our goal is to provide an inclusive community for cultural exchange and collaboration among music enthusiasts worldwide irrespective of background and identity. Our ambitious team strives to do bigger and better things every year and as a South Asian creative myself, I hope to ensure there is no dearth of resources and opportunities for my fellow South Asian creatives to flourish in their musical pursuits!" - Samhita Iyer, Chief Relations Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at ASA
What is your advice to aspiring South Asian creatives looking to explore their own artistry - but not necessarily having the resources or the support to do it?:
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! The South Asian A Cappella genre is an immensely collaborative community with an openness to a diversity of different styles of music, especially South Asian music. Additionally, feel free to reach out to us! We’re constantly looking for ways to support upcoming musicians as we have a rapidly growing community of passionate and talented musicians! We’d be more than happy to support you and connect you with people we know who could help you.