Sheherazaad Is The Latest Rising Proponent Of South Asian Diaspora Channelling Urdu Folk Lyricism With 'Mashoor'

Backed by the fervent strums of a nylon-string guitar, a thumping cajon and the creatively assembled echoes of her voice that add a subtle lysergic quality to the minimal arrangement, San Francisco-native Indian-descent artist Sheherazaad assembles her Western classical and South Asian lineage on debut single 'Mashoor'. Released via the prestigious London-based label Erased Tapes (home to the likes of Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), the single is produced by Grammy-winner Pakistani descent act Arooj Aftab, one of the most recent success stories of South Asian diaspora acts moulding the traditional elements from their roots to more global contemporary sensibilities.

'Mashoor' takes Urdu lyricism, meandering between classic poetry and a conversational tone, to comment on the values and perversion that are celebrated within the experience of fame. Meanwhile, the music video with its glimpses of the brown culture imagery amidst New York's urban labyrinth reflects more on Sheherazaad's overarching artistic inspirations.

"In Hindi and Urdu, Sheherazaad translates to ‘Free City’", explains the artist. "I love the idea of a person, especially a woman, being a kind of ‘city’ entity in and of themselves. In the South Asian context, this idea of sheher (city) is more visceral with metropolises historically being centres for innovation, forward-thinking, and more social mobility for women specifically.”

Watch the music video for Mashoor below and follow Sheherhazaad for more information.

Image by Zayira Ray