Arooj Aftab made history as the first Pakistani artist to win a Grammy, taking home the Best Global Music Performance award for her song “Mohabbat” in 2022. This achievement marked a significant milestone for South Asian representation in the global music industry. Just a year later, actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh took the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Southern California, becoming the first artist from Punjab, a region near the Pakistan border known for its rich musical traditions, to perform at the festival.
In August, the Indian American artist Avara made her debut on tour with an opening performance in Brooklyn, where she was surrounded by rose petals and fans eager to catch a glimpse of the rising star. Since November 2024, Avara has gained over 250,000 new monthly listeners on Spotify, marking a more than 250% increase in her audience.
“I started watching her TikToks,” said Alex Kim, a 22-year-old music assistant. “Even though people have short attention spans these days, I found myself really liking her music.”
South Asian-influenced music is now making waves globally, following trends set by Afrobeat, K-pop, and Latin music. In April, Warner Music Group launched 5 Junction Records, a label dedicated to promoting South Asian artists to North American audiences.
Billboard CEO Mike Van described the rise of South Asian-influenced artists as a gradual but growing trend. “We’ve seen consistent growth over the last few years due to technological advancements, evolving tastes, and the activation of diaspora audiences.”
Genre Blending
Jürgen Grebner, general manager of 5 Junction Records, emphasized that the label looks for artists with strong fan bases in their home countries. A No. 1 hit in India often translates to a Top 20 chart position on Spotify’s global charts, he noted.
Nora Fatehi, born to Moroccan parents in Toronto, became a Bollywood sensation after performing at the FIFA World Cup, which was watched by billions during the closing ceremony in Qatar. Encouraged by a Toronto talent agency, she moved to India 11 years ago, learning Hindi and auditioning for every modeling and acting role she could find.
“The Indian audience is the reason why I am who I am today,” Fatehi told The Associated Press. “As I work to become a global artist, I bring them with me.”
Grebner explained that collaboration is key for artists looking to expand beyond their local markets. “The only way to succeed in those markets is through partnerships,” he said.
The international girl group Katseye features members of Indian, Japanese, and Filipino descent, and they recently appeared in a Gap ad. Fatehi’s single “Snake,” featuring U.S. pop and R&B singer Jason Derulo, reached the top 20 on Spotify charts in both the U.K. and Canada.
Cultural Crossovers
Professor Francesca Cassio, chair of the music department at Hofstra University, noted that some music from South Asian countries evolved as a means to teach spiritual teachings such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. One North Indian classical genre, khyal, gained popularity in the West during the 1960s when sitar master Ravi Shankar influenced musicians like the Beatles and John Coltrane.
As the U.S. becomes increasingly diverse, it's encouraging to see younger generations embracing global sounds, according to Van. “Gen Z and Gen Alpha are leading the way in accepting music that crosses cultural boundaries.”
Van pointed out that artists now have a direct connection to their fans through social media. “Short clips, often edited down to 10 seconds or less, can capture attention and go viral. It’s a new way of promoting, consuming, and discovering music.”
A “Third Culture Kid”
Avara, a 25-year-old artist, built her social media following by posting videos that blend her meditative R&B and soul music with elements of her Indian classical and Western vocal training. Growing up in Marietta, Georgia, she felt caught between two worlds—never fully part of the brown community or the American one.
“I was around a lot of white people and people that didn’t look like me, and I rejected parts of myself,” she said.
Her debut album, “a softer place to land,” honored the artistic community that shaped her over the past two years. Her next project, “MARA,” explores her identity as a “young brown girl” through the lens of a “third culture kid”—someone who balances their heritage with the cultures they grow up in.
She describes her next album as a fusion of every culture that has influenced her over the past 25 years, blending Indian vocal riffs with Spanish guitar, reggae, and other styles.
“I’m trying to create something completely different,” she said. “I’m trying to create a new genre with this mix of influences from my childhood.”