Vandana Vishwas, the critically acclaimed World Music artist from Mississauga, Ontario, is set to unveil her latest musical masterpiece, “Kundaliyaan – 1,” from her upcoming album, “Kabeera – The Thinker….” – releasing 11 October 2023.
“Kundaliyaan – 1” is a significant milestone in Vandana’s illustrious career, showcasing her unique fusion of Indian poetry and contemporary musical arrangements. Her new single is a compelling exploration of the poetic genre known as ‘Kundali,’ rooted in Hindi poetry, characterized by its complex metering. Vandana delves into this elaborate form, inspired by the timeless verses of the great Indian thinker and poet, Kabeer Das. In “Kundaliyaan – 1,” Vandana creatively weaves Kabeer’s profound insights with the enchanting Raag ‘Ahir Bhairav,’ creating a musical tapestry that unravels deep truths in an expressive and captivating manner.
Vandana’s forth album “Kabeera – The Thinker…” which is set to be released on October 11, 2023, pays homage to Kabeer Das’s wisdom, encapsulating his penchant for minimalism combined with universal love and compassion, which are the essentials of Indian culture. The making of this album was a labour of love for Vandana, who meticulously selected eight of Kabeer’s most powerful poems, including the iconic ‘Kundaliyaan,’ to create two distinct compositions—’Kundaliyaan – 1′ and ‘Kundaliyaan – 2.’ Each track capturing the essence of Kabeer’s profound philosophy.
Throughout the creative process, Vandana collaborated with her musical and life partner Vishwas Thoke, who contributed with his guitar skills and musical flare.
“My creative process in making this incredibly fulfilling album led me to some outstanding poetry by Kabeer Das which I had to narrow down to eight,” said the 2017 Best World Music Video award winner. “It took me months to select these eight tracks including carrying ‘The Complete Works of Kabeer Das’ everywhere I went – coffee breaks, long drives, vacations… even river cruises.”
The making of this album began with the release of ‘Mann Lago’ as a single in 2021. However, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the production of the full album. Vandana was determined to complete the remaining tracks but faced a shortage of funds. Fortunately, Vandana secured partial funding from the Ontario Arts Council, which enabled her to complete the record.
Vandana is a celebrated World Music artist who transitioned from a successful career in architecture to pursue her lifelong passion for music. Despite facing a challenging medical condition from early childhood, Vandana displayed remarkable musical talent, earning a degree in North Indian Classical Vocal music, and becoming an All-India Radio artist during her teenage years.
When Vandana and her husband Vishwas moved to Toronto, it rekindled her love for music. She released her debut album, “Meera – The Lover…” in 2009, which marked her entry into the North American World Music scene, earning critical acclaim and several awards. Subsequent releases like “Monologues” in 2013 and “Parallels” in 2016 continued to garner recognition and accolades, with the latter album achieving significant chart success and earning her awards, including the Marty Award by Mississauga Arts Council, Toronto Independent Music Award for World Music, US Independent Music Award as well as nominations in Canadian Indies, KM Hunter Award for music by Ontario Arts Council and more.
