VANDANA JAIN IS HITTING ALL

Vandana Jain brought up in a musical family, she spent her evenings with her father, singing along to Bollywood songs. Brooklyn-based graphic designer-turned-performer Vandana Jain explored her passion for music further with a gospel and Latin language choir at her all-girls school in Bengaluru but didn’t take it seriously until she started experimenting with it in New York. Only when she started performing live did it become a real career choice for her. A testament to Jain’s attention to detail, her debut EP Vandamner came with her own complex album art and bespoke record sleeve, sealed with red wax and twine, while her work — which she describes as “moody electronica” and a “cerebral pop hybrid” — reflects her journey from India to London and Brooklyn.

Stirring inheritance

“I use nostalgia from back home and inject it into my work. The smells, colors, the stunning auditory bliss I grew up around, but also the strange and dark truths about India inspire me like a constant dance of the yin and yang. My heritage has also taught me to keep a mystique about my image, commanding the audience’s attention without using my body as a reference. Being provocative can be as simple as one’s approach to their work and doesn’t require old fashioned stimulation.”

Forward focus

“I am at a major creative turning point, literally taking everything I know and turning it inside out. I’m having a fantastic time parting with self-doubt and trusting my gut. There are two projects in the making — one is a solo effort, a part of an immersive performance piece, and the other is a collaborative record of experimental desert music by way of India. An American tour and festival line ups are in the works for next year.”