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Birmingham
High Street on a washed-out Wednesday. A queue of wide-eyed teenage
girls with glitter dusted faces let out an ear-splitting scream.
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| Jay
Sean |
Bemused
passers-by peer over the crowd to see who's causing the commotion.
Step forward Jay Sean: British Asian superstar. He may not be a household
name yet, but if the hysteria that greeted him at PA's in Birmingham
last week is any indication, that's all about to change. The 23-year-old
singer/rapper is heading a new vanguard of young artists bringing
the sound of the UK Asian streets kicking and quite literally screaming
to the wider public - representing previously invisible second and
third generation Asians.
As
Jay Sean lands a top four hit with 'Stolen', his mentor, Asian uber-producer
Rishi Rich, sprinkles his Desi stardust on the likes of Madonna and
J-Lo. Asian fusion is a melding of the sounds of the sub-continent
with hip hop beats and R&B influences, and it's no longer destined
to be tucked away in the World Music section of your record store.
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| Rishi
Rich |
Sunny
Hundal, editor of industry magazine Asians in Media, believes that
the hub of talent has always been around but that the mainstream is
finally ready to embrace its rich, multicultural heritage.
"There have been instances before when it came into vogue, such
as when Apache Indian started hitting the charts, or when Asian underground
became a phenomenon and Talvin Singh won a Mercury Music Award"
he explains.
"The
difference now is that the British media has moved a long way forward,
which can only help Asian artists. A combination of industry support
and the unprecedented interest in Bollywood have made Asian culture
a bigger part of British life."
Birmingham
has also played a pivotal role in raising the profile of Desi beats.
As well it's most famous son, internationally acclaimed artist Apache
Indian, the city is home to pioneering Shaanti - club nights when
Asian DJs pump their music.
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| Nihal
and Bobby Friction |
The
award-winning DJ collective sprung out of the back streets of Birmingham
in 1999 to gain worldwide recognition and help bring the infectious
sounds of Asian dance music to the attention of regular club-goers.
One
of the original members of its crew, Bobby Friction, went on to secure
a prime-time slot on Radio 1 three months ago with co-host Nihal.
The duo recently learnt that the audience figures for their show had
rocketed to over 700,000, an incredible ten times higher than their
previous graveyard slot.
As
Radio 1 acts as a barometer of what 15-24 year-olds are listening
to, it is a remarkable achievement and, say the DJs, a sure sign that
the rise of Asian music is not a fad.
"The
figures are unbelievable and they run parallel to the growth and interest
in British Asian music. It clearly shows that the market is there
and Radio 1 was right to put our show where it is now."
Another
act going down a storm are three-piece Asian/Arabic girl band Rouge,
part of the Envy Records stable. Proof that they can give their male
counterparts a run for their money, the band - from Birmingham and
London - have even attracted interest from India, where they'll be
touring throughout November.
One-third
of Rouge, Legha Yusif, says the themes in their songs are universal.
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| Apache
Indian |
"We're
just expressing ourselves and it shouldn't matter where we come from,"
the 20-year-old insists. "Everyone breaks up with their boyfriend
and goes through problems and we try to write lyrics about that."
The
hybrid sound of Asian fusion has not been welcomed in all quarters.
Dissenting voices within the Asian community fear that the new breed
of artists are selling out by integrating elements of urban music
into traditional Bhangra, which originated as a form of folk music
in Punjab.
But
Dev Illatek, deputy editor of monthly Asian music magazine InvAsian,
is in no doubt that the time is right to address a section of society
making its mark on the mainstream. "With so many young Asian
artists breaking into the charts, the industry was screaming out for
something different," he says. "There is huge interest in
what we have to say."
Although
artists at the forefront of the scene are proud of their cultural
identity, they are keen to ultimately let the music do the talking.
On his new album, Jay Sean takes record company bosses to task in
a defiant rap. As the emerging voice of a generation, it's fitting
we leave the last words to him: "I remember back when it wasn't
about looks and colour, but about the voice/It's all about the latest
trends, so I guess I'm lucky the colour of the season is brown." |
