Two-time JUNO (Canadian Grammy) winner Kiran Ahluwalia is a modern exponent of the vocal styles of India and Pakistan. With roots in Sufi, Qawwali, and Punjabi Folk, she crafts her own contemporary songs that are equal parts reflective and groovy. Her organic mix of music draws from the rich tapestry of the Indian subcontinent, intertwining seamlessly with West African Blues and American Jazz. Kiran’s music is immediately cosmopolitan yet distinctively Indian and ultimately universal.
Her group is led by virtuoso guitarist Rez Abbasi, a name synonymous with excellence, he consistently ranks among the top-ten Guitarists in the Downbeat annual International Critics Poll. Kiran and Rez are a real-life couple, one born in India, the other in Pakistan. Having grown up in the Diaspora they crossed ethnic and religious lines between their two warring motherlands to forge a profound connection in life and music.
Lyrically, Kiran’s songs explore the vast spectrum of human experience, addressing themes as broad as cultural intolerance in our largely immigrant society and as personal as the struggle to fully embrace female desire unburdened by shame. Over the course of seven albums, Kiran has garnered numerous awards including two JUNOs, a Canadian Folk Music Award and the UK’s Songlines Award.
