Bollywood meets Beyoncé: 'Black artists can go mainstream too'

Scroll through TikTok or go on a weekend night out, and you could easily be left with the impression that South Asian music is thriving. But despite its seemingly huge popularity, it struggles to make an impact on the mainstream.

It's a Saturday night at a west London club, where sounds, cultures and rhythms are being fused together by South Asian DJs going head-to-head in a musical showdown.

“This is not just music, this is a celebration of my culture and identity,” one young man shouts over the music.

As revelers dance to remixes of international hits, Bollywood hits, bhangra tunes and a whole host of other sounds, DJ De Leech says she's “pushing the boundaries of what South Asian music means.”

The 25-year-old, whose real name is Alisha, is just one of many South Asian artists trying to make their music mainstream.

Despite having a very popular underground music scene, Asian artists continue to face the challenge of breaking into the charts. This is despite the fact that almost 10% of the British population is Asian.

While other musical subcultures, such as grime, reached their peak, Asian-influenced music seems to have been left behind.

In 2002, Panjabi MC released his hit bhangra song Mundian To Bach Ke. It has sold 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.

However, what could have been the beginning of a boom for Asian artists turned out to be nothing more than a miracle.

Two decades later, the problem remains, with only a few British Asian artists having had a Top 40 single, and even fewer songs with an Asian-influenced sound reaching the charts.

Singer-songwriter Jay Sean tells BBC News that “people were confused” when he first started singing in the early 2000s.

“They would see a brown kid and immediately assume what kind of music I was about to play, and I would be judged before I even opened my mouth,” he explains.

The British Asian R&B artist, best known for his 2009 hit song “Down,” said that even after being signed to a label, he would be asked “stupid questions” because there was “a lot of ignorance about South Asian culture and label producers didn't understand Always he-she.”

Musician Naughty Boy, who has worked with Emeli Sande and Sam Smith, told the BBC that he had a similar experience when he was “put in a box because I was brown and Muslim”.

The artist, who has had a UK No. 1 with La La La and five UK top 10s, said he had previously been asked to “soften” his sound “to make it more mainstream and increase the chances of it appearing in the charts”. He said he resisted doing so and has always been “unapologetic” about his music.

Both artists have different stage names than their actual names, but they say this is not to hide their heritage.

“I didn't want to prove myself through my identity, so I use the name so I don't attract attention. I want the world to hear my music without judgment,” says Naughty Boy.

He and Jay Sean created their own record labels to provide a platform for rising talent in South Asia.

“I won’t rest until I see more South Asian artists being played on major platforms – if Spanish and Afrobeats can be mainstream for British audiences, our music can be too,” says Sean.

As the underground music scene in South Asia continues to expand, record labels are capitalizing on its popularity and a greater commitment is being made to sign South Asian artists.

Vishal Patel is the co-founder of 91+, an independent label created to “fill the void” and exclusively sign artists of South Asian heritage.

He points out that South Asian artists struggle to become mainstream due to a “lack of infrastructure”.

“There are very few media executives of South Asian heritage who can practically help us promote this music. Most executives don't understand our culture, so they choose to ignore it,” he explains.

“It used to be that way for black British artists, but they were able to come together and make a breakthrough – it's the brands, media and streaming services that make Grime music great. We need people in the industry who support South Asian musicians.”

Yasmin Takhar, presenter of the BBC's Introductory Show on the Asian Network, has given a platform to more than 500 South Asian artists on her show.

She believes there is “ignorance” about the kind of music South Asian artists are making.

She told the BBC: “The talent is definitely there, but how often do you hear South Asian artists on the radio or promoted on Spotify?”

Takhar adds that she has seen works followed by millions on social media, but they barely had any presence in the mainstream because “the media turns a blind eye.”

One group that has found fame on social media is girl group Girls Like You, who were discovered on Instagram by Vishal's record label.

Comprised of four women aged between 20 and 25 who are all of South Asian heritage, the band has gone viral several times on Instagram and TikTok.

Recently, the girl group received six million views for their remix of Bollywood song Yeh Ka Hua and Ne-Yo's classic R&B song So Sick.

They say their music is “a fusion of cultures that blends languages ​​and sounds.”

“We like to combine pop music with bhangra,” explains band member Jaya. “It's like mixing Bollywood and Beyoncé.”

Sampling Bollywood music is not a new concept in Western music – many popular pop songs have used excerpts from India's largest film industry.

Britney Spears' “Toxic” sampled a 1981 Hindi song by Lata Mangeshkar, while the Black Eyed Peas sampled a popular song by Asha Bhosle in Don't Phunk with My Heart.

Another band member, Yasmin, said the group “breaks down stereotypes of what it means to be a British Asian woman” and has an “absolutely global” following on social media.

They hope they can turn their social media success into chart-topping successes, and feel confident that this is the right time for South Asian artists.

In addition to social media helping artists grow, music festivals are also making efforts to increase the diversity of their lineups.

She previously told the BBC that it was extremely important for minority musicians to have a “platform”.

Singer Diljit Dosanjh, the first turban-wearing actor to lead a Bollywood film and the first Punjabi artist to sell tickets to the O2 Arena in London, will also participate in the festival.

However, while steps are being taken to reflect the growing popularity of South Asian music, Naughty Boy is concerned that the music industry's commitment is not being seen as a “phase”.

“I don't want brands throwing money at South Asian artists, because it's cool to be brown right now,” he says.

“I'm going to be tan forever, not just a minute, so although it's refreshing to see that, we need a long-term commitment to change the landscape.”