Eastern Soul Songstress Nagavalli Premieres Single 'Ram Naam Ras Pije,' Album Release Show This Sunday

Today, Eastern Soul songstress Nagavalli premieres the second single from her upcoming album "Immersion" with founding AUSTIN Magazine, titled "Ram Naam Ras Pije." "Immersion" is set to be released this Jan. 18 and can be purchased on iTunes. There will be an official album release show this Sunday, Jan. 20 at the One World Theatre located at 7701 Bee Cave Road, Austin, Texas 78746, in honor of the Women's March happening that weekend. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a pre-show acoustic set by Raina Rose held in the lobby of the theatre. Nagavalli's show will begin at 7 p.m.Special guests for the show include Patrice Pike, Oliver Rajamani, Ginger Leigh and sitarist Indrajit Banerjee. Tickets for the show range from $35 to $55 and the show is open to all ages. For information about the artist, please see www.nagavalli.com.

"'Ram Naam Ras Pije' is a composition by Meera bai, an ancient Indian mystic poet and saint," said Nagavalli. "I grew up learning and singing her Bhajans (devotional compositions) in India. When I decided to record an album of Indian spiritual music, it was a natural choice to include a Meera Bhajan. Meera is quintessential Bhakti, absolute immersion in her love for Krishna, in her love for the divine. Also, her defiance of prevalent social norms and the courage to follow her conscience is an inspiration to humankind, beyond religious and cultural boundaries."

Nagavalli's music, described as "Eastern soul with delicate touches of pop, rock, trance and pure Eastern tradition" blends Western melodies and instruments with traditional Eastern overtones, vocals, sitar and percussion. The result is executed with such power and emotion that Valli's music is unique, yet familiar and it often results in the listener achieving a state of meditative tranquility.

"Immersion" is a back-to-roots journey for Nagavalli, channeling the spiritual and devotional quality of traditional Indian music. As the title of the record suggests, it is meant to have an immersive, meditative quality that is only enhanced by a continuous format, as each song seamlessly transition together. However, listeners will still have the ability to skip between tracks.

"I composed the melodies on the album," said Nagavalli. "The album was recorded as one continuous piece of music, even as it strings several different Shlokas/Sanskrit chants and Bhajans (devotional songs) together using, primarily, instrumental interludes. The album also brings together western instruments such as keys, synth and pedal steel with traditional Indian vocals, sitar and percussion instruments."

The new album presents music from the rich spiritual and devotional music tradition of India. Songs on the record feature lyrics from ancient Sanskrit chants and writings by ancient saints such as Sant Kabir (1440-1518: Kabir was an Indian mystic poet and saint whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib) and Meera Bai (1498 - 1546: Meera Bai was a Hindu mystic poet of the Bhakti movement, born into a Rajput royal family in India; legends about Meera mention her fearless disregard for social and family conventions, her devotion to Lord Krishna, her treating Krishna as her husband and her persecution by her in-laws for her religious devotion).

"Immersion" was recorded at Austin Signal by Jon Niess and Don Harvey,with Harvey co-producing the album with Nagavalli. The album was mixed and mastered by California-based award-winning producer/engineer, Ben Leinbach. The record features a variety of musicians who take on an eclectic arrangement of instruments. These musicians include Indrajit Banerjee on sitar, Stefano Intelisano on keys and synth, Gary Newcomb on pedal steel, Jason McKenzie on percussion, Chris McQueen (Snarky Puppy) on bass, Shiv Naimpally creating a tabla loop, and for the finishing touches, Don Harvey added in cymbals with Jon Niess working up beautiful drones and Ben Leinbach adding temple bells and effects as well.

Listen to the new single here:

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