Los Angeles-based Indian American composer and pianist Raashi Kulkarni’s debut extended play, Raashi, was released on January 5, debuting at #2 on the iTunes World Music Charts.
The album contains five tracks, including the lead single Humraahi, which features vocalist Mugdha Hasabnis, guitarist John Lee and percussionist Jomy George. It’s launched with a video, directed by Dominique Sheth of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Kulkarni, a graduate of University of Southern California’s Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television masters program, said the five tracks represents a journey, focusing on stages of “feeling vulnerable,” “finding strength,” and “realizing peace.”
“These are stages that many of us feel at varying periods of our lives,” she said in a press release. “No matter who you are, or what your background is, we are all on a journey. The songs tell a story of my journey, one that I’m excited to share with listeners around the world.”
The album fuses cinematic elements with Indian, Western classical and jazz influences.
RELATED: Washington-based pianist and composer Raashi Kulkarni debuts with ‘Reflection’ (December 10, 2014)
Besides Humraahi, other tracks in the alblum are Rise, a piano piece; Strong, which was co-written with Kulkarni’s sisters, Shivani and Roopali; Yaatra, a cinematic, Indian classical fusion; and Zen, a choir that includes 26 layers of Kulkarni’s vocals.
Raashi is available on major downloading and streaming platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and Google Play.
Watch the official “Humraahi” music video from Raashi Kulkarni’s debut EP
Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Kulkarni was based in Washington, DC. She did her undergraduate degree from The George Washington University.
Her first single, Reflection, was released in 2014.
Kulkarni has performed along with a number of renowned artists from the United States and India. She has performed at, among other venues, the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Museum, Warner Theatre and Kodak Hall.
According to her website, Kulkarni is currently working as a writer’s assistant.