Tying together eastern and western influence and lineage, Vekaria's album is a wondrous experience.
Radhika Vekaria was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age, Ambient & Chant category this year. The album itself was recorded internationally, with remote recordings coming in from everywhere, the bulk of the record being made at Emily’s Basement Studio in LA with producer George Landress.
Radhika, congrats on the release of Warriors of Light! How do songs, and the album in general, start for you?
Thank you so much! The first step is raw emotion. Most of these pieces began at home, either on my piano, harmonium or my tanpuri (a small tanpura). I recorded early demos on my laptop with a baby Blue mic, capturing raw ideas as they came through. My music always emerges from lived experience—nothing is ever just a concept. Warriors of Light is deeply personal, built upon mantras and ancient verses I’ve practiced and embodied over time. I never set out to create an album; it was simply an extension of my own journey.
“Release Your Fears“ was a unique process. My co-producer had created a percussion loop, and I knew instantly that this rhythm had to drive the track—the weight of what I was singing demanded it. I took it home and wrote the rest around that pulse. This was the hardest song to complete because it meant taking an ancient concept and shaping an English lyric that held the depth and integrity of its origins.
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You’re pulling inspiration from your Indian and East African roots, can you speak a little where you hear these influences most in your music?
Beautiful question. The Indian influence is woven through every Sanskrit, Tamil, and Avadhi lyric and mantra, and we intentionally kept most of the instrumentation Indian to honour that lineage. Vocally, I often bend and shift in quarter tones, much like classical Indian singers, which comes from years of listening to semi-classical songs and learning from my father.
On “Release Your Fears”, I specifically wanted African percussion—djembe and other traditional drums—as a nod to my East African heritage. It’s the only track on the album that started with percussion, and the entire piece was built from there. Even vocally, the song leans more toward an East African cadence toward the end.
How was your experience tying together Western instruments like the piano with equal temperament, as opposed to Eastern sounds like from India and Africa?
I love this question because it was a real point of reflection for me. I hesitated to include piano at all, because the entire album is so deeply rooted in the ancient. But “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram” was an exception—I had been playing and singing it on the piano for a while, and it felt right. The haunting piano and orchestral arrangement naturally found their place, especially given the song’s meaning and its position on the album.
This piece is about returning to the heart, to a state of pure presence. I started playing piano when I was six years old so it felt like a return to my own childhood innocence—and at the same time an introduction to the other music I create outside of this space.
How was Warriors of Light recorded?
This album was a four-year journey, beginning in 2020. Most of the album was recorded at Emily’s Basement Studio in LA with Grammy nominated producer George Landress. I would either bring in demos or send recordings remotely, and George would build the tracks around those ideas. Every song called for something distinct, so I carefully selected incredible musicians from around the world to bring their unique sound:
- Shashank Acharya (flute) & Pratik Srivastava (sarod) recorded from India, sending their parts remotely.
- Max ZT (hammered dulcimer) recorded from New York.
- MB Gordy (percussion) recorded “Release Your Fears” at Riot Drum Studios, which was like stepping into a playground of rhythm.
- Kitt Wakeley & Chris Prather joined the project later to craft orchestration on the penultimate song, and their work was so stunning.
- The last invocation was layered voices in my laptop at home – 108 tracks of vocals representing the sacred number.
George did an incredible job pulling all these elements together in the mix and we worked diligently on ensuring each featured instrument was in conversation with the vocal. It was meticulous because my ear is highly sensitive and we went back and forth extensively on the mixing process. Ensuring that every sound was harmonically aligned was crucial because, whether consciously or subconsciously, we feel frequencies. And in a world full of noise, I see it as my responsibility to create sonic peace.
What was the most challenging part of recording and producing the album?
Beyond the logistical challenges of recording during a pandemic—coordinating across time zones, studio relocations, and remote collaborations—there was also the responsibility of deep accuracy.
I was singing in Tamil, Sanskrit, and Avadhi, languages that carry profound meaning. In these traditions, even the slightest shift in pronunciation or accent can alter the entire meaning of a verse. Honoring these languages with precision, while ensuring the music still flowed naturally, took time and dedication. It was a journey of patience, perseverance, and faith. But that, in itself, made it all the more rewarding.
What does being nominated for a Grammy mean to you?
To even be considered for a Grammy is surreal. I think of all the artists who dream of this moment, and I feel an immense sense of gratitude.
More than anything, I’m deeply moved that music rooted in Vedic wisdom—timeless knowledge passed down for over 5,000 years—could find a place on this global stage. These mantras exist because of the great masters and sages who preserved them. To be a vessel for that tradition in today’s world is incredibly humbling.
This nomination is not just about me—it’s about the lineage, the teachers, and the wisdom that continues to guide us. And for that, I am beyond grateful.
You can keep up with Rhadika herself on Instagram here.
