Spotlighting Sheila Chandra, a British born Indian musician and lead vocalist of the 80’s pop group Monsoon. Their music style infused Western electro and Indian Pop. Performing in traditional wears, Saris and Bindis it was a sound and style ahead of its time during a period where racial exclusion would’ve been uncomfortable for the regular South-Asians to embody their cultural wears. Unfortunately, not long after their initial success, the record label preferred the band to drop the ‘ethinic’ Asian sound, leading the band to go their separate ways.
Monsoon, Sheila Chandra age 16, live performance Top of The Pops 1982
Years prior to music, Chandra first caught public attention in the BBC’s hit teen show Grange Hill playing Sudhamani Patel during 1979 - 1981 but her love for music was her main goal, after Monsoon had split Chandra went on as a solo artist recording 5 solo albums during the 80’s and 90’s. Chandra’s incredible vocal ability was often performed as a solo instrument somersaulting her vocals into a technical range of riffs and drone style which became her signature style and sound.
Monsoons best-known songs were Ever so lonely and Shakti breaking the charts worldwide. Her vocals are also featured in the film, Lord of the Rings. In the ’90s Sheila was involved in a car accident, as a result of the intubation procedure, they nicked her vocals twisting her larynx. In 2011 Sheila was diagnosed with BMM (Burning mouth syndrome) which causes intense pain when singing and talking for long periods of time.
She has found a new creative channel as a writer and career coach, mentoring artists, musicians and visual artists to achieve new levels of their careers.
As a result of her new creative outlet, Chandra has two books published; Banish Clutter Forever: How the Toothbrush Principle Will Change Your Life and her latest book, Organising Your Creative Career. (a Foyles bestseller) – a guide to setting up the essential infrastructure that creative people need to thrive in a professional career.
Sheila Chandra, solo live performance World In the Park 1992
Talking to Chicago Music Guide Sheila expressed her experiences as a young Asian girl embarking on a career in music.
‘My parents were dead set against me being a singer. I think they went along with Monsoon because there is some cache in having your daughter in the charts and on TV. But when my solo career started, they couldn’t see the point and nagged and harassed me about it for two years while I was making my first four Indipop albums.
…In India conservative families consider singers to be socially only one rung above actresses and dancers – who are considered only one rung above prostitutes. So you can see why they were upset’.
You can find out more about Chandra’s work at www.sheilachandra.com
Scene from Grange Hill
Sheila Chandra, centre, scene from Grange Hill