Asha Rao writes in Hindi and English, sometimes switching mid-sentence. Born in Delhi and based in Toronto, she records harmonium drones, train announcements and field audio from the cities she moves between.
Two languages, one hinge
Rao doesn’t translate—she pivots. On “Monsoon Radio,” Hindi and English trade lines in the bridge. “The song changes when the language changes,” she says. “That’s where the emotion resets.”
Harmonium and the train window
The harmonium drone on “Delhi Morning” fades over twenty seconds, timed to match the train’s departure from Platform 3. Rao recorded the bilingual station announcement on her phone and built the melody around its rhythm.
Memory and migration
Her songs are about belonging to two places at once. The lyrics never resolve which home is the real one—and that’s the point.
Discography
- Monsoon Radio (2024) — 7 tracks, Hindi and English
- Train Window (2025) — 6 tracks, field recordings from Indian Railways
Start with “Monsoon Radio” or “Delhi Morning” on LyricsMirchi.
