A Malayalee pop singer in the UK? And that too a chart topper? Well, fact is truer than fiction and that is the case of Sheila Chandra, 17, who became Britain’s first mainstream Asian pop star as the voice of chart toppers, Monsoon.

As a teenager she fronted the band Monsoon formed by Steve Coe. Coe created a fusion of Western pop and Indian classical styles, using ragas as basis on which to write his songs.

‘Ever So Lonely’, Monsoon’s Top Ten hit in 1982 was a huge dance floor as well as mainstream hit. This song was instrumental in getting audiences around the world to accept the sounds and structures of another culture as ‘pop music’.

Sheila went on to release a number of albums in the 1980s on the independent label ‘Indipop’ (debuting as a writer in 1984 at the age of 19) at times experimenting with her voice as an instrument and increasingly, through a range of techniques drawn from vocal traditions from all over the world.

In the 1990s she started her own publishing and production companies released four albums on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label.

Sheila, a Keralite, born in the UK to an immigrant Keralite family, is the only Asian singer to have had mainstream chart success in the UK in the 1980s. Sheila’s mother’s family house is in Ernakulam, but she prefers to live and work in the equally lush county of Somerset.

“No matter what the pressures, be utterly true to yourself in all things and success will follow you,” says Sheila.

More information on Sheila Chandra, including a discography and details of forthcoming concerts, is available on www.sheilachandra.com.

A singer and songwriter born and educated in London, Deepa Nair, alias Deepa Singh, has been making a name in the musical field. Her parents, originally from Kerala, were keen that she be introduced to Indian classical music. At the age of five, Deepa was taken to India where she received training in Carnatic music.

Deepa's first stage performance was at the Karthika Thirunal Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram, aged eight. Having completed her formal education back in London, Deepa returned to India briefly and in 1986 became an approved recording artiste for All India Radio and Doordarshan.

Several of her performances of semi-classical and devotional music have been broadcast in India since that time.1989 saw Deepa's permanent return to London, where she started working as a session musician and concert performer.

In 1991 she won the Best Hindi female singer award in London and in 1996 was invited to record her voice on Pandit Ravi Shankar and George Harrison's popular album Chants of India.

Deepa Nair's first solo release, 'Into the Light' contains nine exotic and melodic pieces in her expressive classically trained voice. They are framed in a unique blend of Western chill out/orchestral/classical styles using both Indian and Western instruments. Beautiful raga-based phrases provide the sublime emotions, and the result is a sound of universal appeal.

Deepa is known previously for her vocal work on the UK and Indian feature film, 'Bride & Prejudice', and also Pandit Ravi Shankar and George Harrison's album, 'Chants of India'. The CD features fine UK and India musician performances by Tony Pleeth, Pt Ronu Majumdar, Deepak Pandit, Manjit Rasiya, Ben Pruess, Surjit Singh and Craig Pruess.

Deepa’s vocals have also featured on UK TV commercials (eg. the Halifax, Celebrations chocolates, etc) and on the soundtrack of the film ‘Bhaji on the Beach’.

Deepa is at the moment working on material for her second solo album and also a new album for the 'Sacred Chants' series from Heaven-on -Earth-Music. Know more about Deepa from www.deepanair.com.