The ensemble will release the first song of their debut album O Gaanewali Session 1 -‘Muddat Hui Hai Yaar Ko’, written by Mirza Galib, popularised by Iqbal Bano- paying homage to the music of the tawaifs and carrying forward their legacy.

The concert will celebrate the launch of their first EP; O Gaanewali celebrates the lives and music of women artists and Tawaifs, along with songs, stories, anecdotes and history!

Tawaifs, the gaanewali and naachnewalis were celebrities in the late 1800s! Names like Gauhar Jaan, Janakibai, Raasoolan Bai, Begum Akhtar, Shobha Gurtu were well known in almost every household. Suddenly having their lives and art overturned by the pressures of the British Raj and the Indian Narionalist Movement, unfortunately the world hasn’t credited them enough for their invaluable contribution to this art form.

Written and conceptualised by Avanti Patel, former top 9th finalist on the 10th season of Indian Idol, her interests lie in bringing together important conversations on gender and society with her art.

Celebrating the women of Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal and other Hindustani semi classical forms, O Gaanewali is an intimate mehfil, baithak style! The audience is taken along a musical journey with some interesting facts, stories and anecdotes about the past.

The team of young musicians from Mumbai, Delhi and Pune are all set to take us into the era of baithaks and to listen to the music which was once known to all…