Sometimes the algorithm really does get you. That’s how I ultimately came to discover artist Raveena Aurora, at least. Having somehow flown under my radar, Raveena released her excellent sophomore LP Asha’s Awakening earlier this year – it’s said to be a concept album from the perspective of a fictional Punjabi space princess named Asha and is a pivot from her established dreamy R&B style. Asha’s Awakening lead-off tracks harken back to early-2000s Timbaland when sampling Bollywood/South Asian sounds was all the rage. As an Indian/South Asian-American artist, she made it a point to incorporate South Asian instruments in her studio arrangements. Furthermore, while Raveena’s accompanying music videos for tracks “Rush” (see below) and “Secret” are visually stunning, it’s the love for her Indian culture that’s really on display. With a dearth of South Asian representation in the current pop music landscape, Raveena brings a refreshing and much-needed perspective.
Having kicked off her tour in April with a performance at Coachella (NOTE: Raveena is the first Indian woman to play the festival in its 20+ year history), Raveena brought her Asha’s Awakening Tour to Philly with a sold out show at The Foundry on May 12th. Opening for Raveena was R&B singer-songwriter/artist Fana Hues. With a pre-set playlist featuring an eclectic mix of psychedelic-era Beatles, Bollywood tracks, and more (including M.I.A. and Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous”), the crowd crescendoed in anticipation of Raveena and band taking the stage. They kicked off their set with “Mystery”, an Asha’s Awakening track destined to be the pop song of the summer. Whether behind the mic or playing guitar, Raveena captivated as she performed on stage. One highlight was their performance of “Dum Maro Dum”, a psychedelic rock-influenced Hindi song from the ’70s that was apparently quite popular back in the day. Later, Raveena beckoned the crowd for complete silence (to which they obliged) as she led them on a guided meditation (in the style of “Let Your Breath Become a Flower”) – and I needed that more than I thought I did. And if you ever needed more reason to like Raveena, she clearly adores her fans – at one point, she invited an audience member to dance on stage with her then proceeded to hug/greet everyone of her fans along the stage barrier (COVID be damned). Check out the full setlist below and keep scrolling to see more photos from the show.
Raveena Setlist (5/12/2022):
– Mystery
– Bloom
– Close 2 U
– Mama
– Headaches
– Kismet / Kathy Left 4 Kathmandu (medley)
– Dum Maro Dum (Asha Bhosle cover)
– Love Overgrown
– If Only
– Guided Meditation / Petal
– Honey
– Temptation
– Circuit Board
– Secret
– Rush
– Time Flies
– Still Dreaming
// Encore //
– Tweety
– Endless Summer
