Why Raghav matters to British Asian music
31st May, 2005
by Sunny Hundal
Editor
Pop singer Raghav's career can provide a guide to understanding the state of British Asian music today in a broader context.
If you thought Asha Mehta's excellent article last week was an attack on the successful singer, you are mistaken. There is something missing in this picture, and it is not just about blaming Raghav, his record company or even the PR people.
Asha points out: "It is clear that this pop sensation's profile doesn't appear to tally with his healthy singles sales and a devoted fanbase."
The issue is about how Raghav is meant to be seen: as an Asian pop star or simply a pop star? What does that mean for other upcoming music artists and how they are perceived?
Music marketing executives like neat categories. What genre the music belongs to; who the most likely audience is; what the expected sales are. And when to communities they do not understand well, there is little thinking outside of this box.
Remember the infamous 'Asian underground revolution' that was supposed to happen when Talvin Singh won a Mercury prize in 1999? Vivek Bald's excellent documentary Mutiny Sounds showed how that fell apart when industry executives could not grasp how to sell it.
Raghav seems to be in a similar bind. One the one hand he seems to be marketed only for Asians. At the same time faces resistance from those who don't know what to do with an Asian artist. Consider these two examples.
Rumours are that the much hyped soul singer Nina Jayne was dropped by BMG after, insiders say, the marketing people could not figure out how to market her. She made 'black music' but was half-Asian. Would she have credibility? We won't know anytime soon.
Someone else let slip that producers DJ Ams & Khiza, who made a popular remix of Hot Like Fire, were refused airplay by a national radio station on the grounds that it already had another Asian artist on their playlist.
Such patronising attitude already exists within the media and it should come as no surprise to those in the music industry. What it suggests is that music executives and radio stations are still not sure what to do with Asian artists.
They might prefer to market Asian artists only to Asian audiences, which spells trouble for anyone trying to break through. Or the CD might be relegated to the World Music shelf.
The few that have gathered widespread acclaim such as Nitin Sawhney, Anjali and more recently M.I.A., seem to neither want the Asian 'tag' nor produce anything that can be categorised easily. Let me put it another way, how many Asian R&B or rock artists have started off with an Asian base and then built widespread acclaim?
Raghav and Jay Sean are seen as the new beacons of change yet their mainstream profile is surprisingly low considering their chart successes. Blaming it on their style or song writing skills deflects the fact there is far worse chart talent out there.
Both want mainstream success, and deservedly so, yet it remains to be seen if they can make that all important transition.
Editor
Pop singer Raghav's career can provide a guide to understanding the state of British Asian music today in a broader context.If you thought Asha Mehta's excellent article last week was an attack on the successful singer, you are mistaken. There is something missing in this picture, and it is not just about blaming Raghav, his record company or even the PR people.
Asha points out: "It is clear that this pop sensation's profile doesn't appear to tally with his healthy singles sales and a devoted fanbase."
The issue is about how Raghav is meant to be seen: as an Asian pop star or simply a pop star? What does that mean for other upcoming music artists and how they are perceived?
Music marketing executives like neat categories. What genre the music belongs to; who the most likely audience is; what the expected sales are. And when to communities they do not understand well, there is little thinking outside of this box.
Remember the infamous 'Asian underground revolution' that was supposed to happen when Talvin Singh won a Mercury prize in 1999? Vivek Bald's excellent documentary Mutiny Sounds showed how that fell apart when industry executives could not grasp how to sell it.
Raghav seems to be in a similar bind. One the one hand he seems to be marketed only for Asians. At the same time faces resistance from those who don't know what to do with an Asian artist. Consider these two examples.
Rumours are that the much hyped soul singer Nina Jayne was dropped by BMG after, insiders say, the marketing people could not figure out how to market her. She made 'black music' but was half-Asian. Would she have credibility? We won't know anytime soon.
Someone else let slip that producers DJ Ams & Khiza, who made a popular remix of Hot Like Fire, were refused airplay by a national radio station on the grounds that it already had another Asian artist on their playlist.
Such patronising attitude already exists within the media and it should come as no surprise to those in the music industry. What it suggests is that music executives and radio stations are still not sure what to do with Asian artists.
They might prefer to market Asian artists only to Asian audiences, which spells trouble for anyone trying to break through. Or the CD might be relegated to the World Music shelf.
The few that have gathered widespread acclaim such as Nitin Sawhney, Anjali and more recently M.I.A., seem to neither want the Asian 'tag' nor produce anything that can be categorised easily. Let me put it another way, how many Asian R&B or rock artists have started off with an Asian base and then built widespread acclaim?
Raghav and Jay Sean are seen as the new beacons of change yet their mainstream profile is surprisingly low considering their chart successes. Blaming it on their style or song writing skills deflects the fact there is far worse chart talent out there.
Both want mainstream success, and deservedly so, yet it remains to be seen if they can make that all important transition.
