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Sonam Kalra

Sonam Kalra

Singer

Multiple award winning singer-songwriter and composer Sonam Kalra, is that rare breed of musician who has been trained in both Indian and Western traditions of music and is equally adept at both.

Sonam’s unique brainchild, ‘Sonam Kalra & the Sufi Gospel Project’ which blends the many voices of faith, through poetry, prayer and music to create one universal voice of faith, has earned her international critical acclaim. Traditional western gospels meld with Indian classical sounds, and Eastern spiritual texts are enriched by elements of western poetry to create a sound that touches every soul. The Sikh morning prayer blends into the lilting strains of Amazing Grace, Sufi saint Kabir Das’s words find resonance in the hymn Abide with Me, Punjabi Poet Baba Bulleh Shah’s voice is juxtaposed with Persian poetry and English and Gaelic texts flow into Amir Khusrau’s poetry while a Buddhist chant gently shares the stage with a Sufi Qata. evealing that no matter what the language of the lyrics or the ethnicity of the sounds, there is but one language, the language of faith. And that, is the universal truth.

Sonam Kalra’s ability to flow seamlessly from one genre to another stems from her training in both Indian Classical and Western music traditions and. Sonam has learnt Hindustani Classical music from Smt. Shubha Mudgal and Pt. Sarathi Chatterjee and has also studied Gospel and Jazz with Ashley Clement in Singapore, as well as classical opera under the noted tenor, HurChul Young.

Sonam is known for her powerful yet sensitive voice and ability to blend styles, yet stay true to the music. Her singing reflects the special meaning it holds for her and she brings to it a raw truth that can move you from deep within, with a freshness and gaiety that are both invigorating and infectious. In addition to performing with her group of highly talented musicians, Sonam has collaborated with many musicians from different traditions, including gospel, Rajasthani folk, African and operatic tenors.

Sonam’s vast research into understanding Sufism and its true essence and her unique creative and contemporary interpretation of it has been greatly appreciated across the world. Owing to her versatility and unique perspective, Sonam is fast becoming a familiar voice at prestigious venues and festivals and has performed in 24 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and North America.

Awards and Recognition

Sonam was awarded the Inspiring Women Award, 2017 by WIN, a Norwegian Women’s organization. In 2016, Sonam was felicitated by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry as a 'Young Woman Achiever' for her work in the field of Music. In 2015 she was awarded by Femina, India’s leading women’s magazine, the L’Oréal Paris Femina 'Women Of Worth' Award for Music and Performing Arts. In 2014 Sonam was given the Devi Award by the New Indian Express - one of twenty exceptional women to be selected for 'Innovation and dynamism' in their respective fields. And in 2013 the Mail Today newspaper listed Sonam as one of “the 50 creative powerhouses & impresarios who have elevated Delhi from a cultural desert to one of the world’s leading arts capitals”. Elle magazine profiled Sonam in a list of “Transformers: Women Who Own the Future”. Sonam has also been invited to share her work on Secularism through Music at various TED talks

Performances

Sonam has been recognised and appreciated for her all-inclusive definition of Sufism and her message of Peace and Oneness has made her a popular voice at prestigious festivals and venues. Among the more not able recent performances of Sonam Kalra & the Sufi Gospel Project are the following:

  • Sydney Opera House for Confluence, the Festival of India in Australia
  • Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane
  • Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne
  • National Gallery of Australia,Canberra
  • ASEAN India PravasiBharatiya Divas in Singapore
  • A concert for 42 Heads of State at the Indo-Africa Summit, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi
  • Sounds of Freedom Concert in New Delhi, featuring legendary artist Bob Geld of
  • India by the Bay Festival, Hong Kong Bob Geld of
  • Performance in Dubai for Credit Suisse Bank at Burj-Al-Arab
  • Performed in Muscat for Oman Cancer Association and CanKids
  • Performed in Jakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia
  • Navras Festival, Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur
  • Bangalore Times Literature Festival
  • Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa
  • Paddy Fields Folk Festival, Mumbai
  • Women’s International Network Conference, Oslo, Norway
  • Women’s International Network Conference, Rome, Italy
  • Women’s International Network, Mumbai
  • Performance for Asian Ministerial Conference on AMCDRR 2016
  • Rama Krishna Mission Centenary Celebrations, Singapore
  • Ekam tour of Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritius
  • The Royal Opera House, Cairo
  • The UNESCO Palace Theatre, Beirut
  • Badroun, Beirut
  • The Municipale Theatre, Tunisia
  • The Shamiya Theatre, Kuwait
  • Indian Embassy Theatre, Muscat
  • Asia Society, Hong Kong
  • The India Festival, Bangkok
  • Jazz by the Lake Festival, Johannesburg & Durban
  • Nehru Centre, London, 2013
  • Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai
  • Eye on India Festival -Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco
  • The International Sama’a Festival for Spiritual Music, Cairo
  • Faiz International Festival, Lahore
  • Inchad Sufi Festival, Tunisia
  • Shared History Festival, South Africa
  • KalaaUtsavam Indian Festival of Arts, Singapore
  • Galle Literary Festival, Sri Lanka
  • Times Literature festival, Delhi
  • Tina Brown’s Women in The World Summit, New Delhi
  • Economic Times Women’s Economic Forum, Mumbai
  • Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, London 2013
  • Indian Republic Day celebrations, Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • At the residence of the Indian High Commissioner, London
  • At the residence of the Indian High Commissioner, Colombo
  • The India Show, Toronto, Canada
  • Indian Social Club, Sohar
  • Indian Social Club, Salalah
  • Concert for Peace to commemorate the European Union being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012, Delhi
  • Roosevelt House, New Delhi residence for the US Ambassador to India
  • Concert for the Commerce Ministers of India and Pakistan, New Delhi
  • At Rajiv Gandhi’s Samadhi on his birth anniversary in front of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, the Union cabinet and members of the Gandhi family
  • Jaipur Literature Festival, 2013 & 2015
  • South Asian Sufi Festival 2016, Jaipur
  • Amer Fort, Jaipur
  • Coke Studio, Season 3 on MTV
  • WIN Global Conference, Rome
  • Performance at Jahan e Khusrau Sufi Festival 2013, Delhi
  • Performance at Jahan e Khusrau Sufi Festival 2013, Jaipur
  • Performance at Jahan e Khusrau Sufi Festival 2014, Patna
  • Performance at Jahan e Khusrau Sufi Festival 2017, Delhi
  • The Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF), Jodhpur, Rajasthan
  • Kabir Festival, Mumbai
  • Udaipur World Music Festival Udaipur
  • The Khushwant Singh Festival, Kasauli
  • Performance for Indian Cancer Society at The Bahai’i Temple, New Delhi
  • Performance for Cansupport, at The Bahai’i Temple, New Delhi
  • Performance for The Young
  • Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) Summit, Srinagar
  • Performance for The World Presidents’ Organisation (WPO), Mumbai
  • Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, London 2016
  • Performance for The Lily Foundation, London
  • KrishnaKriti Festival, Hyderabad, 2014
  • Performance for The Doshi Foundation, NCPA Mumbai
  • The Saphire Ball, Muscat, Oman
  • The Global Education and Leadership Foundation, Jaipur
  • Jadavgarh Music festival, 2014
  • Kasauli Rhythm and Blues Festival 2015
  • Saif Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s wedding reception, New Delhi
  • JT – Performing Arts Centre, Kochi
  • Sama’a : The Mystic Ecstasy. Festival of Sufi music at NCPA, Mumbai
  • Performance at Tata Theatre, Mumbai
  • The Ahmedabad International Arts Festival
  • The Delhi International Arts Festival
  • GoMad Festival, Ooty
  • The Bengaluru International Arts Festival, Bengaluru
  • The World Sufi Spirit Festival, Nagaur
  • Nehru Centre, London 2016

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