ISOLASHUN by Aditya Prakash

On Friday, October 13, 2023, the virtuosic Karnatik vocalist, Aditya Prakash, will release his debut solo album, ISOLASHUN, via New Amsterdam Records. Prakash has collaborated with a diverse range of innovative artists, who have praised him as a “visionary artist that has found a way to speak to everyone while speaking in his own language” (Tigran Hamasyan) who “makes art that truly reflects the mixes and contradictions, the conflicts and confluences of our lives” (Anoushka Shankar) and is known for his “strong, [and] powerful voice” (Ravi Shankar). On ISOLASHUN, Prakash explores the weight of privilege and the boundaries of Karnatik tradition by challenging its customary themes of beauty, devotion, and celebration with those of turmoil, angst, pain, anger, and protest.

ISOLASHUN was created in Prakash’s garage studio during the lockdown and is a reflection of his inward journey during the pandemic, marked by the solitude and introspection shared by millions of people around the world, as well as a growing awareness of the social disparities that starkly revealed themselves in that period.

Throughout ISOLASHUN, Prakash’s powerful vocal performance, intricately-textured compositions, and experiential approach to Karnatik music fuse to create a deeply personal statement that explores how “the political happenings in my two homes — India and the USA — made me painfully aware of the one-sidedness of history that I was taught since childhood: how Indian “classical” art forms are glorified as infallible and divine but are built on discrimination and oppression. It made me aware of my apathy, made possible by my privilege, that until now had allowed me to look away from my own complicity in these systems.”

Aditya Prakash, an award-winning vocalist known for his powerful and emotive voice, is one of the foremost virtuosos of Karnatik music.

At only 16 years of age, he became one of the youngest musicians to tour and perform with sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, accompanying him to such prestigious stages as Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and Disney Concert Hall.

Aditya has collaborated with a diverse range of innovative artists, including sitarist Anoushka Shankar; jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan; electronic experimental artist Karsh Kale, and the acclaimed dancer and choreographer Akram Khan. Aditya founded the eclectic music group, Aditya Prakash Ensemble, which creates a space for dialogue between Karnatik and jazz. The Ensemble’s 2020 album, “Diaspora Kid,” garnered praise from Songlines, KCRW and was featured in the top 15 albums on the Transglobal World Music Chart in May 2020. Aditya Prakash Ensemble was selected by the acclaimed festival showcase, GlobalFEST, to perform a NPR Tiny Desk concert in 2021.

Aditya is currently under the mentorship of two prolific artists: Karnatik musician, author, and activist, T.M. Krishna and Karnatik musician and scholar, R.K. Shriramkumar.

Recently, Aditya produced and co-composed the musical score for the N.E.F.A. awarded production, “She’s Auspicious” by Mythili Prakash. One of the songs Aditya produced for the album “HOME,” by Singaporean vocalist Sushma Soma, was featured on BBC at the Earthshot Awards.

Aditya Prakash, an award-winning vocalist known for his powerful and emotive voice, is one of the foremost virtuosos of Karnatik music.