While in New York on vacation I found myself at an underground performance at Trans-Pecos where I was mesmerized by a surreal soothing voice that could be the next big thing. Anjali Naik, otherwise known as Diaspoura, is a DIY artist who uses her music to fight against the systems oppressing girls, people of color, queer people, and a wide range of underrepresented groups. This musician from rural South Carolina took her dreams to make music to the College of Charleston where she spent her time navigating how to turn life experiences into a physical product with her album, Demonstrations, and single, GTF.
Diaspoura's music is available for sale on bandcamp where she has both options of a digital download or physical copy of a DIY USB drive with lyrics, art, videos, and a zine included. In her zine, Diaspoura gives a look into the inspiration and thought process behind each of her songs that she describes to be under the categories of "ugly cry music" and "synth sap." Without spoiling too much of her writing, Anjali explains how her upbringing in a household of Hindu immigrants from Africa, Europe, and India in a conservative part of the South separated her approach to life from those around her, and inspired her to turn to music as a form of self expression and inclusivity.
Anjali uses her music to uplift those who have ever felt excluded, oppressed, or out of touch with their own identities by preaching impactful messages of appreciation, self-love, and defying the systematic prejudices embedded into relevant aspects of everyday life. While most songs on the radio today are about love and relationships, Diaspoura's music touches on loving what makes us all different and the most important relationship people can have, which is with themselves. Not only do her songs represent her raw emotions on very serious topics, but also provide a further analysis to them that make them so distinct and important. With each song, whether it be a concept filled song meant for coping or an angry response to a social injustice, the audience is left with a sense of empowerment which is pretty badass if you ask me.
