IraashrimantriCreating Change and Anti-Colonial Resistance: Listening to Gandhi’s “Ekla Chalo”Music played a key role in Mahatma Gandhi’s praxis and political advocacy, as he relied on music to realize the ends of social reform and…Jul 15Jul 15
IraashrimantriListening to Political Sparks: Decoding Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”“We Didn’t Start the Fire” is one of the most iconic songs of the twentieth century, one that has been able to possess its charm well into…Jun 232Jun 232
IraashrimantriMelodies for Justice: Exploring the Political Tones of Joan Baez’s Folk MusicJoan Baez is one of the foremost artist-activists of 20th century America, whose legendary career spans more than 30 albums which have been…Jun 19Jun 19
IraashrimantriReaping the “Strange Fruits of Violence”: Unraveling the Political Strains of Billie Holiday’s…America has always been a deeply unjust society. With legacies of violence inflicted on indigenous people and Black people, the US…Jun 15Jun 15
IraashrimantriAnthems of Defiance: Woody Guthrie’s Anti-Fascist SongsWoodrow Wilson Guthrie, popularly known as Woody Guthrie, was an American singer-songwriter who left an enduring legacy on the horizon of…Jun 15Jun 15
IraashrimantriStraddling Art and Activism: How Hozier’s Lyrics Foreground Dissent and ResistanceThe Irish singer-songwriter wrote and recorded his masterpiece “Take Me to Church” in his parents’ attic more than 10 years ago. Little did…Jun 15Jun 15
IraashrimantriOf Remembrance and Resistance: Unpacking Aamir Aziz’s Strain of DissentIn the throes of the widespread protest that marked India during the end of 2019 and the dawn of 2020, music and poetry seemed to be the…May 4May 4
IraashrimantriExploring Black Anguish and Resistance in Nina Simone’s MusicBorn as Eunice Kathleen Waymon, Simone was a child music prodigy. Often called ‘The High-Priestess of Soul,’ she grappled with coming to…May 4May 4
IraashrimantriFormation, Black Parade, et al.: Unpacking Resistance in Beyonce’s DiscographyBeyonce is a cultural phenomenon in herself, as her music breaks the boundaries of popularity to achieve new milestones of creativity and…May 4May 4
Iraashrimantri“Get Up, Stand Up”: Yothu Yindi’s Revolutionary ArtistryMusic has long been used to catalyze change, through sounding out the drums of protest and prompting people to march forward in demand of…Apr 13Apr 13