Albatross - Timi Bhane

This week I am listening to Albatross’s 2005 EP, “Jo Jas Sanga Sambandhit Chha”, and the song “Timi Bhane,” which I’m sure is a favourite amongst many, is such a joy to play on guitar. I obsessed over this song in my teens and deeply appreciated Sirish Dai’s refreshing take on songwriting. A vocal tone that was rough around the edges but so expressively emotive at the same time. A true artist.

Just my luck, around early 2007-2008 ish I got to meet guitar virtuoso Sunny Dai, who had moved to Canada and decided to spend a few years here in Toronto. At the time, I was playing at a lot of local Nepali community events, and Sunny Dai and I got a chance to connect and play on a few occasions. “Sunny’s guitar playing is so unique. Ekdam different chha.”, I would hear other musicians compliment him as I nodded in awe and agreement. Evident in Albatross’s riffs and compositions, this EP was a disrupter in the Nepali alternative music scene, an absolute gem.

Later in 2014, during my Ma Ek Sapana Tour, I was ecstatic when given the opportunity to tour alongside Albatross. We played 4 Australian show dates together in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and I got a chance to really know Albatross ko dai haru. Many deep conversations and travels shared with Sirish dai, Abhaya dai, Sunny dai and Kismat. They kept me shielded from all the negative aspects of the music/touring industry, and I always felt safe in their presence. In all this narrative around “me too” and “women empowerment,” I sometimes wonder if we forget to give credit to the rare few men in the industry who show their utmost respect to women and create safe spaces where female musicians get an opportunity and an environment to grow and evolve. #iseeyouandiappreciateyou

2014 Ma Ek Sapana tour was massive, one that I will cherish until my hairs turn grey👵. I made many friends along the way like Roshan aka Bhaley, Parikshyit dai, Sisham Dai, Oscar Dai and Abishek aka Thakali from 3D events who were at the time making massive waves in the early Nepali tour/music promotion scene. We will meet again someday, I’m sure of it :). #tourlyf #lyfcha

#timibhane #albatross #jojassangasambandhitchha #songsthatmademe

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Danny Denzongpa - Chiso Chiso Hawa Ma

This week I am listening to “Chiso Chiso Hawama” by Danny Denzongpa. As I sit here typing this, drinking my tea ☕ listening to this beautiful and chilling song in the Canadian winter air, my childhood memories with my parents come flooding back like flashing lights. This song in particular takes me back to many precious moments spent with my parents as we hopped on my baba’s red Kawasaki motorcycle and made our way from Kathmandu to the cottages in Nagarkot 🏍️. Sometimes baba would let me ride in the front, and sometimes my parents would sandwich little me in the middle to keep me warm on colder, windier days :) 🌬️. Nagarkot wasn’t so developed back then, and the cottages preserved the natural charm and simplicity of village life.

Nothing beats Nagarkot’s dense and dewy morning air, beautiful sunrises, and endless skies at night filled with shooting stars. I used to take my cassette player with me and listen to a lot of music in the morning ambience, bust out my pencil and notebook, and keep hitting the rewind button until I had every lyric written down to the songs I loved. After a long motorbike ride from the city and a nice hike around the area, we would end up back in our room extremely hungry. Mama would bust open her tiffin with delicious khasi ko mutton kebabs and crunchy beaten rice #chiura. My mama is a hardcore vegetarian now, and the memory of her munching down mutton kebabs saying “kasto mitho!” makes me chuckle 🤭🍢. After that, mama and baba would sip on some taato pani and whiskey 🥃, and we would all cuddle up, and little me would fall asleep in mama and baba’s warm, comforting embrace.

Revisiting this song after many years, it brings me a lot of joy to sing it for you today. This rendition is one I used to perform a lot in my earlier shows, which some of you may have caught back in 2008. Some of you might also find influences pulled from Robin Dai’s rendition of this song.

With lyrics and music by Ranjit Gazmer, here is Danny Denzongpa’s 1976 release, “Chiso Chiso Hawama”.

#chisochisohawama #dannydenzongpa #ranjitgazmer #songsthatmademe

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Mukti and Revival - Chaubandi Cholo

This week I am listening to Mukti and Revival’s debut album, ‘Kalankiko Jam’, released in the year 2000. I have a deep attachment to this album, as the songs make me reminisce about my teenage years in Canada, when music was the way I kept in touch with my Nepali roots. Listening to this album also transports me back to the year 2008 in Kathmandu, when I was playing a series of local opening gigs for Mukti and Revival and Looza as I worked on my first album, ‘Sabai Thikai Huncha’.

Nights spent in Bhumi in Lazimpat while listening to Mukti Dai and Looza play were inspiring, and opening for their sets was such a huge learning and growing experience for me. I remember being in awe of Mukti dai’s charisma and personality as he performed. His performances were a blessing for us young musicians to witness, and they gave us all something to aspire towards. I also have a fond memory of meeting Pavit dai from Kutumba for the very first time in Bhumi during those sets, and a very cute memory of 18 year old me shyly signing my very first paper napkin as a keepsake for Pavit dai📝. I don’t think any words will be able to express the gratitude that I feel as I type this today 🥹. #thankyouforbelievinginme

As Malcolm Gladwell so eloquently argues in his book Outliers, why “the self-made" person is a myth and what really drives success for performers in every profession is frequently a chain of fortunate circumstances, exceptional opportunities, and other outside variables that are beyond our control... I will forever be grateful for the opportunities bestowed upon me by the generations before me, and I hope that I will be able to do the same for generations to come.

#muktiandrevival #chaubandicholo #songsthatmademe

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Narayan Gopal/Tara Devi - Eh Kancha Thattai Ma

This week I am listening to “Eh Kancha Thattai Ma” by Narayan Gopal and Tara Devi. This song brings back a lot of memories of tiny me, listening to my mamu and my thulo mamu sing this song while we all prepped green kerau 🫛 during sunny afternoons spent on the balcony of our Maharajgunj ghar. "Munu... aaja ta chiya paka hai?”, my mamus would ask of me, looking all cute and all 😆. There’s no other emotion that beats the feeling of drinking a warm caffeinated Nepali tea in the late afternoon sun ☕. #nepalichiya

I was so tiny back then that, knowingly and unknowingly, a lot of these melodies from my mamus’ eras became a part of who I am, just through sheer osmosis. Listening to my two mamus sing when I was a kid is a very special memory for me. As I reminisce today, in my adulthood, it reminds me of how lucky I was to have grown up in an environment so nurturing as a child that I got to witness their sisterhood, their motherhood, what being a woman in a family meant, and what being a woman would mean for me when I grew up. #myrolemodels

My mamus did a lot. They were entrepreneurs, they were career women, they were homemakers, they were wives, and they were mothers. Being a mother meant that their jobs didn’t end just because they got home, and they didn’t have the luxury of taking a sick day. Women in families do so much, you see, without asking for anything back, without asking for any help, and without asking for any credit. They give because to give and to nurture is part of their genetic code. #unconditionallove

When I grew up, I wanted to be just like them, capable, intelligent, strong, independent, loving, and warm. I wanted to be kind. #ittakescouragetobekind

With lyrics by Ratna Shumsher Thapa and music by Narayan Gopal, here's my rendition of “Eh Kancha Thattai Ma”.

#ehkanchathattaima #narayangopal #taradevi #ratnashumsherthapa #songsthatmademe

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Norah Jones - Don’t Know Why

This week I’m listening to singer-songwriter-pianist Norah Jones’ 2002 debut album “Come Away With Me”. This song brings back many memories of my young teenage self listening to this album on repeat on my silver Sony D-E351 Walkman. #mymostprizedposession

Listening to Norah Jones at the time was extremely inspiring, given her unique ability to fuse pop, country, jazz, and blues with timeless standards. One fine day in 2003, our baba brought home a karaoke machine for us as a surprise🎤🎁. My little brother and I were super excited, and we would spend countless hours singing and discovering new songs on the machine. “Don’t Know Why” was one song that I particularly gravitated towards and absolutely loved singing on the karaoke :). #musiclovers #karaokenight

There was a sense of beauty in the simplicity of starting all over in foreign lands from scratch. Our parents had created a home filled with so much love and so much music that we really didn’t need anything else🥹. Being there for one another and growing up through our humble beginnings bonded us all very deeply as a family. #migrant

This album, for that reason, will always hold a very special place in my heart. Written and composed originally in 1999 by Jesse Harris, here’s “Don’t Know Why" which appears as track number 1 on the Grammy-award-winning album “Come Away with Me". #dontknowwhy #comeawaywithme #norahjones #jesseharris #songsthatmademe

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Om Bikram Bista - Ma Maunta Ma

This week I am listening to Aadhunik-pop artist Om Bikram Bista’s song Ma Maunta Ma. The melancholy in his songs is so immaculately captured in his melodies that it makes me deeply appreciate the songwriting genius of that era. #KingofNepaliPop

This song brings back a lot of memories, especially of my pyaro Sarin daa. I have memories of a 10 year old fuchhi Astha… sneaking into my Sarin dada’s room while he was sleeping, stealing his Asterix comics (any Asterix fans out here?) and secret Wai Wai stash 😂, playing Age of Empires and Prince of Persia on his computer, and instant messaging his friends on MSN messenger pretending to be him (sorry daaaaaa, muahaha 😈).

Jokes aside, my daa has an incredibly elevated taste in music, and he introduced me to a lot of amazing songs from his era in my childhood. I always looked forward to hearing him sing at family events. This song was one that daa sang a lot as he mildly strummed away on his acoustic guitar around the warmth and smoky comfort of a firepit. This song is now forever embedded into my DNA because of him🥹. #loveyoudaa #happybhaitika

Originally written and composed by songwriters Robert Subba, Albert Subba alongside Puru Thapa, Subarna Limbu and Om Bikram Bista, here is my rendition of “Ma Maunta Ma”.

#mamauntama #ombikrambista #songsthatmademe

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1974 AD - Sambodhan

This week I’m listening to 1974 AD’s 2001 album “Satabdi”, and wow, this album brings back so many memories. This was an album I revisited often as a kid, and a lot more in my teens once I learned how to play the guitar. I did not imagine that I would ever be in the same room as 1974 AD ko dai haru someday bhanera.

Meeting them and being in their presence while pursuing music in Kathmandu, always filled me with so much positivity and encouragement that I cannot find the words to describe the immense love and respect I have for them. Being greeted by Nirakar dai’s beautiful smile and hugs whenever I'm at KJC makes my day. KJC, Moksh and KatJazz studios were always environments that gave such positive vibes #unconditionalloveandsupport.

Beautiful memories of meeting Phiroj Dai at the Hard Rock Cafe during my tour in Boston back in 2011 will forever be a milestone memory that I will cherish for life.

Track 7 on the album, ‘Sambodhan’ also brings back some very vivid and grim memories of the immense pain we all felt as a generation when we lost our beloved royal family in June of 2001 and the 9/11 attack on the U.S. that soon followed in September.

Tiny 12 year old Astha was not mature enough at the time to understand the gravity of the situation, but she was definitely emotionally aware enough to feel its weight. #neverforget

More recently, my deepest condolences to all the earthquake victims and survivors in Northwestern Nepal as I post this🕯️.

#sambodhan #satabdi #1974AD #songsthatmademe

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Daisy Baraili / Dawa Gyalmo - Mayalule Samjhe Ki Kaso

This week I am listening to “Mayalu le Samjhe ki Kaso” by Daisy Baraili and Dawa Gyalmo. Dashain and Tihar celebrations always remind me of this song because, this song was a huge hit in our household, one that we sang a lot at our family gatherings and still do to this day 😀. After we were done with tika, we would end our night around the firepit with a spectacular bhoj featuring my thulo mamu’s special kauli, pahelo daal, mitho saag, chicken tarkari, and aalu ko achaar. #bhoklagyo

The minute my uncle Ramesh Mama (whom a lot of you may already know as “cool professor” from Kathmandu University 😀 – #viral #pleaseyoutubehim ) would pick up the guitar and start singing, the energy of the night would take off 🚀 and all of us would join in with our vocal harmonies and claps 😅. #lifeoftheparty #sorrydearneighbours . He would start with this song and lead to an encore performance of “Musu Musu Hasideu” by Hong Kong-based Nepali pop rock band The Himalayans. Even our family pet dog (pyaro chhori), MusuMaya, is named after these two iconic songs 🐶.

To this day, memories of singing around the firepit with my parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins play back so vividly in my head. I find myself tearing up every time 🥹🤧, especially while revisiting memories of my parents slow dancing deeply in love.

I find this song particularly inspiring as it features the work of three incredible women; singers Daisy Baraili, Dawa Gyalmo, and singer-songwriter Shanti Thataal - who is also credited as the first female music composer of the Nepali film industry on Wikipedia. The melodic transition to the E major chord is so unexpected and beautiful! I’m also feeling a deep awe and respect for the Darjeeling, Assam, and Sikkim diaspora of Nepali artists who have contributed so much to the Nepali music community🙇🏻‍♀️.

#daisybairaili #dawagyalmo #shantithataal #mayalulesamjhekikaso #songsthatmademe

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Ben Harper - Walk Away

This week I’m listening to Ben Harper’s 1994 debut album “Welcome to the Cruel World”. This album takes me back to the year 2003. I had just received a care package 📦 from my dii, and this time she had sent me this amazing album, which is one of my favourites of all time. Track 10 on the album, the song “Walk Away,” is one I have a very deep emotional attachment to as it takes me back to many memories of my 14 year old self, learning how to play this very guitar riff in the silence of late nights spent awake in my room. #nightowl

This song finds me again later in 2008, as I was finishing up my 18th year in this universe and my very first relationship was coming to an end. He was moving away for uni and I was about to head to Kathmandu to write and release my first album. “Astha, don’t say anything, just listen to the words to this song okay?”, he said. And through the tiny speakers of my white Sony Ericsson W810i phone, to my surprise, he played me this same song by Ben Harper. A complete coincidence or a sign from the universe?

This song in that moment, felt like a warm blanket’s embrace on a chilly morning. I felt comforted, understood, and in awe that the universe had given me exactly what I needed. Songs always have a way of finding their way back to you, when you need them the most. From that moment on, I knew that everything was going to be okay, and you know what? Sabai thikai nai bhayo :).

#walkaway #welcometothecruelworld #benharper #songsthatmademe

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