Original version

BBC World Service News Internet

Music Life Podcast

Music Life

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Where music stars discuss how they make their music

Where music stars discuss how they make their music.

No Master Brand

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC Afghan Radio

Music Life: Let the pressure make a diamond with Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari

Music

The triangle of texture, mood and rhythm with Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari

30/09/2023 GMT

Let the pressure make a diamond with Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari

BBC World Service - Music Life, Let the pressure make a diamond with Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari

An international quartet of musicians discuss how they have evolved through songwriting

Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari discuss  overcoming obstacles due to where you live, and how to evolve as an artist through songwriting.

Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari discuss singing in English or their native languages, overcoming obstacles due to where you live, and how to evolve as an artist through songwriting.

Xefer was born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and her journey in music started on YouTube where she would upload covers of herself performing songs in English of the likes of Bruno Mars, Jessie J and Paramore. She released her first single, Judge, in 2016, followed by her debut album, Uncaged, in 2017. Since then her style has changed and evolved, writing hit singles in Bengali such as Nei Proyojon, Jhumka and Harbo Na.

Apashe is a Belgian electronic music producer who is known for his bass-heavy anthems and expert sampling skills. His cinematic sound blends electronic music with elements of orchestral and classical music and has soundtracked the trailers for blockbuster films including John Wick: Chapter 2 and Fast & Furious: Hobbes and Shaw. He’s also currently touring the world with a live brass orchestra.

Kovacs is a singer from the Netherlands who spent her early years performing at open mic nights and wowing audiences with her powerful yet vulnerable sound. Her debut single, My Love, became a number one hit across Europe in 2013 and this year she released her album Child of Sin.

Indian-American rapper and singer Raja Kumari originally trained as an Indian classical dancer before discovering hip-hop through the Fugees’ album The Score. She’s since become a star in both the US and India, collaborating with everyone from Gwen Stefani to Sidhu Moose Wala, headlining huge festivals and founding her own label, Godmother Records.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Music Life

Let the pressure make a diamond with Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service News Internet

About BBC World Service