Highlights:
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Turn O Spinning Wheel combines English folk, Indian ragas, and Sufi improvisation.
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Deepa Shakthi criticizes the industry’s focus on social media followers.
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Producer Stuart McCallum guided the album toward minimalism.
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The record features reworked folk songs, Punjabi pieces, qawwali, and raga Jog.
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Deepa emphasizes: “Music doesn’t need a label. Just be with it.”
When British folk singer Deepa Shakthi joined Mishra for a UK tour in 2023, she had doubts about how her Indian classical voice would blend with British folk in smaller rural towns.
“I was very reticent. I was very kind of… anxious inside,” she said.
Her concerns faded quickly. In Dorset, she recalled audiences “just screaming for more.” After performances, listeners often told her: “I didn’t understand a word you sang. But what is it I’m feeling?”
Her answer remains the same: “It doesn’t need a label. Just be with it.”
The Making of Turn O Spinning Wheel
The experiences from that tour led to Turn O Spinning Wheel, out October 17 via Shedbuilt Records. The album combines English folk tunes, Indian ragas, and Sufi improvisation without forcing the elements to merge unnaturally.
The first single, Kite, released on August 11, demonstrates this blend. Ford Collier’s Irish jig on the whistle inspired Deepa to imagine a kite in flight, which she then carried into her Hindi vocals.
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Minimalism in the Studio
Producer Stuart McCallum helped the group refine their work without changing its essence. “He taught us minimalism,” Deepa explained. McCallum cut down extended improvisations to create focused arrangements that still held the energy of a live jam.
Deepa feels that over-analysis strips away the essence of music. “We’ve moved so much away from intuitive response. We take it apart, we analyze things to such an extent, we’re trying to split a hair. I would urge listeners to just dive in, swim in it for a bit. No judgments. Life can be so simple, but we complicate it.”
Critique of Industry Obsession with Followers
Deepa is candid about the challenges she faces as a South Asian woman with decades of experience in Indian classical, semi-classical, rock fusion, and Sufi music.
“It’s heartbreaking. The first question from some organizations is, ‘What are your social media handles? How many followers do you have?’” she said. “I’m a very experienced musician… I have a handful of followers compared to people with less experience. Does that mean I’m less worthy? Obviously not.”
Her call is to listen beyond statistics. “Keep those stats to one side and just honestly listen to the band. You can tell when someone knows what they’re doing. There’s passion, there’s originality, there is power. Give them a chance.”
Despite this, she sees progress. She points to projects like a Monteverdi opera reinterpreted with Indian classical themes as proof that South Asian musicians are beginning to gain more recognition.
Advice for Younger Artists
Deepa encourages new musicians not to chase trends. “Don’t contrive. Don’t try and make it up. Stay true to yourself, be authentic. What you really are about, that should be what’s on stage. That will bring its own success.”
The record reflects this approach. It features reimagined English folk songs, Punjabi music, qawwali, and verses in raga Jog. The aim is not fusion for novelty’s sake but genuine musical conversation shaped in front of open audiences.
Upcoming Tour
Deepa and Mishra will tour this fall with support from SAA-UK and Arts Council England. The tour begins October 24 in Leeds and will include stops in Glastonbury, London (World Heartbeat), and Cardiff on November 30.
On stage, Deepa says, the method remains straightforward: “We just do our thing, lock in as a band, play confidently and passionately, and let the rest follow.”
A Variety of Sounds
For listeners unfamiliar with either tradition, Deepa describes the album as an open invitation. “It’s a new experience. It’s a fresh experience. Just go for it. Put it on. Don’t think, just feel.”
She compares it to a mixed selection: “There’s trancey stuff, there’s more kind of traditional folk, there’s a classical alaap… It’s like a chocolate box. There’ll be something somebody likes.”
In her view, the essence is simple: “Music doesn’t need explanation. It doesn’t need a label. Just be with it.”
Turn O Spinning Wheel is out October 17, with the single Kite already available.
