"Her empowering spirit translates directly to her music" - Billboard
"She is ready to become a breakout artist worldwide" - Ones To Watch
"Ananya Birla is a name and sound to be remembered" - Play It By Ear
Further establishing herself as one of most exciting new artists on the international pop scene, Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Ananya Birla has dropped 'Blackout'.
The dynamic new track, released today via Universal Music Group and supported by Island Records UK, sees Ananya join forces with two of Nigeria's biggest artists, rap star Vector and electro fusion act WurlD, for a breezy blend of pop and hip-hop. The DJ Buddha (Pitbull, Jason Derulo, Shakira) - produced 'Blackout' layers Ananya's slick vocals over an agile beat, before giving way to the Lagosian rap duo.
'Blackout', which Ananya co-wrote with Angela Hunte (Empire State of Mind), is the first single from her highly-anticipated debut EP 'Fingerprint', out on May 17th. The song is accompanied by an animated lyric video, available on YouTube.
Speaking on the new single, Ananya explains, "'Blackout' is all about taking a step back from the relentless pace of the modern world. It took me a while, but I've realised that life isn't about racing to the finish line, it's about savouring every step of the journey.
"I had always wanted to incorporate rap and hip hop into one of my songs, and it was awesome to work with Vector and WurlD on this. I'm a big believer that music is the ultimate global language and collaborating with artists from all over the world is a big part of that."
On the collaboration, WurlD said, "Heard Ananya for the first time on the ruff draft of 'Blackout' and I knew instantly she had something special. I'm honoured to be a part of this great record"
Vector added, "The world needs more voices like ours and Ananya did amazing with this record. it is a pleasure to have joined voices with her and WurlD on this art piece."
Crafting pop anthems with a strong dose of fiery female empowerment, Ananya is a truly unique talent. Since breaking onto the scene in late-2017, Ananya, who was recently listed as one of GQ's Most Influential Young Indians, has already racked up over 150 million streams and become the first homegrown artist singing in English to ever gain Platinum status in India, a feat she went on to achieve with her last five releases. She has also performed at some of Asia's biggest concerts including Global Citizen and Sunburn.
Ananya is a singer-songwriter based between Mumbai, London and Los Angeles, and the first homegrown artist to go Platinum with an English language track in India - something she has now done five times, breaking the dominance of Bollywood music on the Indian music scene.
Since signing with Universal Music India in 2016, the self-taught santoor and guitar player, has reached over 150m combined streams and collaborated with artists such as Afrojack, Jim Beanz and Mood Melodies. She has also performed at major Indian concerts including Global Citizen, Oktoberfest and Sunburn, Asia's biggest electronic music festival, and has plans to perform in The UK and US over the coming year.
Ananya, who has been listed as one of GQ's Most Influential Young Indians and one of Forbes' Women to Watch, is working on an upcoming EP which is due for release in May via UMG and Island Records UK.
Outside her music, Ananya is a strong believer in equality. She uses music to bring people from all backgrounds together and organizes music festivals in Mumbai to benefit the mental health organisation she founded, Mpower. Mpower was launched after she battled her own issues whilst at Oxford University and works towards dispelling the stigma associated with mental health illnesses and providing care in India where there's been little to date. Her last two concerts have brought together over 30 thousand people. She recently spoke about Mpower at One Young World.
She also promotes female empowerment through her business Svatantra which helps women entrepreneurs in rural India grow their businesses and become financially independent. Svatantra means 'freedom' in Hindi.
About WurlD:
WurlD, is an American - Nigerian singer and songwriter. He began his career after moving to Atlanta, Georgia, US, for school and recording his own music, described by VIBE as electro-fusion. His debut EP evolution, was released in 2013. In late 2012, WurlD released his first single, "Beyond Our Dreams" from his debut EP titled Evolution. After receiving gold certification for a collaborative track, "Follow You" with Polish International DJ Gromee, WurlD went on to work with the likes of Akon, B.O.B, Mario, Trinidad James.
About Vector:
Ogunmefun Olanrewaju, better known by his stage name Vector the Viper, is a Nigerian Hip hop artist. Vector has released 3 studio albums, State of Surprise (SOS) and the Second Coming (2012). In anticipation of his second studio album, he released a mix tape titled "Bar Racks," "Lafiaji" which was released in December 2016. He is the voice behind the Sprite commercial that has aired on most radio stations across Nigeria since 2009.
He started his journey into hip hop in junior high in 1994. In St. Gregory's College, he was involved in various social activities in which he was made to perform from the stage. In 1999, he formed a duo called Badder Boiz, who wrote their own songs and in the same year went on to start performing at showcases as a trio.
