Air Devi began as a solo project by singer-songwriter and sitarist, Devi Majeske. Melding flavors from her roots in Indian classical music as well as her upbringing in punk ethos, Devi creates a unique world that is brought to life by multi-instrumentalists Jacob Hershman, Jay Fein, and Seth Fein. As a biracial woman interested in transcending borders and fascinated by the relationships between language, music, and culture, Devi has written lyrics in French, English, Gujarati, and Hindi.
“Ashrita”, the latest single from Air Devi is an addictive and exciting example of what’s to come in a constantly evolving musical landscape where culture and genre-based lines continue to soften in intriguing ways. Rather than being a hodge-podge of cultural influences struggling to find common ground, “Ashrita” comes together as a cohesive and singular work of subversive pop one comes to expect from the City of Brotherly Love.
“I wrote this song after being stood up and ghosted by a musician (hence the lyric “what’s up with that guy / oh he must be dead). What lifted me out of that initial feeling of disappointment and self-doubt was listening to musicians who I look up to and who make me feel less alone (references to Ashrita from the band Pinkshift, Abi from the band Kulfi Girls, the great Lata Mangeshkar, and qawwali singer and revolutionary, Noor Jehan). This song is ultimately a celebration of those brave musicians, who I imagine have my back,” says Majeske.
