Meet Rianjali Bhowmick | Singer-Songwriter & Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rianjali Bhowmick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rianjali, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks has been one of the biggest things to change the entire course of my career. I used to be so afraid of showing up because I was afraid of failing. But that was precisely the reason that I wasn’t getting opportunities – I didn’t even open myself up to the option of what I could do if I tried to take risks.

But once I started to change that perspective, I took on projects that I thought were above expertise – working around the clock to make deadlines and learning things on the spot. Initially, I had a lot of imposter syndrome, and I think we all have it from time to time, but I realized that no matter what industry you’re in, you’re always going to be learning things on the spot. Every time I felt the fear, I worked harder to make sure I delivered – giving me the confidence to pitch myself for more and more projects.

Take the risks!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I come from a family that loved that I sang, but didn’t love it if it were to be anything more than just “a hobby”. I’m born and raised in NYC, and my parents are Bangladeshi and Indian. So for most of my life, I didn’t even dare to dream that my passion COULD become my career. I never related to the kids that said they’d been dreaming about this moment their whole life, I didn’t get the chance to dream. So I set out to become a psychologist. Practical. Steady. I got my Bachelors in Psychology, (later, my Masters) and all the while, I was performing whenever and wherever I could – almost always for free. Unfortunately, during my last year of college, I performed while I was rather sick, not being well educated on vocal health – and I damaged my vocal cords. 3 years went by without me knowing what was going on; I began to lose my range, my voice sounded rough, raspy, and it physically hurt when I tried to sing. So I fully engulfed myself in work. I was working at a domestic violence non profit organization as a case manager at the age of 23, when I finally went to an ENT doctor, who told me I had about 3-4 large nodes on my vocal cords and that I would need surgery. Though the diagnosis was scary, it felt like it might give a second chance, so I took it. I got the surgery done and when I finally recovered after 10 days of no talking and eating, I remember hearing my voice and I just cried. I hadn’t heard or felt my normal voice in years, I truly thought this huge part of me was just gone and that I had to deal with it.

That moment was the beginning of it all. I began writing music again, singing again, working the muscles out again – with still no intention of making it my career, but knowing I didn’t have another choice. I had to continue with music by my side because the years that I lost it were the absolute worst. I fell into heavy depressive episodes, and was prescribed anti-anxiety/anti-depressive/sleep meds that I hated.

But that was all to change soon. When I was 25, I got the opportunity to meet A.R. Rahman, the Oscar winning composer behind “Slumdog Millionaire” – he had heard an original song of mine and invited me to come to India to work for him. After a few months of thinking it over, I quit my job, and took the chance. What was supposed to be a 3 month experience, turned into my life. I learned everything about composing, music supervising, and being a part of big projects such as Netflix’s Daughters of Destiny, the major motion picture “Blinded By The Light” and even got a chance to write for artists like Bishop Briggs and U2. What was once a fading inkling of a thing I loved, revitalized itself into something I can not picture myself living without. And now I can see how much representation has affected that. I did not see a single person that looked like me on TV, in music, etc. when I was growing up. I now mentor the younger generation on songwriting, pitching your music, composing, and try to provide them the resources I found on my own. It’s also not lost on me that doing what I love so much saved me out of the most depressive years of my life thus far. I want to let people know that it is possible, and that I still struggle, but that I have so much happiness in me now, all brought on by pursuing music.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love the beach. I came from NYC so we have a few beaches but I think we can all agree that it doesn’t compare and that the weather doesn’t permit it most of the time. I would make them a huge meal for the moment they get to my apartment, probably chicken biryani (I make a mean chicken biryani). We’d eat it in my balcony in the shade.
We’d nap, grab a drink at Laurel Hardware in West Hollywood, potentially a few snacks as well and call it a night to rest up for the week of adventures.
During the week, we’d drive to Temecula, Malibu and Laguna Beach. We’d eat a lot of seafood, specifically oysters because why the heck not. Grab some lobster rolls from Broad Street Oyster Company in Malibu. We’d go to Thousand Steps beach, giving our calves a massive work out going down and back up those steps.
We’d try a bunch of wineries and soak up the peace in Temecula.
When we get back to LA, we’d try and grab a local concert any night of the week, grab sandwiches at Jackson Market during the day and sit in their outdoor patio in the back (one of my absolute favorite spots), and spend whatever time we have left checking out a few thrift stores and buying lots and lots of books for $1.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people who have paved the way for our successes, even in underrepresented communities. I got my first shot because the Oscar-Award Winning Composer of Slumdog Millionaire gave me a chance. I got to work on so many industry projects and learned so much from him along the way.

But on an every day basis, this is going to sound super cheesy but my husband is the reason I have the courage to be a creative. He’s a creative himself but an attorney by day so he works around the clock. When he’s off from work, he starts work on our production company. He used to manage me, find work for me, pitch me, there was never a moment he didn’t believe I could do this – even on days when I had $200 in my bank account.

Website: www.rianjali.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rianjalimusic

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rianjalimusic

Youtube: www.youtube.com/rianjalimusic

Image Credits
Paulo Salud Brandon Matos