Long Take: Life as an Artist

In this episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, we meet Anusheh Anadil — musician, artist, cultural activist, and social entrepreneur from Bangladesh. She was the lead singer of the band Bangla, which rose to immense popularity in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The group revolutionized popular culture by bringing traditional spiritual folk songs - especially those inspired by the philosophy of Fakir Lalon Shai - to urban youth. Tune in now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite platform! Anusheh’s music blends folk traditions with themes of feminism, freedom, spirituality, and social revolution. As a cultural activist, she founded Jatra Bangladesh, a creative hub that promotes Bangladeshi arts, crafts, and folk music. Through her work, Anusheh advocates for cultural revival, women’s empowerment, social activism, and reconnecting with roots through music and art. In this interview, she reflects on her family’s involvement in the Bangladesh Liberation War and in the country’s artistic scene. She also talks about her personal journey of leaving behind heroin and city life. She recalls how Kingkortobbobimuro (2002), the debut album by Bangla, became a nationwide success while she was still in rehab. Anusheh emphasizes her belief that nature should not be treated as a commodity, and she dreams of singing songs that could grow flowers, nurture trees, or cleanse rivers. #LongTake #podcast #Norient #AnushehAnadil #ThomasBurkhalter #Anthropology #Bangladesh #Dhaka #FolkMusic #LalonShai #Bangla

In this episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, we meet Khayam Sanu Sandhi, a singer, songwriter, and producer from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Inspired by poets Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath Tagore—two towering figures in Bangladeshi culture—Sandhi aims to create new music that resonates deeply. “They created thousands of songs—I’ve made hundreds so far, but I aspire to compose thousands,” he shares. Tune in now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other platforms! Tune in now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other platforms! Sandhi’s musical repertoire spans pure Indian folk and classical music, rock, punk, romantic love ballads, children’s songs, and jingles for advertisements. His compositions reflect the rich cultural heritage of Bangladesh, interwoven with his personal touch and sensibilities. Born into a family deeply rooted in music, Sandhi began his journey on the lap of his father, Khodaboksh Sanu, a trained musician from Rabindra Bharati University, a BTV music composer, and a teacher at Bangladesh Shishu Academy. At their home, which doubled as the music school Anondom Shongeetangon, Sandhi learned to play the harmonium and mastered Indian classical rags at a young age. He performed on stage as early as two and a half years old, later excelling in competitions and winning prizes as a child artist. In his teenage years during the early 2000s, Sandhi explored rock music. Over time, he fused his classical training with contemporary genres, creating a distinctive sound that appeals to diverse audiences. We talk about his creative process, influences, and the role of Indian classical music in the Bangladeshi pop industry. His path has not been without challenges. Sandhi speaks about the difficulties of the music industry in Bangladesh, particularly the struggles of receiving agreed-upon payments for his work. He emphasizes the importance of taking time to "feed his soul," ensuring he remains inspired and ready to compose his next piece. In this episode, Norwegian photographer Ørjan Ellingvåg, who also captured the portraits featured here, will join the conversation. #LongTake #podcast #Norient #Khayam Sanu Sandhi #ThomasBurkhalter #Anthropology #Bangladesh #Dhaka #Songwriting #CreativeProcess #Raga #IndianClassicalMusic #Tala

In this episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, we sit down with Sharmin Sultana Sumi, a Bangladeshi lyricist, composer, vocalist, and entrepreneur, best known for her work with the internationally acclaimed folk-rock band Chirkutt. Sumi shares her philosophy of music and life, rooted in resilience and fueled by personal hardships. Sumi opens up about her career path—from overcoming initial struggles as a female lead singer to performing on international stages alongside legendary bands like Scorpions, collaborating with the Norwegian band Casa Murilo, and performing at MTV India, South By Southwest, Jaffa Music Festival, Womex, and more. She introduces us to her creative ventures, including Kokil Studios and Spring Off Music, her dynamic production hub. Sumi also discusses projects like Nodi Rocks (featuring one song for each river in Bangladesh), which reflects her passion for linking music and environmental advocacy. Additionally, she shares insights into her advertising company, Salt Creatives, which often focuses on climate change initiatives. Tune in for an engaging conversation about making music larger than life, thriving in the face of adversity, and embracing creativity for a greater cause. Fun fact: Sumi has the unique ability to write a song during an interview. Let’s find out if she crafted one this time! #LongTake #podcast #Norient #Anthropology #ThomasBurkhalter #Bangladesh # SharminSultanaSumi #Chirkutt #climate #activism #nature #musicbusiness

Bangladeshi rapper Gold Cube sent us his 'Dec 18, 2024, Quota Reform Movement Monologue'—a spontaneous recording. We decided to publish it as an add-on to Episode Six. #LongTake #Norient #Anthropology #podcast #Goldcube #Bangladesh #QuotaReform #ThomasBurkhalter #PuranDhaka

In this episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, we meet young Bangladeshi hip-hop artists Gold Cube, Paital, and RizwanOnTheBeat. Through their lyrics and beats, they tackle social issues and shed light on the challenges young people face in Bangladesh. We meet Nirob, also known as Gold Cube, along with Paital and Rizwan, at the home of their local idol, Skibkhan—listen to the episode featuring him here. Together, we explore Puran Dhaka, the Old City of Dhaka, where they were born, live, and work—a place they are deeply proud of. Through hip hop, they strive to represent the people of their neighborhood and the generation of college students in Bangladesh, who often face limited opportunities, as they explain in the interview. The three wield rap as a powerful weapon against negativity. Their international influences include iconic American artists such as Ice Cube (whose name inspired the "Gold Cube" moniker), Dr. Dre, Kanye West, and the beat-producing collective Internet Money, led by Taz Taylor. RizwanOnTheBeat produces a podcast and creates content for bdhiphop, having previously contributed to Desihiphop.com and BeatsBangla. This interview took place during Sheikh Hasina's 15-year tenure as Prime Minister, which ended in August 2024 when she reportedly fled to India following massive protests against her regime. Gold Cube was actively involved in these protests and reportedly went into hiding for a time as authorities sought him. #LongTake #podcast #Norient #Anthropology #ThomasBurkhalter #Bangladesh #PuranDhaka #Goldcube #Paital #iamrizwanonthebeat #Banglish #BdRap

In this episode of «Long Take: Life as an Artist», we meet Bangladeshi rapper Skibkhan, a member of the pioneering hip hop crew Deshi MCs. He delves into the creative process behind his lyrics and explores his role and responsibilities as a rapper in Dhaka. Bangladeshi rapper Khan M Sayeed, popularly known as Skibkhan, strives to pack as many words into a bar as possible while keeping his lines simple and not overly complex. As a founding member of Deshi MCs, the group credited with introducing ‘Bangla Gangsta Rap’ and hip-hop to Bangladesh, Skibkhan has played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s music scene. In the interview, he reflects on how to deliver clear and impactful messages without unnecessarily offending minority groups, emphasizing that freedom of speech should not turn into hate speech. He shares his observations on class conflicts in Bangladesh from a middle-class perspective and discusses how reading Bangla poetry—an inspiration from his grandmother, a poet—has helped him expand his vocabulary. Skibkhan also opens up about his journey in the music industry, the challenges he has faced, and his aspirations for the future. This interview was conducted while Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, was still in power. Her presidency ended in August 2024 when she fled to India following massive protests against her regime. #LongTake #podcast #interview #Norient #Anthropology #ThomasBurkhalter #Skibkhan #DeshiMCs #rap #BanglaRap #Bangla #Bangladesh #Dhaka #protest

In the third episode of «Long Take: Life as an Artist», Asif Iqbal, known as Aia Lemonsky, recalls how writing songs gave him strength to survive his time in prison. He sings us some of these songs - with the sounds of Dhaka in the background. Listen to this episode on Spotify or on YouTube. Music, writing, and drawing served as lifelines for Aia Lemonsky during his time of imprisonment in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reflecting on that period, he recalls how music gave him the strength to face each day, writing helped him organize his thoughts, and drawing became a form of meditation. A man who started music in prison, and cherishes the sky and lemons, Aia was charged with defamation—a charge that has ensnared many in Bangladesh, often under the controversial Digital Security Act. This law has been widely criticized for violating human rights and suppressing freedom of speech. This interview was conducted while Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, was still in power. Her presidency ended in August 2024, when she fled to India following massive protests against her regime. Since his release, Aia Lemonsky has resumed creating music with his band, Kaaktaal (which translates to "The Serendipity of Life"). In addition, he is building a career as an architect alongside being a professional graphic designer and video editor. #LongTake #podcast #interview #Norient #Anthropology #AyaLemonsky #AsifIqbal #Kaaktaal #Bangladesh #Dhaka #prison #prisonmusic #prisonsongs

In the third episode of «Long Take: Life as an Artist», we meet Mohamed Rai, a session drummer, handpan musician, and former scuba dive instructor from the Maldives. He tells me what it means to work as a musician in the many tourist resorts, and he talks about his love for water, waves and silence. His friend Hanan drops by and leaves to catch the ferry. Listen to this episode on Spotify or on YouTube. Mohamed Rai started drumming when he was three years old, encouraged by the musicians in his family: his grandfather Ibrahim Ahmed (Molhudhoo Thuthu), and his uncle Nashid, front man of the well-known band «Zero Degree Atoll», who passed away in 2016. Mohamed studied graphic design in Sri Lanka. He left the dense capital Malé and today lives on Thulusdhoo island, where he runs an Airbnb (that I highly recommend), and recently opened the music venue/ Restaurant «The Shore Shack». We discuss the lack of respect artists often face within the community, and how influential figures like his physics teacher, Shifaz (also known as "Doctor"), a session musician himself, played a key role in giving him the courage to follow his own path. Mohamed also shares his deep connection to the silence, the waves, and the birds of Thulusdhoo, and he talks about the changing soundscape of Malé. #LongTake #podcast #interview #Norient #Anthropology #MohamedRai #ravdrum #Maldives #Thulushdoo #tourism #zerodegreeatoll #soundscapes #water #silence #sessionmusician #handpan #handpanmusic #handpanworld #handpancommunity

In the second episode of Norient’s podcast Long Take: Life as an Artist, Maldivian singer, producer, and artist Zara Mujthaba shares insights into her musical journey and life on Thulusdhoo island, her involvement with the influential Maldivian collective Dinba Family, and her perspective on the evolving tourism industry in the Maldives. She remains hopeful for the future of music in the Maldives and sees potential in the younger generation of artists. As one of the first independent female artists in the Maldives, Zara Mujthaba, has paved the way for others, releasing groundbreaking solo albums that have attracted attention for both their musical quality and their thematic focus on life and social issues. Her dynamic performances blend Soul, Blues, Jazz, Rock, and R&B and can be experienced in some of the Maldives’ most exclusive tourist resorts. Beyond performing, Zara shares her expertise by teaching children at the Maldives Music and Arts Centre, nurturing the next wave of local talent. She expanded her influence in Maldivian music by joining the judging panel for Maldivian Idol in its third season, where her mentorship has had a lasting impact on emerging artists. #LongTake #podcast #interview #Norient #Anthropology #ZaraMujthaba #DinbaFamily #Maldives #Thulushdoo #tourism

Yakawrath, also known as Fira, is an experimental psytrance musician and a 2D/3D artist from the Maldives. In the debut episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, he opens up about his journey as an underground artist in Malé City, describing how the quiet of the night fuels his creativity. He likens his life to a sine wave, filled with highs and lows, but through it all, he remains devoted to a constant phase of creation, continuously pushing boundaries in both his music and art. As a co-founder of the band Wagon Park in Sri Lanka, Yakawrath has released a diverse catalog of tracks, signing with labels such as Voodoo Hoodoo Records, Lucy Forest Records, and Nightmare 420 Crew. His music, recognized for its fusion of psychedelic soundscapes and pulsating rhythms, takes listeners on an immersive journey into the depths of their own consciousness. Fira is also the founder of Valu Records, a Maldivian label dedicated to showcasing underground electronic music from the Maldives and beyond. #LongTake #podcast #Norient #Anthropology #Yakawarth #Maldives #Malé #psytrance #darkpsy