Trained in Indian classical music and dance from a young age, as well as an accomplished belly dancer, her unique selling proposition is the combination of both music and dance in her live performances.

While in India, she trained with renowned musicians and pundits of Indian music, including Ajoy Chakrobarty in Kolkata, India at his school, Srutinandan. However, her love affair with Indian music started from a young age, as she was trained in Indian classical music and dance and had a deep affinity for the Indian arts and entertainment. The daughter of Indian Immigrants-turned Washington bureaucrats from Calcutta (Kolkata, as it is known in their homeland), she grew up negotiating multiple selves: One who attended an Indian Language School that her father founded in Washington DC and actively learned Indian classical music and dance, and another, who avidly listened to hip hop, RnB, and American pop with her Black, Asian, Latin, and White peers.

These influences culminate in her music, which reflects her own multi-faceted upbringing and identity. Basu produced two albums in India, The Unveiling (2006) and Crossing Over (2009), which received acclaim and a high demand for performances in India.

Her hit song and music video "Maahiya" topped Indian music charts in the Indian pop category and received Bestseller status. Thereafter, she performed across India, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States at various venues large and small for appreciative audiences.

Rimi has now found herself back in the United States to propagate her unique brand of Indian fusion through forming a world music and dance collective called Kriya. Her goal has been and will continue to be increasing appreciation for Indian music and culture through unique and experimental fusion with Western styles.

Rimi is well-equipped to be the USA's first Bollywood pop diva. A talented and dynamic singer and dancer of various styles, ranging from Indian classical to RnB and pop, her unique brand of cultural fusion engages and intrigues a broad range of listeners. Her trademark style of blending Indian and belly dance with vocals in her performances has kept audiences in awe worldwide. She is also quite possibly one of the most adventurous Indian-Americans raised in the USA.

You can find out more about Rimi Basu on her website.

Crossing Over

The Unveiling