My dear friend, Varun Soni, recently got appointed as the Dean of Religious Life at USC. He’s the first Indian to hold the position, not to mention the youngest, and it’s already made headlines at the LA Times and the Washington Post. Varun also happens to be a lawyer, a patron of the arts and a DJ for LA’s progressive independent radio station, KPFK.

Early this morning…and when I say early, I mean 1:45am, I went down to KPFK’s station house to meet up with Varun and be a guest on his last Indica show as presented for the past year. With the new USC position, Varun will have to figure out a new way to continue his DJ gig. He reminded me that I was his first guest a year ago and his last today. Life always comes full circle.

We talked about the new album, REVOLUTION. We also talked about the Muslim women’s collective I’m a part of. It’s called Deeyah Presents: Sisterhood. The aim of Sisterhood is to help inspire other Muslim women to move beyond the resistance we face in our community as performers and artists. It’s an oddly held belief that if a woman is on stage, she is too seductive for any type of productive output for society. Much better if she stays indoors and has babies. Nothing wrong with having babies. Hope to have some someday, but I’d like to think that having babies and a family can coexist with being an artist! Imagine that novel idea?!?

Varun highlighted Sisterhood’s Kiran Zamman and Jus1Jam, both UK-based artists. He also talked to Elly of Elly and Khai up in the Bay Area.

Varun then sent a little message for all of you.

I got home around 4am this morning. For now, I’m signing off.

Posted in: Press and Radio |