Rupa is a doctor by day, a singer by night, and an activist who believes in insistence rather than resistance. She cites the value of “the daily act of quiet insistence” to build what we wish to see in the world. Tonight, she and her all-star band celebrate the release of their fifth and latest album, OVAL, produced by the amazing Todd Sickafoose, featuring string quartet arrangements by Mark Orton of Tin Hat fame. The new album showcases Rupa’s lovely, lively voice and the dynamic range of her songwriting, with compositions in French, English, and Hindi, delving into musical genres as diverse as waltz, tango, ghazal, and folk rock. Joining her for the show will be Andy Borger on drums, Dan Fabricant on bass, Matt Szemela and Stephanie Bibbo on violin, Misha Khalikulov on cello, Chad Kaltinger on viola, JHNO on piano, duduk, and keyboard, and Rob Reich on accordion.

Rupa’s music digs deep into concerns both political and personal. “To be an artist is to be a witness to life. We have been traveling around the world for over four years, being thrust into incredible situations and dialogues in places like Athens, Greece; Ahmedabad, India; Detroit, Montreal, Oakland; Juarez, Mexico. My art is a way to digest and understand what it is I am witnessing.” Relix Magazine calls her music “soulful and sensuous”; the Los Angeles Times calls it “ecstatic and powerfully evocative.” Rupa is an artist with a distinctive vision and a voice very much worth hearing.

Listen to a track from Rupa & the April Fishes:

visit the Rupa & The April Fishes Website