Asha Gold has insisted it is “important” to represent all sides of her culture in her music.
The ‘Exes’ singer admitted there is a lack of “representation” for Asian females in the pop industry, so she’s proud to fly the flag, even if it brings a lot of “pressure” too.
She said: “Growing up I didn’t see a lot of Asian pop stars, you didn’t hear them on the radio or on the way to school.
“I’m an Anglo Indian woman growing up in London, it’s important for me to represent that side of my culture and to be present in a space where we’re lacking a bit of representation.”
“I think there is a lot of pressure but at the end of the day my goal is to make the best music.”
Asha was one of BBC Introducing London’s Best of 2021 and she feels “validated” to have made it in the mainstream.
Speaking on PizzaExpress and music therapy charity, Nordoff Robbins’, interview series ‘Behind the Base’, she said: “Being validated by BBC Radio One which I’ve listened to literally since I was a kid is amazing.”
Recognition was particularly important to the 19-year-old star because she admitted her work can sometimes feel “lonely”.
Speaking as she prepared a vegan pizza, she said: “Being creative is quite a lonely thing sometimes. Are you making songs that people are really responding to? And is this something that is going to go somewhere?”
Behind the Base sees the UK’s music talent talk about the power music has had on their lives, whilst recreating their favourite pizza from the menu and performing the song that meant the most to them.
To mark Veganuary, PizzaExpress have introduced a Plant-Based Pop playlist in all stores, playing vegan-only music, including songs from Asha, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Anderson Paak, Ellie Goulding and Moby.
Nordoff Robbins is the largest independent music therapy charity in the UK and uses music to enrich the lives of people with life-limiting illness, disabilities or feelings of isolation.
To find out more about Behind the Base and Asha Gold, please visit, https://www.pizzaexpress.com/behind-the-base/asha-gold.