Madame Gandhi Questions the System in ‘Waiting for Me’
There’s a fresh new piece on the scene from the Indian-American artist, Kiran Gandhi, who goes by her moniker: Madame Gandhi. The artist and activist recently put out her brand new single, ‘Waiting For Me,’ creating quite the ripple in the music landscape.
Before we dive head-first into the track, we’d like you to get acquainted with this young star. After her brief stint as a digital analyst at Interscope Records, Madame Gandhi took a break to complete her MBA at Harvard University before releasing her debut EP, ‘Voices’ back in 2016.
Currently, she’s signed to Sony Music Masterworks. Now coming to her latest track, ‘Waiting for Me,’ it explores some very unique production elements. For starters, the artist juggles between an array of drum beats, some classical while others fast-paced and repetitive – similar to what you might hear from a marching band. Sprinkled between the beats are distorted electro-pop sounds, adding an interesting flavour to the track.
Madame Gandhi’s verses are light and breezy, bringing a nice contrast to the table. Perhaps what stands out about this track is the fact that her verses are interspersed with bold statements, effectively breaking the 4th wall and questioning:
“We always assume our own powerlessness but never our own power.”
“Stigma is one of the most effective forms of oppression, because it denies us the vocabulary to talk comfortably and confidently about our own bodies.”
Madame Gandhi Shares An Unfiltered Vision
The music video for this track is just as captivating. We witness a line of young girls, clad in monotonous, grey uniforms. But with every step they take, they’re also creating cracks in the system by adding a splash of colour to their outfits – a green sock here, a bright ribbon there. Madame Gandhi settles into her spot at the head of the table, and she leads the charge. And here’s the kicker: she wears an entirely green jumpsuit, not a speck of grey to be seen. The face of the opposition.
Interestingly, one could also say that the young rap star draws inspiration for this video from Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in The Wall.’ The lyrics reiterate her powerful visuals, as they speak of freedom from oppression:
I won’t take in what they feed us
Run away in my Adidas
Brown girls of the world they need us
Truth is love and love will free us
Speaking of the concept behind this piece, Madame Gandhi had this to say: “My hope is that this video inspires folks to ask, ‘Are my behaviors contributing to the oppression of somebody else? And what contributes to my own oppression? What does my version of freedom look and feel like?'”
And ultimately, perhaps this is what ‘Waiting For Me’ aims to do. It prompts you to ask questions.
By: Nina Karun
