Sonic Southall: Diving into the Burgeoning British Asian Communities Represented at Boiler Room
Stepping into a South Asian wedding venue injects a shot of adrenaline straight into the senses: the wild tapestry of colour sewn into the fabrics and decor, pulsing bass reverberating from speakers and dhols, vivid aromas enveloping the building as hot trays of food are hurriedly whisked around a chanting gaggle of pissed up uncles sporting sheekh kebab- stained shirts and dance moves that were on their last legs in the mid- 80s. In August 2023, Boiler Room Southall managed to bottle up this distinct essence and repackage it into a fresh, boundary pushing event embodying the diversity of talent emerging from the diaspora, aptly set in a ‘Little Punjab’ based wedding venue.
The event featured ensnaring sets from original Daytimer icon DJ Ritu MBE, Manara, Manj and Yung Singh and Raf Saperra, who were supported by traditional folk instrumentalists. Panjabi Hit Squad stood out for me, seamlessly blending eras and genres in a set that was both nostalgic and forward-thinking. The night transcended musical spectacle for me; witnessing and connecting with an array of modern British Asian creative talent was rousing . Previously I had only seen elements of this burgeoning community from afar on social media. In person and close-up, I saw why this scene is poised to produce seismic shifts in the industry … if nurtured correctly. Such communities serve a dual role: as prodigious purveyors of art and as safe spaces where cultural preservation and expression converge. It’s the latter that forms the crux of this piece.
Artists are contributing to the broader cultural landscape
Rapper Beant was one of the faces I connected with at Boiler Room. I was excited about him prior to the event, writing about his partnership with West Midlands producer AS Kullar in my last piece. Since the event, Beant has soared to new heights: releasing his single Gallows, becoming BBC Asian Network Introducing Artist of the Week and performing at a Jawani4eva event. For Beant, as a Punjabi, writing is in his blood and the exploration of his background and perspective on life as a Brown Geeza in England mark key themes throughout his music. I found his ambition refreshing: he doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as just an Asian artist, he raps in English, sees his competition as the likes of Knucks and Loyle Carner and aims to headline his own shows.
Beant is rightfully known for his music first and foremost, but that’s not how I discovered him. Beant, like many other artists, has turned to content creation as a means of getting his name out there. However, Beant’s content is appreciative and educational, as opposed to the swathes of dross tossed into the attention hacking, happiness vacuuming TikTok algorithm.
Whilst I was at Uni the topic of supposedly stolen jewels and potential reparations came up during a discussion amongst friends, one of whom rubbished such a suggestion and claimed that the Koh-i-noor diamond was benevolently gifted to the British from the Indians. Intuitively this claim felt dissonant. It constituted one of several times in my life that I’ve kicked myself and wished I’d known more about my heritage and language in order to speak up. This instance stuck with me and I madly researched the time period online. During the frenzy, one of Beant’s TikToks came up on my for you page (they really are listening). It was an insight into the remarkable life of the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Duleep Singh. It was Singh who gifted the Koh-i-noor diamond to the British. A gift is usually taken to refer to a voluntary transfer of an item from one to another. However, I learnt there was nothing voluntary about this transfer. Duleep was 10 years old at this time, he was forced to sign over the diamond as well as his kingdom as part of the Treaty of Lahore, while his mother was imprisoned in a tower cell.
The episode underscored a vital lesson for me about the significance of preserving cultural heritage and the pivotal role of artists, utilising their platforms for collective good. This becomes crucially relevant as generations evolve, particularly as 2nd-generation immigrants segue into the 3rd and beyond, navigating the complexities of cultural identity and assimilation. Modern day street philosopher and People Just Do Nothing’s Chabuddy G highlighted this social pattern through his willingness to fit in and “make some beige little fuckers and live the UKIP nightmare”. While descendants of immigrants may naturally drift from their cultural roots, artists and communities uniquely unite and enlighten through creative expressions, bridging heritage and sparking dialogues about diasporic identity and belonging.
Where do we go from here?
Boiler Room Southall illuminated a thriving modern community swaying on the precipice of indelible growth, but like all healthy movements a crossroad is faced. On one side the heat dies down and it dissipates into a transient fad. Alternatively large-scale incumbent institutions such as Boiler Room offer guidance and supportive infrastructure in order to fan the flames of the movement and support its continued progress.
Gleaning insights from global narratives, particularly the wave of Punjabi artists in Canada—recently acclaimed on the inaugural cover of Billboard Canada—provides a persuasive testament to what’s achievable. From a commercial perspective, investment in talent at home opens up broader opportunities to tap into the South Asian market. The likes of AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla prove this. Collective investment in these communities also provides homes for the diverse array of characters within the diaspora and platforms for future talents to thrive.
Photography by Yushy
Written by Rohan Ram