Singer/songwriter Pravini brings the best of both worlds: a foundation of pop/rock and hiphop/soul she grew up with in The Netherlands and the South American rhythms of Suriname and the Caribean where her cultural background is rooted. Armed with her own band Pravini fuses these influences into an energetic and dynamic performance that is bound to capture the audience.
Diaspora
In 2012 Pravini released her album Diaspora, for which she received an enthusiastic review by 3voor12, a renowned music website in the Netherlands. She attracted the attention of various local and national media, including AD Haagsche Courant, NTR Radio 5, OHM Magazine, Pleasure Magazine and Radio Netherlands Worldwide. She performed in live shows of Radio Amor, Wild FM, Radio Mart and RPL FM Woerden and pop venues such as Paard van Troje and Tivoli. Her talent also reached an international audience, she appeared on Simply Bhangra (UK), Times of India (India), did a (media) tour in Suriname and received an outstanding review by Bryan Farrish Radio Promotion (USA). The single Armed & Sexy reached number 3 in the charts of Suriname and turned Pravini into massive hit.
Music
Encouraged by her mother to take piano lessons at the tender age of 6 Pravini knew early on she found the love of her life in music. After graduating from high school at 18 she left for the US to participate in the summer performance program at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. There she sharpened her skills as a musician, playing the keys and writing her own songs. After obtaining her master’s degree in Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam she completely focused on her musical career.
Since the release of her debut single and music video 'Cuz I'm A Lady in 2006 Pravini has released four albums: PraVision (2008), Roses from Raj (2008), Beyond Borders (2009) en Diaspora (2012). She has worked with several producers from the Netherlands, the United States, France, Germany and Italy. In 2009 Pravini toured the US where she did 15 shows in 2 months and performed in New York, Miami, Virginia, San Diego and Los Angeles. In 2013 she returned to the US for a second tour, where she also visited radio stations in New York, Atlantic City and Los Angeles to promote her album Diaspora.
Recognition
Pravini’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2006 she received the HSFN Music Award for breaking boundaries by being the first Dutch Indian R&B soul singer appearing on Dutch television with her own music video ‘Cuz I’m A Lady. Not only was she noted for her boundary breaking music video, but also appreciated for writing her own music outside the traditional Bollywood genre the Dutch Indian community is used to. In 2010 she received the Shakti Award during the Saraswati Art Festival for her achievements as a Dutch Indian female artist and her musical contributions to the Dutch Indian community in the Netherlands. In 2013 she was nominated for Best New Artist for the Suripoku Awards in Suriname. In 2014 she was nominated for Best Female Artist for the Hindipop Music Awards, an Awards show focused on making a wide range of artistic talent from the Dutch Indian community visible to a broader audience.
Giving back
Besides her music Pravini is very much socially involved. In 2006 she became the goodwill ambassador for the Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD), an international human rights organization focusing primarily on human rights abuses committed against minority communities in South Asia. In her monthly blogs Pravini shares the mission and activities of GHRD. In addition she contributes to the production of GHRD benefit events with her creative and artistic experience, raising awareness on the goals and activities of GHRD by combining entertainment with information.
In 2012 Pravini also founded the Sarnámi Artist Network together with the Sarnámihuis. This network provides a national platform for Dutch Indian artists and facilitates exchange of experience, knowledge and networks and supports artists in their professional development.