Transgenders cut a music album

Songs sung by transwomen from different part of the country are part of a new music album brought out with the aim to provide such people a platform to showcase talent and break stereotypes.

“The idea was conceived to break the stereotypical portrayal of transgenders in the mainstream. Transgenders are known to sing in a particular fashion and at special occasions in India and our perception is limited to that,” said Anubhav Gupta, director, Jeevan Trust.

“This is an attempt to give transwomen and transgender people a chance to showcase their talent, their creativity and express themselves in front of the world,” said Gupta.

Gupta said he conceived the idea executed jointly with Abhivyakti Foundation with support from a international organisation called Planet Romeo Foundation.

The album titled “Caravan” claims to be the first collection of songs by transwomen. “The fact that these people can sing and sing very well will be established when you will hear the songs. Even films have a way of stereotypical way of portraying them. The main idea is to promote music irrespective of gender. Music itself has no gender,” said Gupta.

Nine transwomen from nine states recorded 13 songs in the album giving it a pan India flavour.

Participants hail from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and have now established themselves in business or professional fields.

Many of them are activists having travelled widely all over the world to promote the rights of transgenders.

“Akkai Padmashaili from Karnatka, Amitava Sarkar from West Bengal, Ankur Patil from Gujarat, Kalki Subramaniam from Auroville, Kanta Leisinghatham from Manipur, N Madhurima from Andhra Pradesh, Kalyani from Mumbai and Hansa from Rajasthan.