Known as Tech’s premier South Asian Fusion and nationally competitive a cappella group, Taal Tadka has been a constant presence on campus since 2007. The group has been releasing professional albums and winning awards across the United States.
Don’t let their name fool you — Taal Tadka’s focus is not solely on Indian music, but rather on an equally distributed medley of genres. The group has produced arrangements including Radioactive/Aafaton Ke Parinde, Iktara/Chandelier and A Little Party Never Killed Nobody/Fanaa, among many others which can be found on their YouTube page. “We perform a variety of musical arrangements ranging from pop, Bollywood, mash-ups, classical and many other styles,” said Bharat Sanders, a third-year BME, and Taal Tadka’s Musical Director.
Their record label is A Cappella Records, and their organization has an involved executive board comprised of President Shakeel Bhamani, Creative Manager Ria Ray, Communications Manager Jasmine Pillarisetti, Treasurer Arjun Karunagath and Music Director Bharat Sanders, as well as five other talented students.
Sanders, like many other members of Taal Tadka, has found the group to serve as both an artistic outlet and a way to develop and maintain his talents. “Each team member aims to improve as a musician throughout the year,” said Sanders, describing his experiences.
Taal Tadka is a busy organization, to say the least. Over the course of last week, the group held information sessions, a concert, tryouts and practices.
“Last year, we performed at UGA India Night and Georgia Tech Holi Show: Bahara. In March 2015, we competed at Awaazein, a South Asian a cappella competition located in Dallas, Texas,” Sanders said. “Most recently, we hosted a free concert last week for over two-hundred attendees, and everyone enjoyed the free chai and samosas that were offered.” Taal Tadka has also recently released a new single titled “Hallelujah / Jhoola / Arziyan.”
This coming year, the group doesn’t plan on slowing down. Taal Tadka is working on performing in a national competition. They also hope to become more of a presence on campus and plan on releasing an album in the near future.
Like any large music group, Taal Tadka has a strong internet presence, as noted by Sanders — “Everyone who enjoys listening to good, unique music would benefit from checking out Taal Tadka on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, SoundCloud and all our other social media outlets,” he said, plugging the music.
In addition to the desire to be a part of a successful group, Sanders also has personal reasons for his involvement. When asked, he said that his enjoyment is connected to his belief that “music has no boundaries.” The group’s belief in that means that their music is far different than most other a cappella groups, and listening to their music will show the extent of this.
Those looking into joining Taal Tadka have some advice from Sanders: “Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be of South Asian heritage to be a part of this group — we love people of all backgrounds and cultures — in fact, that is the basis of what many of our songs are about!” With their ethnically diverse repertoire, Taal Tadka is an enriching opportunity for anyone who loves a hearty mix of music and culture from around the world.
More information about Taal Tadka can be found through their website, www.TaalTadka.com, including signing up for their listserv. The group can also be found on Facebook with unique event pages for all of their upcoming concerts and auditions. Be sure to keep an eye out for their upcoming concerts and their new album.