Ashana Sophia has been called a haunting singer and is a multi-instrumentalist. Classically trained cellist, who also plays the esraj (Indian cello) and harmonium on her new album. Her compositions are a mixture of indie folk, kirtan, Irish folk, and world music styles that expose her radiant inner landscape. Ashana's musical collaborations have included performances with Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Lukas Nelson, Ram Dass, Michael Doucet of BeauSoleil, and others. She currently teaches devotional kirtan singing, workshops called The Art of Harmony, private singing lessons, and is available for concert and tour bookings. Ashana's new album with Chad Viator, Lumière ~ Heart Notes on the Bayou, was made possible by the Acadiana Center for the Arts and the Art Spark Grant. “This has been an exciting project for me. Recording an album with a young family often had me composing in the wee hours of the night. Working with Chad has been delightful and gratifying in every way, he is an extraordinary producer.” His artful guitar playing and Michael Doucet's Cajun fiddle meld with elegant vocals, pulling from diverse musical traditions that favor minor scales to create a complex sensory experience. The musicians reveal affinities between classical stringed instruments and contemporary slide guitar and the haunting drone of the harmonium. With Ashana’s soulful compositions in English and French and ancient mantras in Sanskrit and Gurmukh, Lumière takes the listener on an emotional journey. What Others Are Saying About Ashana Sophia... “I am a fan of Ashana Sophia. When I experience her singing, I immediately feel the love and devotion pouring from her soul. I get chills. She not only sings with such beauty and grace, but her energy is something so pure that the whole room transforms in her presence. That is what it is about to Ashana…the energy from her Soul. Therefore, her music is transcendent and takes me to my soul….She is a singer/artist in the truest sense.” - Simrit Kaur 1. Mul Mantra Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonium, cello, harmonies Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, organs, drums 2. Gobinde Mukunde Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonium, harmonies Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, organs, drums 3. He Gobind Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonium, harmonies Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, piano, organs, drums 4. Ad Gurray Namay Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonium, cello, harmonies Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, organs, drums 5. Sois L'Amour Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonies Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, organs, triangle Michael Doucet: Violin 6. Dragon's Tale Ashana Sophia: Cello, esraj, harmonium Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, organs Genevieve Walker: Violin 7. Grieving Song Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonium, cello, esraj Chad Viator: Guitars, bass, organs, drums 8. Suddhosi Buddhosi Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonies Chad Viator: Acoustic guitar 9. Aap Sahaee Hoa Ashana Sophia: Vocals, harmonium, harmonies Chad Viator: Acoustic guitar, bass, organs, drums, glockenspiel Peter Bulliard: Pre-Columbian flutes 10. Waters of Grace Ashana Sophia: Vocals, cello, harmonies Chad Viator: Acoustic guitar Michael Doucet: Violin 11. Golden Apple Tree Ashana Sophia: Vocals, cello, harmonium, esraj, harmonies Chad Viator: Guitars, organs, drums Michael Doucet: Violin