Mumbai: Indian Sufi-pop artist Pooja Gaitonde released‘Sanson Ki Mala’, the first track from her powerful new IP Cosmic Yatra-a space where Sufi poetry meets metal and modern rock.
Inspired by the Sufi classic, ‘Sanson Ki Mala’ has been completely reimagined by Gaitonde into an anthemic, soul-shaking experience, pairing her classically trained vocals with distortion-heavy guitars and live drums. It’s raw, real and unlike anything currently in India’s indie scene.
“After moving to Europe, I found myself surrounded by rock and metal – intense, raw, emotional. That’s where the idea of Cosmic Yatra was born.Sufi is about surrender and love. Rock is power and truth. Both seek freedom, just in different ways.I wanted to blend the two. Where Rumi’s poetry meets Sufi-fusion. Where sufism roars”, says Pooja.
The track brings together spirituality and sound in a form that’s fearless, gritty, and deeply human, a signature style that defines Pooja’s genre-breaking work.
Cosmic Yatra is more than an IP – it’s a statement. Gaitonde uses it as a vessel to bring centuries-old Sufi verses into today’s world. Through soaring melodies, live instrumentation, and powerful arrangements, she proves that music has no boundaries and she is on a journey to conquer the world with a powerful vision like Cosmic Yatra.
“Cosmic Yatra isn’t just fusion, it’s my expression of finding light through chaos”,addsPooja. “It’s where Sufi amplifies, where the spirit meets sound in its most primal form.”
Pooja Gaitonde, based in Germany and raised in the traditions of Hindustani classical music, is one of India’s leading voices in the Sufi-pop movement. Pioneering a new wave of Sufi sound,shaped by the spiritual depth of raagdari, her sound sits at the intersection of tradition and today. Whether it’s pop, jazz, electronic, or rock – Pooja effortlessly blends the sacred with the contemporary.
She has performed with renowned jazz pianistLouiz Banks and the popular electronic duo Lost Stories (Tomorrowland), to performing solo with the global icon Sami Yusuf at Dubai Expo,crafting genre-defying moments that push the boundaries of devotional music.
Her discography includes powerful singles like ‘Tere Ishq Nachaya’, ‘Na Janu Main Kaun’, and the recent ‘Ae Ri Sakhi’ – a crossover success with indie collective kSaya.
Notable Discography:
- Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum – with Sami Yusuf
- Na Janu Main Kaun
- Ishq Karaa
- Tere Ishq Nachaya
- Ae Ri Sakhi – with KSAYA & Prasad Gaitonde
- Marham Sa Yaar
- Saathi Re
Collaborations:
- Featured soloist with Sami Yusuf at Dubai Expo 2020
- Part of genre-bending Sufi-Jazz experiment with Louiz Banks
- Collaborated with Lost Stories(Tomorrowland) for a modern electronic Sufi crossover
With ‘Sanson Ki Mala’, Pooja Gaitonde invites audiences to feel devotion louder, not just with folded hands, but raised fists and open hearts.
