National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Click Here To Launch Kiran Ahluwalia's Picks

When NGWM solicited Kiran Ahluwalia to share some of her favorite picks with us, the Indian-born, Toronto-bred singer came up with a theme for her list: "Write Your Own Destiny"—something that Ahluwalia knows about intimately.

Unlike many South Asian musicians, Kiran came to music relatively late in life. After she'd finished her undergraduate degree and found herself a good job, she put it all on hold to travel to India, where she studied music in Bombay and Hyderabad. She studied the ghazals and Punjabi folksongs of her parents' home state, most notably under the tutelage of master singer Vithal Rao. After years of study (and time off to take an MBA), Kiran threw herself into making music full time in 2000. She released her first album the following year, and won herself a Juno Award in 2004 for her release Beyond Boundaries. Since then, she's signed an international recording deal and released her self-titled U.S. debut to critical acclaim in 2005.

In her music, as in her list, Kiran makes the connections between the sometimes heart-breaking poetry of the South Asian ghazal songform and other styles, such as Portugal's fado. Her powerful voice and smart, contemporary take on ghazals and Punjabi folk forms has made her rising star on the world music festival circuit—and truly an artist that's written her own destiny.

1. Rez Abbasi/ "Kismet"
"A heartfelt melody—genre bending contemporary jazz influenced by Indian music. This is a guitar-organ-drum trio from New York City. 'Kismet' means destiny, and this playlist is dedicated to those who take destiny in their own hands."

2. Bauls du Bengale/ "My Spirit is a Wild Horse"
"This is Bengali folk song that serves as a good reminder to let the spirit run free."

3. Eccodek/ "Bodhichitta Dub"
"Electronica chill out time. Bodhichitta is a Buddhist concept: 'We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder and more open to what scares us. We always have this choice.' Pema Chodron Bodhi = awake, enlighment, completely open. Chitta = mind heart attitude."

4. Toucas/ "La Pantera"
"Accordion in the Portuguese fado form. Beautiful music and an inspiring biography of the artist who, after studying to be a Civil Engineer, realized his hands were destined to construct things other than bridges."

5. Amalia Rodrigues/ "Estranha Forma De Vida"
"Amalia is the legendary singer of the Portuguese folk/ballad form called fado ('destiny' in Portuguese). She sings with incredible emotion. Translations to these songs are hard to find but after finding the words and plopping them into an online translator this song speaks about an independent heart."

6. Cheb I Sabbah/ "Shri Durga"
"Electronica chill again. Durga is the Hindu goddess that destroys her demons. She is the manifestation of supreme beauty and deadly power. Durga in Sanskrit means 'invincible'. There's a 'Durga' in all of us."