Sheila Chandra

Sheila Chandra's breathtaking vocals and unusual approach to songwriting have distinguished her as a world-class talent if not quite a household name. She got her start by fronting the Anglo-Asian synth-pop outfit Monsoon, who put out one wildly acclaimed album in 1981. From there, she established herself as a solo artist, tapping into her Indian ancestry for both musical and spiritual inspiration, and creating exotic works that wove wordless vocals with dreamy raga-like synthesized sounds. She was championed by Peter Gabriel, who released four of her albums on his Real World label. In the mid-'90s, Chandra's musical style evolved to include Celtic flavors, and she contributed a track to the 2002 soundtrack to LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS.