Kiran Gandhi

Kiran Gandhi
Madame Gandhi at SXSW London
Born (1989-02-21) February 21, 1989
Other nameMadame Gandhi
EducationGeorgetown University (BA)
Harvard University (MBA)
Stanford University (MST)
Occupations
  • Musician
  • Producer
  • Drummer
  • Activist
MotherMeera Gandhi
Websitemadamegandhi.com

Kiran Gandhi (born February 21, 1989), also known by her stage name Madame Gandhi, is an American musician, producer, drummer and activist.[1] She began her solo music career in 2015 after participation in the London Marathon while free-bleeding drew international attention and sparked discussion around menstrual stigma. Prior to her solo work, she performed as a drummer for M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, Oprah, and Kehlani, and has been recognized as a TED Fellow, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and BBC 100 Women honoree. Her work spans music and advocacy, with a focus on gender equality and environmental sustainability.

Early life and education

Gandhi, born February 21, 1989, is the daughter of philanthropist Meera Gandhi and social entrepreneur Vikram Gandhi.[2] Growing up, Gandhi spent time in both New York City and Mumbai, India.[3] Gandhi attended the Chapin School in the Upper East Side of New York City between 1994 and 2007 apart from the three years she attended St. Anne's School and American School of Bombay in Mumbai, India, between 1997 and 2000. In 2011, Gandhi received her undergraduate degree in mathematics, political science and women's studies from Georgetown University. While at Georgetown, she became involved in music performance and collaborated with artist including Thievery Corporation, appearing at events such as the Bonnaroo Music Festival.

After graduating, her job as the first digital analyst at Interscope Records was based in Santa Monica, California, where she analyzed patterns in Spotify streaming data and other digital media.[3][4] She later earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2015.[3] Gandhi received her Master of Arts at Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), where her work included recording environmental sounds as part of research on music and climate awareness.[4]

Career

2012-2015: Early career

In 2012, Gandhi recorded a video of herself playing live drums to the M.I.A. track "Bad Girls."[5] In February 2013, M.I.A. wrote to Gandhi praising the recording and asked her to play drums for the tour supporting the album Matangi.[6] At the same time Gandhi accepted an offer to study at Harvard Business School.[7] Gandhi left Interscope Records in 2013.[8]

2016-2022: "V" trilogy

Voices (2016)

In 2016, her debut musical release, Voices (EP), was published.[7] It introduced Gandhi's percussive electronic sound, blending lie drumming with feminist themes. The track "The Future Is Female" gained early traction, later appearing on Spotify's U.S. Viral Top 50 chart.[9]

In 2017, Gandhi collaborated with female-identifying producers to release Voices Remixed. That year, she also was the opening act for Ani DiFranco's Rise Up Tour. Gandhi toured Europe and India and also spoke at Airbnb, Pandora Radio, Spotify, the United Nations, and on college campuses.

Visions (2019)

In 2019, Gandhi's second musical release, Visions (EP), was published, beginning her new partnership with Sony Music Masterworks.[10] The EP expanded Gandhi's electronic production style with layered percussion and synth-driven arrangements. The track "Bad habits" was featured in The New York Times,[11] while "Top Know Turn Up" received coverage from NYLON.[12]

In 2020, Gandhi performed at NPR Tiny Desk remotely as part of their Tiny Desk at Home series,[13] and was featured on Times Square billboards as part of Spotify's Asian Heritage Month campaign.[14] In 2021, she appeared in "Music Requires Listening", the promotional video for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[15]

Vibrations (2022)

In 2022, Gandhi released Vibrations (EP), the final installment of her "V" trilogy, through Sony Music Masterworks, which further developed her rhythmic, electronic sound with an emphasis on groove-based production and collaborative songwriting.[16]

In November 2023, she toured the album on a headlining tour at venues such as the Boston Museum of Science, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage and Brooklyn Bowl on the East Coast, and Cafe Du Nord and the Troubadour on the West Coast, followed by dates in the United Kingdom and Europe in 2024.

2023-present: Recent work

In 2023, Gandhi supported Hayley Kiyoko on her Panorama Tour at the Fillmore in San Francisco,[17] and later that year performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the U.S.-China Culture Foundation's 20th anniversary celebration.[18] In 2024, she opened for Pauli the PSM on the Saucy Tour at the Lafayette in London,[19] and was scheduled to appear alongside Jamila Woods for additional UK and European dates, which were subsequently cancelled.[20]

That year, Gandhi also performed at PARiTY Paris in connection with the Olympic Games Paris 2024.[21] In 2025, she participated in showcase performances at SXSW in both Austin and London,[22] and appeared at Milan Fashion Week, walking in the Pierre-Louis Mascia Fall/Winter 2025 "Bright Star" collection show.[23]

In 2024 and 2025, Gandhi expanded her international presence with performances across Europe, including appearances at Tallinn Music Week in Estonia,[24] Fengaros Festivalin in Cyprus,[25] and International Music Summit in Spain.[26]

Let Me Be Water (2025)

In May 2025, Gandhi released Let Me Be Water, a full-length album created in collaboration with We Make Noise and over 40 women and gender-expansive artists, incorporating field recordings of nature and themes of environmental awareness.[27] The album blends electronic production with ambient textures, rhythmic percussion, and spoken-word elements. KEXP described it as "a deep, soulful collection of reflections, mantras, and celebrations," highlighting its meditative and interceptive tone.[28]

Gandhi announced a series of international summer tour dates, beginning with Rising Baba Yaga in Austria. That June, she attended the Coral Rave closing event at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France,[29] and performed at Glastonbury Festival, where she also participated as a panelist on sustainability.[30] During the summer, she opened for Femi Kuti on select tour dates[31] and performed alongside Brian Eno at Wembley Stadium for Together for Palestine.[32] She also appeared at Boom Festival in Portugal and concluded the tour with performance at MUTEK in Montreal, Canada.[33]

Love Letters from Brooklyn (2026)

In March 2026, Gandhi launched Love Letters from Brooklyn (EP) in collaboration with Gender Amplified and introduced through a series of intimate live performances, including an album launch at National Sawdust in New York City.[34] The EP features five tracks that blend R&B and organic pop with visceral vocal performances. The album was developed a year ago through a women-led 3-day songwriting camp with equitable splits, emphasizing collaboration, artistic equity, and empowerment at Hyperballad Music in Brooklyn.[35]

EKTĀ (2026)

On August 14, 2026, Gandhi released EKTĀ, a New Age mantra and meditation album whose title is Sanskrit for "oneness." The album is credited to a collaborative billing with Alexx Antaeus, Cafe De Anatolia, and Amani Sol, and was submitted for Grammy consideration in the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album category. It extends Gandhi's ongoing work in guided meditation and sound-based mindfulness, following her three 2026 guided-meditation releases Antarctica: Guided Meditation, Arctic: Guided Meditation, and Amazon: Guided Meditation. [36]

Activism and social impact

Climate work

The foundation of Gandhi environmental sound work is informed by her studies in music, science and technology at Stanford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustic (CCRMA), which she completed in 2022.[4] Her work has included the use of field recordings and hydrophones to capture natural sound environments and incorporate them into music production.[37]

In June 2021, Gandhi and her collaborators released the Sound MANA (Music, Art, Nature, Awareness)pack on Splice, and in November 2021 it was awarded the New.Wave award for innovation and boundary pushing in the music industry.[38]

In 2022, she participated in an expedition to Antarctica, where she recorded environmental sounds including glaciers, wildlife, and ocean ice.[39] These recordings were later developed into sound libraries and music project, with proceeds supporting environmental initiatives.[40]

She has continued this work through recordings in locations including the Arctic and the Amazon rainforest,[41] incorporating natural soundscapes into her 2025 album Let Me Be Water.[42]

Gandhi has also collaborated with EarthPercent and its "Sounds Right" initiative, which credits nature as a contributing artist on recordings and directs a portion of streaming revenue towards conservation efforts.[43] She has contributed recordings to the initiative with songs "In Purpose (feat. NATURE)" (2024), "Let Me Be Water (feat. NATURE)" (2025), and "All in All (feat. NATURE)" (2026) and participated in related events and programming.

Her climate advocacy extends beyond recordings and into the live events industry. In February 2025, she co-hosted the International AGF Awards ceremony in London alongside AGF CEO Claire O'Neil, concluding the 17th edition of the Green Events and Innovation (GEI) conference.[44] The awards honored more than 30 events, venues and innovators from 14 countries across nine sustainability categories including power, water, food, and travel.

Gandhi also performed live alongside EarthPercent and Sounds Right at the Javitz Center in New York during Climate Week NYC in September 2024, and performed live at COP30 in Brazil in November 2025[45][46] as part of her ongoing engagement with intentional climate platforms.

Gender equity

In 2015, Gandhi ran the London Marathon while free-bleeding as a statement against menstrual stigma.[47] The act received international media coverage and contributed to broader public discussion around menstrual health and gender equity.[48][49][50]

She has since involved in advocacy and creative projects addressing menstrual health and representation. In 2016, she collaborated with poet Rupi Kaur on the project Sun Spill, part of the #LetsFaceItPeriod campaign supporting menstrual health initiatives.[51]

Gandhi also composed the score for Periodical, a documentary on menstrual health that premiered at SXSW in 2023.[52]

Her music has frequently addressed theme of gender equity. Her song "The Future is Female," released in 2016, gained wider attention following the 2017 Women's March,[53] and was later featured in the Apple TV+ series Gutsy.[54]

Gandhi has also advocated for greater gender representation in the music industry, frequently collaborating with women and gender-expansive artists across her projects.[55][56][57]

LGBTQ+ advocacy

Gandhi has incorporated LGBTQ+ representation into her visual and musical work. Her music videos, including "See Me Thru" (2020) and "Waiting For Me" (2020), have featured queer and gender expansive casts and collaborators.[58][59]

She has also participated in LGBTQ+ focused events and organizations, including speaking engagements at Lesbians Who Tech + Allies summits.[60] In 2026, she performed at the Stonewall Inn in New York City as part of a political fundraising event.[61]

Community engagement and leadership

Gandhi has held leadership and advisory roles across music and social impact organizations. She has served as a board member of Gender Amplified and as a governor of the San Francisco chapter of The Recording Academy. Her work in menstrual equity includes recognition as a Menstrual Health Warrior with Desai Foundation.

She has also contributed as a mentor and collaborate with initiatives supporting gender equity in music, including programs such as She Is The Music, Equalize Her, Gender Amplified, and We Make Noise, and has been involved with organizations including EarthPercent, Costaphonics, Give a Beat, and other advocacy-focused groups.[62]

Public image

Gandhi has openly identified as queer[62] and uses she/her pronouns, describing her generation's understanding of queerness as centered on rejecting the gender binary and exploring non-traditional relationship structures.[63] In interviews, she has framed her broader feminist vision as explicitly inclusive of queer and trans identities, calling for a true paradigm shift.[64]

Awards and nominations

  • 2026: Billboard Culture Shifter FEMMY Nominee.
  • 2026: Alicia Keys “She is the Music” Vanguard Honoree.[65]
  • 2023: Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Prize for Excellence in Songwriting.
  • 2023: Outfest Platinum Alchemy Award.[66]
  • 2021: SXSW Jury Award for Best Music Video ("Waiting For Me").
  • 2021: Splice Awards New.Wav Award.[38]
  • 2020: TED Fellow.
  • 2020: BBC 100 Women.[67]
  • 2019: Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music.[68]
  • 2015: Harvard University Fitzie Foundation Prize.[69]

Discography

Album

  • Antarctica: Guided Meditation (2025)
  • Arctic: Guided Meditation (2025)
  • Let Me Be Water (2025)
  • Amazon: Guided Meditation (2025)
  • EKTĀ (2026)

EP

  • Voice (2016)
  • Voice EP Remixed (2017)
  • Visions (2019)
  • Visions Remixed (2020)
  • Vibrations (2022)
  • Rise! (2025)
  • Love Letters from Brooklyn (2026)

Singles

  • Her (2016)
  • Gandhi Blue (Gizzle Remix) (2017)
  • Top Knot Turn Up (2018)
  • Bad Habits (2018)
  • Her (Will LV Remix) (2018)
  • See Me Thru (Sarah Farina Remix) (2020)
  • Freedom (2020)
  • After You (2020)
  • Young Indian Reimagined (2020)
  • Crystal & Congas (2022)
  • Set Me Free (2022)
  • In Purpose (feat. NATURE) (2024)
  • Pisces Knockout (2025)
  • Let Me Be Water (feat. NATURE) (2025)

References

  1. ↑ "Madame Gandhi: About". Madame Gandhi.
  2. ↑ Khurana, Suanshu (2 June 2014). "Indian-origin percussionist Kiran Gandhi drums up a storm in the US". The Indian Express. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "ABOUT – Madame Gandhi Blog". 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Madame Gandhi M.A. '22, former drummer for M.I.A., pushes for the ethical consumption of music". 1 June 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Madame Gandhi (7 July 2013). Kiran Gandhi (Drummer for MIA) Live Session LA. Retrieved 15 April 2026 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ "How Drummer Kiran Gandhi Began Touring With M.I.A. -". 5 May 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  7. 1 2 "For M.I.A. Drummer Madame Gandhi, "The Future Is Female" Is More Than Just a Song Title | L.A. Weekly". www.laweekly.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "ABOUT". 15 February 2012.
  9. ↑ Politz, Alexis (27 March 2017). "Madame Gandhi Artist Spotlight | Blog Posts". Copycats Media. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  10. ↑ Masterworks, Sony Music. "Acclaimed Artist & Activist Madame Gandhi Debuts New Music Video For "Waiting For Me"". sony.com. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  11. ↑ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni (19 October 2018). "The Playlist: Esperanza Spalding's Intoxicating Groove, and 12 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "Madame Gandhi Reimagines A More Feminine World For "Top Knot Turn Up" Video". Nylon. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  13. ↑ NPR Music (24 June 2020). Madame Gandhi: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. Retrieved 15 April 2026 – via YouTube.
  14. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (15 May 2020). "Madame Gandhi Featured in Times Square Billboards For Spotify's Asian Heritage Month Celebration". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Watch Harvey Mason jr. Deliver Touching "Music Requires Listening" Speech At The 2021 GRAMMY Awards Show | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "Vibrations by Madame Gandhi". Genius. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  17. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (7 April 2023). "Madame Gandhi to Open for Hayley Kiyoko at the Fillmore on May 15". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  18. ↑ AsianInNY (27 November 2023). Madame Gandi Rocked the Night of Cultural Splendor at Carnegie Hall. Retrieved 7 April 2026 – via YouTube.
  19. ↑ "Apr 10, 2024: Pauli The PSM / Madame Gandhi / Elheist at Lafayette London, England, United Kingdom | Concert Archives". www.concertarchives.org. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  20. ↑ Woods, Jamila. "JAMILA WOODS - MADAME GANDHI I CANCELLED".
  21. ↑ 4TheWalk. "PARiTY Paris celebrates the first gender equal Olympic Games Paris 2024 with a runway fashion show in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company". www.prweb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ↑ Pinto, Julia (22 January 2025). "Third Round of the 2025 SXSW Music Festival Lineup". SXSW. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  23. ↑ Vandevelde, Sonny (18 January 2025). "Pierre-Louis Mascia AW2526 Fashion Show Backstage Milan". Sonny Photos.
  24. ↑ Miglietta, Al (2 April 2024). "[Festival Alert]: Tallinn Music Week 2024". SonOfMarketing. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  25. ↑ "MADAME GANDHI (US)". Fengaros.
  26. ↑ Wilkinson, Juan Ignacio R. (1 April 2024). "IMS Ibiza announces 2024 full summit program". Electronic Groove. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  27. ↑ "She recorded glaciers melting and infused the sound into her music". South China Morning Post. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  28. ↑ "New Music Reviews (5/19)". kexp.org. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  29. ↑ "Sustainable Ocean Alliance". www.soalliance.org. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  30. ↑ Optimism, Global. "Outrage + Optimism LIVE at Glastonbury". www.globaloptimism.com. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  31. ↑ "Femi Kuti Brings Afrobeat to Solana Beach". In Spite Magazine. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  32. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (5 August 2025). "FYC: Let Me Be Water by Madame Gandhi (Best New Age Album)". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  33. ↑ "Sounds wild". Imagine5. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  34. ↑ Stone, Annette (26 March 2026). "Madame Gandhi Brings Love Letters From Brooklyn to Life in NYC". Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  35. ↑ Andersen, Carla (26 March 2026). "Madame Gandhi Launches 'Love Letters From Brooklyn' Live". Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  36. ↑ admin. "Single Review—Kyrie". Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  37. ↑ "Music 220A Final Project". ccrma.stanford.edu. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  38. 1 2 "Hit Boy, Quincy Jones, UNIIQU3, and Jenna Andrews win top honors at 2021 Splice Awards". The FADER. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  39. ↑ Splice, Team (24 April 2024). "Sampling the Sound of Climate Action". Blog | Splice. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  40. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (8 January 2025). "ECOSYSTEM MEMBER PODCAST: EP 32 / Madame Gandhi On Working with the Organic Soundscape". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  41. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (20 June 2025). "Amazon Guided Meditation with the Wild Symphony at Calanoa Amazonas". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  42. ↑ "Madame Gandhi". TBA Agency. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  43. ↑ "Meet the Musical Artists Who Are Paying Royalties to Nature | Audubon". www.audubon.org. 30 March 2026. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  44. ↑ "Winners Revealed for the International AGF Awards 2025". A Greener Future. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  45. ↑ EIN Presswire (21 November 2025). "Global #CommitToOcean Campaign Gains Momentum as Guterres Calls for Bold, United Ocean-Climate Action at COP30".
  46. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (15 November 2025). "UN Climate Change: Madame Gandhi Performs Live at COP30 Brasil". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  47. ↑ Gandhi, Kiran (14 August 2015). "Here's why I ran the London Marathon on the first day of my period – and chose not to wear a tampon". Independent. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  48. ↑ Gandhi, Kiran (9 June 2016). "London Marathoner Who Bled Freely: Fight Period Stigma". TIME.
  49. ↑ Adams, Char (7 August 2015). "Woman Runs London Marathon Without a Tampon, Bleeds Freely to Raise Awareness". People.
  50. ↑ Gharib, Malaka (31 December 2015). "Why 2015 Was The Year Of The Period, And We Don't Mean Punctuation". NPR. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  51. ↑ "Rupi Kaur and Madame Gandhi Revisit the Period-Positive Song They Wrote Together". Global Citizen. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  52. ↑ "Periodical". SXSW 2026 Schedule. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  53. ↑ Goodman, Elyssa (1 September 2017). "Madame Gandhi is Here to Disrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  54. ↑ Gandhi, Madame (10 September 2022). "Madame Gandhi's "The Future is Female" featured as the theme song in Apple TV+'s "Gutsy"". Madame Gandhi | BLOG. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  55. ↑ "Madame Gandhi". Sony Masterworks. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  56. ↑ "Kiran Gandhi p/k/a Madame Gandhi". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  57. ↑ Thompson, Stephen (17 March 2020). "The Austin 100: Madame Gandhi". NPR. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  58. ↑ Daw, Stephen (21 January 2020). "Madame Gandhi Breaks Down Her Queer Femme-Focused 'See Me Thru' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  59. ↑ Gupta, Nidhi (19 June 2020). "Madame Gandhi's "Waiting for Me" is the art the world needs right now". GQ India. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  60. ↑ "Madame Gandhi". LWT. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  61. ↑ "Divas for Dunn - GO Magazine". Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  62. 1 2 "The unlikely rise of Madame Gandhi, M.I.A.'s former drummer with a Harvard MBA". Los Angeles Times. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  63. ↑ Lynch, Joe (25 October 2019). "How a Bus Driver Changed Madame Gandhi's Life". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  64. ↑ Jivraj, Nabeela (1 April 2019). ""Own Your Voice; Don't be Afraid"". The McGill Daily. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  65. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  66. ↑ Reynolds, Daniel. "Outfest 2023: And the Winners Are... | Out.com". www.out.com. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  67. ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  68. ↑ "30 Under 30 2019: Music". Forbes. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  69. ↑ Chase, Laurence (21 September 2016). "The Fitzie Foundation". 2016 - The Fitzie Foundation. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
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