Three desi sisters think DMAJOR can shake up the Indian pop music scene

“We want to make history in India,” proclaims Shibani Dandekar, one-third of an Australian-raised sister act called DMAJOR that thinks it's got the booty to shake up the Indian pop music scene.

“We want to become one of the first girl groups who are singing and performing in our own videos," says the 29-year-old Shibani. “Out here, things are different to the music industry in the West. Indian singers are predominantly playback singers, and songs that are big here are usually part of a Bollywood movie.”

With sexed-up Beyonce-meets-biriyani dance-floor grooves like 'Badboy,' 'Cheatin' and 'Still Ya Girl,' DMAJOR's forthcoming debut album is already garnering media attention in India and Australia. 

They'll be playing this Saturday at the Celebrate Bandra festival at the Carter Road Promenade together with two other acts. The evening of music starts at 7pm.

Whether Shibani and her singing sisters need Indian pop music more than Indian pop music needs them, remains the question.

Girl groups have been surprisingly sidelined from Mumbai’s film-centric entertainment industry. Less than a handful of all-girl bands have managed to make their presence felt, in any genre of Indian music.

The most notable, the five-member group Viva, was the product of a reality television show dedicated to establishing a hit pop group. Formed in 2002, Viva released two albums and promptly disappeared. Its former members have since launched dithering solo careers -- one of them releasing a multi-faith album through the Art of Living Foundation.

But the highly polished and produced Dandekar sisters may represent a new wave of enthusiastic performers looking toward India to achieve their goals in the music business.

All three have strong pedigrees in spinning music and style for television: Shibani as a television presenter and model in the United States; Apeksha as a singer and dancer with a Hindi album "Ikraar" already out, and Anusha, the most well known, a VJ for MTV India who is often seen on the red carpet at Mumbai events.

“Our sound is unique in India," says Shibani. “It’s an East meets West thing, and influenced by our lives, having lived in Australia, London and India. We want people to be able to hear our journey on this album.”

"There’s definitely a gap in the market for an act like ours,” adds Apeksha. "India’s pretty cool right now, so we’re making the most of that. We want to go far.”

Listen to these new Indian pop music samples from DMAJOR's upcoming album online now.

Catch DMAJOR at the Celebrate Bandra festival Saturday November 21 at the Carter Road Promenade together with two other acts. The evening of music starts at 7pm.