Standing Ovation at Celtic Connections 2022 for British Tamil Abi Sampa

Led by the spellbinding voice of British Tamil artist Abi Sampa, the ‘Orchestral Qawwali Project’ featuring Abi, composer Rushil Rajan and tabla maestro Amrit Singh, received a standing ovation on Friday 28th January 2022 at Celtic Connections in Glasgow – an annual music festival featuring artists from around the globe alongside the best Scottish talent.

Opening for Anoushka Shankar and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the ‘Orchestral Qawwali Project’ combined the ancient Sufi devotional tradition of qawwali with modern orchestral arrangements.

Reviewed by ‘The Times’ – “They combine modern western instruments with Indian traditional ones to make a sound that’s both inviting and ear-opening, led by the spellbinding voice of Abi Sampa. Team them up with SCO, swelling gently in the background , and you had something pretty special, combing the improvisatory spirit of the raga with propulsive energy. Their music moves seamlessly from spiritual focus through incantatory power to flights of love. A stunner.”