Biography

Falu is a GRAMMY® Award winning, internationally recognized artist known for her rare ability to seamlessly blend a signature modern inventive style with a formidable Indian classically-shaped vocal talent.
 
In her early years in Bombay, singer Falu (aka Falguni Shah) was trained rigorously in the Jaipur musical tradition and in the Benares style of Thumrie under the legendary Kaumudi Munshi and semi classical music from Uday Mazumdar. She later continued studying under the late sarangi/vocal master Ustad Sultan Khan, and later with the legendary Smt. Kishori Amonkar (Jaipur style).
 
Originally from Bombay, Falu moved to the States in 2000 and was appointed as a visiting lecturer at Tufts University.  Falu’s subsequent career in the States had led to a series of collaborations with world-wide recognized artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Wyclef Jean, Philip Glass, Ricky Martin, Blues Traveler and A. R. Rahman amongst others. She was appointed Carnegie Hall’s ambassador of Indian Music in 2006, where her shows at Zankel Hall have consistently sold out. Falu has performed for President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House and was also the featured performer at the Time-100 gala in 2009. 
 
Falu's songs have appeared on numerous compilations and soundtracks. She was described by The New York Times as “East and West, ancient and modern” and by Billboard as “Ethereal and Transcendent”. Her first album “Falu” was featured in Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History’s “Beyond Bollywood” exhibit as representative of the voice of Indian American trendsetting artists.  In 2015, Falu was named one of the 20 most influential global Indian women by the Economic Times of India. In 2018, she won the Women Icons of India award in Mumbai, India. Falu was an integral part of Givenchy's September 11th fashion show (Ricardo Tisci collection under the art direction of Marina Abramović) in NYC, where she performed for a star-studded audience. Falu continues to pursue her commitment to introducing children to the wonders of the world through both of her GRAMMY nominated kids project, "Falu’s Bazaar" and GRAMMY winning follow-up album, "A Colorful World" which take families on a musical journey through South Asia and the day-to-day of a child's wonder, as well as through her artist-in-residence position at Carnegie Hall. She has been on the NY Chapter Board of Governors for four years, and now serves as a Trustee for the Recording Academy. In 2020, Falu teamed up with bassist Yasushi Nakamura, drummer Clarence Penn and guitarist, and vocalist Clay Ross to form the American Patchwork Quartet. Leveraging immigrant histories and backgrounds, the Quartet interprets timeless songs in a modern 21st century perspective. The group continues to tour performing arts centers around the world.[7]

On Oct 25, 2022 Falu was awarded a Citation by the Mayor of NYC, Eric Adams, during Diwali for successfully representing immigrants in NYC. Later on Nov 1, 2022 she received a Proclamation by the NYC Council “for fostering greater harmony around the world”

Falu and Gaurav Shah collaborated with the Indian PM Narendra Modi on a single named "Abundance in Millets" that was released on June 16, 2023[8] - a song that was inspired by the UN initiative declaring 2023 as the "International Year of Millets."

​Falu has performed over 500 concerts in the US and around the world. The artist has been featured the New York Times, RollingStone, and Billboard magazine among others.​