Rekha Malhotra 37-31 73rd Street, Apt 9R, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 [email protected] www.diasporaspin.com 917.287.1917
EDUCATION Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Masters of Science in Comparative Media Studies Expected June 2019 Podcast School, Union Docs, Brooklyn, NY August 2016 Radio Bootcamp, Union Docs, Brooklyn, NY June 2015 Ableton, Dubspot, NY, NY Summer 2009 Producing Hip-Hop and Rap Music, New School For Social Research, NY, NY Spring 2001 CUNY Queens College, B.A., Urban Studies, Flushing, NY September 1998
WORK EXPERIENCE Creative Director, Sangament Media LLC f/k/a Sangament, Inc.: Entertainment Company 2000-present Consultant for India Launch, Spotify 2018 Producer, Community Connect, Inc.: owner of blackplanet.com, asianavenue.com, migente.com 2000-2001 Finance Assistant, American Documentary, Inc.: Producers of POV, PBS TV Series 1998-1999
CURATING/PRESENTING EXPERIENCE MIT DISSOLVE MUSIC CONFERENCE, Keynote Panel and Music Program, Cambridge, MA March 2018 CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE, Basement Bhangra Final Mic, Apache Indian, Panjabi MC and Guests, NY, NY August 2018 BASEMENT BHANGRA UNPLUGGED, New York University, NY, NY July 2017 BASEMENT BHANGRA, Monthly club night, Le Poisson Rouge and SOB's, NY, NY 1997-2017 BOLLYWOOD DISCO, Various Club Locations in New York City 2002-2017 OFFICIAL TRIBUTE FOR STATE OF BENGAL, Baby's All Right, Brooklyn, NY May 2015 5 RIVERS TO 5 BOROUGHS: History of Contemporary Bhangra Music, Exhibit, Panel & Performance, NY, NY March 2011 MUTINY CLUB NIGHT, Various Club Locations in New York City 2003-2009 DESI DIASPORA FILM SERIES, 92 Street Y Tribeca, NY, NY 2008-2009 CELEBRATE BROOKLYN, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY 2007 CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE, Lady Sovereign and Guests, NY, NY 2006 CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE, M.I.A and Guests, NY, NY 2005
MUSIC PRODUCTION/SOUND DESIGN BHANGRA AND BEYOND, Weekly Podcast on the BTR Network November 2010-Present STEREOTYPE, Remix for Samsaya, in collaboration with Dave Sharma February 2014 EXOTIC, Remix for Priyanka Chopra, in collaboration with Dave Sharma July 2013 PYAR BAILE, Dance Single released on Beat Bazaar Music November 2011 EPIC, Remix commissioned by Meredith Monk for Meredith House Foundation September 2011 PON DE FLOOR/Major Laser, White Label remix w/ Rajstar November 2010 BOMBAY DINER, Bhangra remix commissioned by E1 Music September 2009 RAFTA RAFTA, Sound Design, Off Broadway Play June 2008 DJ REKHA PRESENTS BASEMENT BHANGRA MIX CD (Koch Records/E1), Artist Album October 2007 FEET IN TWO WORLDS, Sound Design for NPR documentary May 2005 BRIDGE and TUNNEL, Sound Design for OBIE-winning, one-woman show by Sarah Jones February 2004 RAISING OUR VOICES, Music Supervisor/Contributor, Documentary on Hate Crimes against South Asians Fall 2001 PINK PALACE: Music track for Animated Cartoon Series of Oxygen Network June 2000
Rekha Malhotra Page 1 of 3 TEACHING EXPERIENCE Business of Electronic Dance Music, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, NYU Spring, Summer 2013 Introduction to the Music Business, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, NYU Fall 2012, Spring 2013 Record Producer as Creative Artist, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, NYU Fall 2012, Spring 2013 Master Class: DJ History, Culture, and Technique, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, NYU Summer 2010 Bhangra, Bollywood, and Beyond, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, NYU Spring 2010 Art and Activism Seminar, Social Justice Summit, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA March 2009 Pop Culture: South Asians in the U.S., Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU Spring 2007
ARTIST RESIDENCIES/VISITING ARTIST APPOINTMENTS DORIS DUKE, BUILDING ARTIST DEMAND, Ragamala Dance Company, Minneapolis, MN Nov 2015-Feb 2017 Residency to share knowledge and build strategy to grow demand for creative work; participate in performance talkbacks. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, Cultural Artist Ambassador, New Delhi and Chennai, India January 2009 ASIAN/PACIFIC/AMERICAN INSTITUTE Artist-in-Residence at New York University 2006-2007 Produced 2 public events; started radio documentary on South Asian Artists in Britain; worked on forthcoming album; gave talks and lectures to NYU community; taught class, Popular Culture: South Asians in the U.S.
SELECTED PANELS/TALKS/WORKSHOPS South Asian American Digital Archives Inaugural Discussion Series, "PAST TENSE / FUTURE PERFECT," NY, NY November 2019 The National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution, "Yoga x Hip-Hop," D.C. September 2018 MIT Dissolve, Moderator, "Art as Practice, Practice as Art," Cambridge, MA March 2017 NEH SUMMER INSTITUTE, Building Asian American Studies, "Bhangra and Art Practice," Presentation, NY, NY August 2016 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, DJ Master Class, Asheville, NC November 2015 UNIVERSITY of TEXAS: AUSTIN, "Salaam E Ishq: Artist Talk," as part of Queer Night Life Seminar October 2015 GODREJ CULTURE LABS, "Yo Yo Give Me Back that Beat," Vikroli, India February 2014 QUEENS MUSEUM of ART, "Dancehall, Diaspora, Desi Music," discussion with Apache Indian and Wayne Marshall, as part of the museum series, Caribbean: Crossroads of the World, Flushing, NY November 2012 ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES CONFERENCE, "Bollywood Collaborations," D.C. April 2012 EMP Pop Music Conference, "Tropical in the Global Metropolis," NY, NY March 2012
SELECTED PERFORMANCES LATE NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston September 2017 BASEMENT BHANGRA FINAL CONCERT SummerStage at Central Park, NYC July 2017 WOMENS MARCH, Washington DC- Official DJ January 2016 CELEBRATE BROOKLYN, Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, NY July 2016 WOLF TRAP NATIONAL PARK FOR PERFORMING ARTS, with A.R. Rahman, Vienna, VA May 2015 OTTAWA JAZZ FESTIVAL, Ottawa, Canada June 2014 CLEVELAND MUSEUM of ART, Friday Night Mix Series, TEDx After party, Cleveland, OH April 2014 SINFONETTA, Global Dance Party, collaboration with Dave Sharma, performed by Orchestra, Chicago, IL March 2014 DIWALI MELA AT SOUTH STREET SEAPORT, Association of Indians in America, NY, NY October 2013 KENNEDY CENTER, Maxim India Festival, Demonstration and DJ performance, D.C. March 2011 SMITHSONIAN SACKLER FREER GALLERY, Asia After Dark, D.C. July 2010 BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK, Brooklyn, NY May 2011 LINCOLN CENTER, Midsummer Swing NY, NY June 2010 WHITE HOUSE East Room, President Obama in attendance, D.C. May 2010 OTTAWA BLUES FESTIVAL, Ottawa, Canada July 2009 WANDERLUST MUSIC FESTIVAL, Mount-Tremblant, Canada June 2009
Rekha Malhotra Page 2 of 3 SELECTED WRITINGS ART FORUM, "Top Ten Musical Moments of 2017" (essay) December 2017 LARGEUP.COM, Contributing Writer (Artist Profiles, Throwback Thursdays, Top Ten Toppas) 2012 ASIAN AMERICAN LITERARY REVIEW, Special Issue: Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Sept. 11 Fall 2011 (Postcard & Testimony) THE RECORD CONTEMPORARY ART AND VINYL, "Dissecting Diasporic Discs" (essay) May 2010 TIME OUT NEW YORK, "DJ Rekha's New York" March 2004 CARAVAN TO AMERICA, Caruso Books, Afterword Fall 2002 FADER MAGAZINE, wrote for Jedi Mind Tricks column June 2002
ORGANIZATIONS/PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE CHHAYA CDC, Board Member, South Asian Development Corp focused on housing and economic justice Present SAMMA, South Asians Media and Marketing Association, Founding Member Present POPANDPOLITICS.COM, Board Member 2002-2007 BREAKTHROUGH MEDIA, Advisory Board Member 1998-2010
AWARDS AND HONORS Game Changer Award, Willie Mae Rock Camp, Brooklyn, NY December 2015 Grand Marshal of NYC Dance Parade, NY, NY May 2015 Anokhi Magazine, Excellence in DJing, Toronto, CA March 2015 Guinness Book of World Records for Largest Bhangra Party at South Street Seaport, NY, NY October 2013 Inductee, New York City People's Hall of Fame, NY, NY November 2009 Best Music Nominee, Drama Desk Award Rafta, Rafta Off Broadway Production 2009 Nominee, Plug Awards for DJ Rekha presents Basement Bhangra (E1 Records) 2008 Architect of Change Awardee, Chhaya CDC June 2009 Honoree, Lotus Dance Center 2006 Most Influential and Powerful South Asians, Newsweek 2004 Founders' Award, South Asian Youth Action 2002
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