Monica Dogra

Monica Dogra is a singer/ actor born in Baltimore, Maryland, U. S. A. She is the daughter of Indian immigrants. She went to Oakleigh Elementary school, Montessori, Dulaney High school and later on, to Wickham Institute of Music, NYU, from where she graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in music. Her walk to stardom was no easy walk in the park; instead, she admits that she struggled quite a bit to afford her college she had waited tables, and bartended. That was how her first spark of music ignited. She says that she discovered Velvet Revolver and The Donnas at a rock and roll spot, which was the turning point in her life. One thing led to another in her life and the rock group 'Shaa'ir+ Func' was formed, along with award-winning guitarist Randolph Correia. In an interview, she was heard saying “lyrics to songs came quite naturally from that bank of poetry that I have written over years”.

Their first album was “New Day: The Love Album” which had been released in 2007.This hit was followed by “Light Tribe” (2008),”Mantis”(2010) and “Re: Cover” (2014).She was nominated, along with Priyanka Chopra, for the Europe Music Award in the Best Indian Act category. Her debut movie was “Dhobi Ghat” (2011) playing the role of 'Shai' alongside Aamir Khan. Her first song in Bollywood was “Dooriyan Bhi Hain Zaroori” from the movie “Break ke Baad”, along with Vishal Dadlani Vishal Dadlani mostly known by duo name Vishal She >> Read More... . Her other movie projects include“David” (2012),” Fireflies” (2012) and “Tera Suroor". She will also be seen in “Mastaan “along with veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and his son in the crime thriller.

She was among the judging panel for Rolling Stone's ‘Never Hide Sounds’ musical talent contest and also as a judge in “ The Stage The Stage is an Indian television show that starte >> Read More... ” alongside Vishal Dadlani. She was seen as the host in “The Deewarists” as well on Star World India. Another work she prides herself over is the song 'Shivering' from her upcoming album 'Spit'. “I’m in a phase of reinvention, ” she says in an interview about 'Spit'. The location is set in the Alsisar Palace of Rajasthan, amidst the vast desert. The main theme of the song covers the gender-shifting, as seen over a span of many years. It traverses through many myths, fairy tales, and folklores; where women were punished for their curiosity and disobedience. The video also depicts mainstreaming transgender representation in popular culture and collapse gender binaries operating around us.

Through dance, imagery and music, she intends on bringing all these stories into a single time frame and place. The idea first struck her when she was attending a Live Art installation, protesting gender violence along with the transgender activist Aher Abheena. It made her realize the kind of impact made when traditional boundaries of art and commodity system are dissolved. This also led her to act in Rosie Haber's short film “Relapse”, along with queer right activist Casey Legler, as a queer wife to Cole, who self-defines as Trans and takes to hormones. She will be acting a role as well as singing the song “Yeh Dil” in the upcoming Bollywood rom-com “Haaye Dil”. She had also been nominated as one of India’s Most Beautiful Women in 2010 by First City Magazine.