Chandra Chakraborty is one of Britain’s foremost Indian classical vocalists, specialising in khayal—the predominant vocal form of North Indian classical music. A Gold Medallist of All India Radio and former scholar of the Sangeet Research Academy, she has performed at the Southbank Centre, the House of Commons, and for Her Majesty the Queen. She is accompanied by esraj (a bowed string instrument) and tabla.

Khayal, meaning ‘imagination’, gives the singer freedom to improvise within a chosen raga. The performance typically begins with an unmetered alaap—a slow, wordless exploration of the raga’s notes and phrases—before introducing a bandish (composition) set to a tala. The singer then develops the raga through techniques including taan (rapid melodic passages) and bol (rhythmic play with the song’s lyrics). The esraj mirrors and responds to the voice, while the tabla maintains the rhythmic cycle and engages in dialogue with the singer.