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Arunima Joshua

About Me

I am a Bombay-based freelance journalist interested in writing about music and culture.

How I Work

I am intrigued by stories at the intersection of culture, current affairs and social commentary. With a decade of association with India's independent music industry, I have covered the scene and contributed  extensively to communications (PR) efforts in the same.

Get in Touch

arunima.joshua@gmail.com

Selected Bylines

Splainer •

Issai andaaz: A UP-wali’s Christian feast

Editor’s note: Advisory editor Arunima Joshua shares delightful family recipes from her home state—with some idiosyncratic issai—or Indian Christian touches. She shares a tradition that brings together the Lucknawi culinary history of her paternal side–with that of her mother’s Bhojpuri traditions—enmeshed with typically issai khane (Indian Christian food) flavours.
 
About lead image: Lovely stained glass from Christ Church, Lucknow. 
 
Written by: Arunima Joshua, Advisory editor 
 
My father—a...
mint •

Charli XCX, Peggy Gou and the summer of the Party Girl | Mint

“It’s okay to just admit that you’re jealous of me… I’m your number one,” Charli XCX chants over aggressive cyclical synths. Von Dutch, the first single off her sixth studio album, BRAT, falls under the ‘electroclash’ genre, a punk lovechild of 90s techno and 80s new wave. The track is a slap in the face—one that wakes you up to the euphoric highs of a messy night out.On 7 June, Indian-origin British singer Charli XCX and Korean-origin Berlin-based Producer-DJ Peggy Gou both dropped their full-l...
Splainer •

Bombay meri jaan: What you should be doing in the city

Bombay meri jaan: What you should be doing in the city

Editor’s note: This is part two of a very detailed guide to Bombay’s crowded arts & culture scene. There are few people more passionate about the city than Arunima—who has spent 12 years exploring all its delightful nooks and crannies. Here’s what you really ought to be checking out on your next trip to the Maximum City—from art workshops, comedy gigs and indie fleas to LGBTQIA+ friendly events, street art to film clubs. Part one has more o
Splainer •

Bombay beauties: What you should be doing in the city

Bombay beauties: What you should be doing in the city

Editor’s Note: This is part one of the most detailed guides to Bombay’s crowded arts & culture scene. There are few people more passionate about the city than Arunima—who has spent 12 years exploring all its delightful nooks and crannies... Here’s what you really ought to be doing on your next trip to the Maximum City—from music venues, theatre, architecture and art galleries.

I've lived in the frenetic financial capital for the past 12 yea
Splainer •

A very useful gifting guide: How to shop on Instagram

A very useful gifting guide: How to shop on Instagram

Editor’s note: Gifting is tricky business—and creates great anxiety (See: This excellent The Atlantic essay). Insta seems like a great place to find something unique and thoughtful—handcrafted, bespoke items that show we care. But we all worry about being gypped. Advisory editor Arunima Joshua has a guide to help you navigate the perilous shoals of the ‘gram.

Instagrammable goodies. We’ve all seen them. Perfect pictures of baubles and cute
Mint Lounge •

Sandunes’ earth songs in ‘The Ground Beneath Her Feet’

During the covid-19 pandemic, music producer and composer Sanaya Ardeshir thought “the world was going to end and that music was done”. Ardeshir, better known by her moniker, Sandunes, spent the first year of covid travelling through Goa and south India with her partner, bassist and mix engineer Krishna Jhaveri, recording circadian rhythms—12 hours of day time and 12 hours of night time recordings, with no intention of making music again.

The songwriter from Mumbai considered doing something el
IndiaTimes •

Four Indie Music Artists Setting The Stage On Fire Right Now!

On a rainy evening at Mumbai’s G5A “black box” performance venue, Kavya Trehan, (stage name stylised as KAVYA), is surrounded by an extensive set of loopers, synthesisers, electronic drums and keys. The indie artist is performing songs from her 2021 EP Know Me Better: Her lilting voice casts a spell aided by her outfit of couture saree-pants. KAVYA put on an audio-visual spectacle nothing like I’d witnessed before, in my decade of attending indie gigs and festivals. Her vocals channelled pop and
Splainer •

Folk to film: Bollywood remakes traditional ballads

Editor’s Note: Here’s a modern folk lesson. Arunima takes you through the history of folk compositions and their several renditions that finally land up in the glitzy and danceable world of Bollywood music. Listen in, take in the folklore—and feel free to compare them to the filmy versions!

Bollywood has often retold folk and oral traditions glistening them alive to the silverscreen. This is also true for the musical traditions of the largest film industry in the world. We introduce you to the
Splainer •

We recommend: Indie music from the Valley

We recommend: Indie music from the Valley

Editor’s Note: Here’s a wonderful crash course in contemporary independent music from Kashmir. Hip-hop, sufi and rock artists are recreating poetry and folk sounds—but with a message and often uncomfortable for the rest of the nation.

Indie experimentation in the subcontinent is peaking across genres. And it’s no different in Kashmir where indie artists are seriously kicking ass. The mood in the Valley is more hip-hop—marked by a resurgence of sufi-fol
Splainer •

Beer drinker’s guide to Pune

Editor’s Note: The lesser-known treasure of Pune is its craft beer. Homegrown breweries, online deliveries, draft beer on tap and the multiple craft beer festivals reflect the laid back pace of the city. Hope you enjoy checking Arunima Joshua’s favourite spots to grab a cold one. Have a ‘brewtiful’ weekend:)

It’s no secret that craft breweries and artisanal beer are having their ‘hoppiest’ moment in the country. Beer drinkers are spoilt for choice—whether you’re in the mood for coconut cream al
Splainer •

An excellent playlist of drummer beats

Editor’s Note: This weekend, unleash your inner percussionist with these groove slapping tracks curated by Aarifah Rebello. The selection ranges from the pop punk phonetics of Paramore to classics from Jet, Mutemath and Death Cab for Cutie. Also included: off-time signatures and double kick beats from the masters Foo Fighters and Alter Bridge and new-age RnB from Anderson .Paak.

As a storyteller and performer, Aarifah Rebello may strum a trusty acoustic guitar or experiment with a live-looper,
Mintlounge •

On Midnights, a sexier, sparkier Taylor Swift

Ten albums in, Taylor Swift knows her job as an artist and songwriter. On her new studio album, she seems to have a keener understanding of it than ever before. Midnights features deft lyricism and a rhythmic cadence, eschewing simple verse formats for her deepest dive yet into celebrity vulnerability.

Also read: Pena artist, Mangka, sings of the past and future

Midnights autobiographically chronicles 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout Swift’s life. There are frequent recalls to her earl
Verve Magazine | India's premier luxury lifestyle women's magazine •

Laws of the Land

A post-therapy ritual for 19-year-old Deeptak Koley is visiting his favourite indie cafe in Kolkata. “They know exactly what I will order,” says Koley, a second-year liberal arts student, who enjoys the spot’s breakfast platter with iced tea and supporting “small businesses”. Events producer Shruti Shenoy often spent her Sunday afternoons at her go-to organic cafe in the winding lanes of Mumbai’s Bandra West, relishing a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. The 28-year-old has made a conscious
Red Bull •

Four things to check out at EyeMyth Festival 2019

In its fifth edition since 2011, Delhi-based UnBox Festival’s media arts offspring EyeMyth Festival returns to Mumbai shores. What will most likely be a balmy Bombay winter weekend from November 29th to December 1st, will witness three days of intersecting art, culture and technology.

One of the most interesting facets of multi-disciplinary and cultural festivals in this metropolis is venue hopping. EyeMyth takes place at four of the most diverse venues in the culture-incubating infrastructure
Sakal Times •

Spinning siblings

After working with an international label, an indigenous label, and a Mumbai-based artist management agency, Pune-based electronic act — the Moon Roots Project — decided to take the DIY way recently. Self-releasing their fourth EP Esin earlier this year and also recruiting a close friend as manager, the techno beatmakers have had things only looking up since.

The synergy can mainly be attributed to the fact that the duo, Fatema and Hannan (Hakim), also happen to be siblings. With about a six-ye
Pune Mirror •

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

By: Arunima Joshua



House and techno-music producer, anish sood, will play a one-of-a-kind show in the city



Goa-based Anish Sood is only 27. This is also probably why he’s completely at ease taking a risk by playing a set which is “not crowd friendly” in his own words. “What I do is I turn all the lights off so it becomes pitch black and we have just one strobe light which kind of creates a very epileptic kind of dark room vibe,” says Sood, describing the experience that he has in sto
Rolling Stone India •

Delhi Indie Night Opens Up To Local Bands

In 2009, British expats Andy Dodd and Nathan Steele met in the capital city at a common friend’s house party. Now better known by their stage monikers DJ Doddji and DJ Steelish, the duo is popular among Delhi’s alternative music scene, whose growth they have contributed to steadily. As part of Delhi Indie Night, the two have been hosting unique gigs where attendees are assured cheap booze, odd themes (they’ve had ”˜aprons and gloves’ parties to ”˜wearing two different shoes on each foot’ dos) an
Pune Mirror •

METRE UP

By: Arunima Joshua



Experimental Marathi poetry show Irshaad, helmed by two veteran city-based poets, is making waves globally and returns home tonight



The word “irshaad”, literally translates to a command or an order given to someone. In poetry, however, the word is used as an encouragement by the audience for the performer to commence his couplet or verse. City-based poets Sandeep Khare and Vaibhav Joshi write and perform largely in Marathi.



Barely eight months old, Irshaad ha
BOOM •

Did These Books Predict The Coronavirus Outbreak? | BOOM

Social media is abuzz claiming two books – The Eyes of Darkness (1981) by Dean Koontz and End Of Days (2008) by Sylvia Browne – predicted the Coronavirus outbreak.

Users are sharing images from the books, one of them written in 1981, on Facebook, WhatsApp And Twitter highlighting excerpts from the books that speak about a similar outbreak.

While the internet has lately been flooded with varied misinformation and misleading claims around the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the connection
Festival Sherpa •

Lost Stories Drop Remix For Alan Walker's "Alone" And It's Banging!

Ever since its release at the end of last year, Alan Walker‘s latest electro-house stomper “Alone” has been on everyone’s lips and minds, with its lush vocals, courtesy of Swedish songstress Noonie Bao and Walker’s signature synth progressions. Now, India’s electronica scene ambassadors, Lost Stories, have remixed the track for a smoother feel and more climactic drops.

The producers are also going to give the remix away as a free download after it crosses 200 K views on Facebook, the only place
BOOM •

Bat Infestation Video From Florida Falsely Shared As Coronavirus Source Found | BOOM

A three minute video from Florida, USA of a bat infestation under a tiled roof is viral falsely claiming that the source of the novel Coronavirus in Hubei, China has been found.

The video dates back to July 2011 and shows workers with gloved hands removing the tiling of an old roof to reveal hundreds of bats flying from under every tile panel.

As the contractors continue to move from panel to panel to reveal a heavy bat infestation, cinematic music accompanies the visuals, masking any dialogue
BOOM •

No, Video Does Not Show Street Vendors Evicted Before Trump's Gujarat Visit

A video of an eviction drive from Odisha is being falsely shared as street side hawkers in Gujarat being evicted in preparation for the visit of US President Donald Trump's visit to the state on February 24.

The video follows an excavator demolishing fruit and carts as officials oversee the whole process. Many carts are then wheeled towards the excavator which goes on to crush them turn by turn.

The video is being shared with the caption, "Don't the poor have a right to live in this country un
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Selected Bylines

Splainer •

Bombay beauties: What you should be doing in the city

Bombay beauties: What you should be doing in the city

Editor’s Note: This is part one of the most detailed guides to Bombay’s crowded arts & culture scene. There are few people more passionate about the city than Arunima—who has spent 12 years exploring all its delightful nooks and crannies... Here’s what you really ought to be doing on your next trip to the Maximum City—from music venues, theatre, architecture and art galleries.

I've lived in the frenetic financial capital for the past 12 yea
Splainer •

A very useful gifting guide: How to shop on Instagram

A very useful gifting guide: How to shop on Instagram

Editor’s note: Gifting is tricky business—and creates great anxiety (See: This excellent The Atlantic essay). Insta seems like a great place to find something unique and thoughtful—handcrafted, bespoke items that show we care. But we all worry about being gypped. Advisory editor Arunima Joshua has a guide to help you navigate the perilous shoals of the ‘gram.

Instagrammable goodies. We’ve all seen them. Perfect pictures of baubles and cute
Mint Lounge •

Sandunes’ earth songs in ‘The Ground Beneath Her Feet’

During the covid-19 pandemic, music producer and composer Sanaya Ardeshir thought “the world was going to end and that music was done”. Ardeshir, better known by her moniker, Sandunes, spent the first year of covid travelling through Goa and south India with her partner, bassist and mix engineer Krishna Jhaveri, recording circadian rhythms—12 hours of day time and 12 hours of night time recordings, with no intention of making music again.

The songwriter from Mumbai considered doing something el
IndiaTimes •

Four Indie Music Artists Setting The Stage On Fire Right Now!

On a rainy evening at Mumbai’s G5A “black box” performance venue, Kavya Trehan, (stage name stylised as KAVYA), is surrounded by an extensive set of loopers, synthesisers, electronic drums and keys. The indie artist is performing songs from her 2021 EP Know Me Better: Her lilting voice casts a spell aided by her outfit of couture saree-pants. KAVYA put on an audio-visual spectacle nothing like I’d witnessed before, in my decade of attending indie gigs and festivals. Her vocals channelled pop and
Splainer •

Folk to film: Bollywood remakes traditional ballads

Editor’s Note: Here’s a modern folk lesson. Arunima takes you through the history of folk compositions and their several renditions that finally land up in the glitzy and danceable world of Bollywood music. Listen in, take in the folklore—and feel free to compare them to the filmy versions!

Bollywood has often retold folk and oral traditions glistening them alive to the silverscreen. This is also true for the musical traditions of the largest film industry in the world. We introduce you to the
Splainer •

We recommend: Indie music from the Valley

We recommend: Indie music from the Valley

Editor’s Note: Here’s a wonderful crash course in contemporary independent music from Kashmir. Hip-hop, sufi and rock artists are recreating poetry and folk sounds—but with a message and often uncomfortable for the rest of the nation.

Indie experimentation in the subcontinent is peaking across genres. And it’s no different in Kashmir where indie artists are seriously kicking ass. The mood in the Valley is more hip-hop—marked by a resurgence of sufi-fol
Splainer •

Beer drinker’s guide to Pune

Editor’s Note: The lesser-known treasure of Pune is its craft beer. Homegrown breweries, online deliveries, draft beer on tap and the multiple craft beer festivals reflect the laid back pace of the city. Hope you enjoy checking Arunima Joshua’s favourite spots to grab a cold one. Have a ‘brewtiful’ weekend:)

It’s no secret that craft breweries and artisanal beer are having their ‘hoppiest’ moment in the country. Beer drinkers are spoilt for choice—whether you’re in the mood for coconut cream al
Splainer •

An excellent playlist of drummer beats

Editor’s Note: This weekend, unleash your inner percussionist with these groove slapping tracks curated by Aarifah Rebello. The selection ranges from the pop punk phonetics of Paramore to classics from Jet, Mutemath and Death Cab for Cutie. Also included: off-time signatures and double kick beats from the masters Foo Fighters and Alter Bridge and new-age RnB from Anderson .Paak.

As a storyteller and performer, Aarifah Rebello may strum a trusty acoustic guitar or experiment with a live-looper,
Mintlounge •

On Midnights, a sexier, sparkier Taylor Swift

Ten albums in, Taylor Swift knows her job as an artist and songwriter. On her new studio album, she seems to have a keener understanding of it than ever before. Midnights features deft lyricism and a rhythmic cadence, eschewing simple verse formats for her deepest dive yet into celebrity vulnerability.

Also read: Pena artist, Mangka, sings of the past and future

Midnights autobiographically chronicles 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout Swift’s life. There are frequent recalls to her earl
Red Bull •

Four things to check out at EyeMyth Festival 2019

In its fifth edition since 2011, Delhi-based UnBox Festival’s media arts offspring EyeMyth Festival returns to Mumbai shores. What will most likely be a balmy Bombay winter weekend from November 29th to December 1st, will witness three days of intersecting art, culture and technology.

One of the most interesting facets of multi-disciplinary and cultural festivals in this metropolis is venue hopping. EyeMyth takes place at four of the most diverse venues in the culture-incubating infrastructure
Sakal Times •

Spinning siblings

After working with an international label, an indigenous label, and a Mumbai-based artist management agency, Pune-based electronic act — the Moon Roots Project — decided to take the DIY way recently. Self-releasing their fourth EP Esin earlier this year and also recruiting a close friend as manager, the techno beatmakers have had things only looking up since.

The synergy can mainly be attributed to the fact that the duo, Fatema and Hannan (Hakim), also happen to be siblings. With about a six-ye
Pune Mirror •

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

By: Arunima Joshua



House and techno-music producer, anish sood, will play a one-of-a-kind show in the city



Goa-based Anish Sood is only 27. This is also probably why he’s completely at ease taking a risk by playing a set which is “not crowd friendly” in his own words. “What I do is I turn all the lights off so it becomes pitch black and we have just one strobe light which kind of creates a very epileptic kind of dark room vibe,” says Sood, describing the experience that he has in sto
Rolling Stone India •

Delhi Indie Night Opens Up To Local Bands

In 2009, British expats Andy Dodd and Nathan Steele met in the capital city at a common friend’s house party. Now better known by their stage monikers DJ Doddji and DJ Steelish, the duo is popular among Delhi’s alternative music scene, whose growth they have contributed to steadily. As part of Delhi Indie Night, the two have been hosting unique gigs where attendees are assured cheap booze, odd themes (they’ve had ”˜aprons and gloves’ parties to ”˜wearing two different shoes on each foot’ dos) an
Pune Mirror •

METRE UP

By: Arunima Joshua



Experimental Marathi poetry show Irshaad, helmed by two veteran city-based poets, is making waves globally and returns home tonight



The word “irshaad”, literally translates to a command or an order given to someone. In poetry, however, the word is used as an encouragement by the audience for the performer to commence his couplet or verse. City-based poets Sandeep Khare and Vaibhav Joshi write and perform largely in Marathi.



Barely eight months old, Irshaad ha
BOOM •

Did These Books Predict The Coronavirus Outbreak? | BOOM

Social media is abuzz claiming two books – The Eyes of Darkness (1981) by Dean Koontz and End Of Days (2008) by Sylvia Browne – predicted the Coronavirus outbreak.

Users are sharing images from the books, one of them written in 1981, on Facebook, WhatsApp And Twitter highlighting excerpts from the books that speak about a similar outbreak.

While the internet has lately been flooded with varied misinformation and misleading claims around the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the connection
Festival Sherpa •

Lost Stories Drop Remix For Alan Walker's "Alone" And It's Banging!

Ever since its release at the end of last year, Alan Walker‘s latest electro-house stomper “Alone” has been on everyone’s lips and minds, with its lush vocals, courtesy of Swedish songstress Noonie Bao and Walker’s signature synth progressions. Now, India’s electronica scene ambassadors, Lost Stories, have remixed the track for a smoother feel and more climactic drops.

The producers are also going to give the remix away as a free download after it crosses 200 K views on Facebook, the only place
BOOM •

Bat Infestation Video From Florida Falsely Shared As Coronavirus Source Found | BOOM

A three minute video from Florida, USA of a bat infestation under a tiled roof is viral falsely claiming that the source of the novel Coronavirus in Hubei, China has been found.

The video dates back to July 2011 and shows workers with gloved hands removing the tiling of an old roof to reveal hundreds of bats flying from under every tile panel.

As the contractors continue to move from panel to panel to reveal a heavy bat infestation, cinematic music accompanies the visuals, masking any dialogue
BOOM •

No, Video Does Not Show Street Vendors Evicted Before Trump's Gujarat Visit

A video of an eviction drive from Odisha is being falsely shared as street side hawkers in Gujarat being evicted in preparation for the visit of US President Donald Trump's visit to the state on February 24.

The video follows an excavator demolishing fruit and carts as officials oversee the whole process. Many carts are then wheeled towards the excavator which goes on to crush them turn by turn.

The video is being shared with the caption, "Don't the poor have a right to live in this country un
Festival Sherpa •

REVIEW: The Heady Affair That Was The Pune Debut of Tapped Festival!

The Sunday day out was the perfect kickback with booze, food and live music!

For its third edition, Tapped – the craft beer and food festival from Bombay– moved to its neighbour city, and Puneites had high hops to indulge in what had been brewing. The one day extravaganza boasted artisanal beer from over eight breweries across Mumbai and Pune, ten food stalls curated by Little Food Co. apart from a drinking games arena and multiple musical acts.

With some of Mumbai’s finest (Brewbot and Gatew
BOOM •

Yogi Who Went Into Meditative State 300 Years Ago Found Alive? A FactCheck | BOOM

A video of a man with an aggravated case of psoriasis from Kazakhstan is being shared over WhatsApp and social media in India as a yogi in a transcendent, meditative state for 300 years who was found alive after digging around a temple.

The graphic video shows a man in a haggard state covered with mud, blood and several sores oozing with fluid, laying in a hospital bed. The age or ethnicity of the man is barely identifiable from the video, however when asked his name in aa foreign language his
Festival Sherpa •

Kumail Launches New EP From You To Blue!

The 23 year old Mumbai producer will perform the new EP with a live band for the first time!

After two well-received EPs and 2016’s full length debut Links, Kumail Hamid, has released his third EP From You To Blue on indie label Knowmad Records. While the live EP Launch takes place on the 24th of March at antiSOCIAL, Khar, Mumbai, the EP releases across online platforms today! One of the Indian indie music scene’s favourite beat makers, Kumail, will be performing with a live band, which involve
Festival Sherpa •

Naezy Becomes First Artist To Release New Single Through Saavn's 'Artist Originals' Program

Mumbai Based Rapper Naezy dropped “Azaad Hu Mai” – an ode to freedom and the responsibility of making the right choices that comes with it, in collaboration with music streaming app Saavn.

The underground hip-hop scene is kicking off with a bang in 2017, with both Mumbai rappers, Divine and Naezy, dropping singles in the last couple of weeks, apart from new music from other Indian rappers and hip hop crews such as Swadesi and MC Mawali. “Azaad Hu Mai” sees Naezy address those who dare to challe
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