Asha Puthli

Asha Puthli, born on February 4, 1945, in Mumbai, India, emerged from a Hindu family involved in business and the Indian independence movement. Her early education included English-speaking Catholic schools, where she began formal training in Indian classical music and opera. Puthli developed an interest in jazz and pop from a young age, leading her to improvise with a local jazz band at tea dances by age thirteen. Her talent was recognized by Ved Mehta in his book ‘Portrait of India’, and she attended university in Mumbai before pursuing her artistic ambitions abroad.

Puthli moved to New York in 1969 on a dance scholarship to the Martha Graham School, after securing a job with British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) to obtain a passport. In 1970, she was signed to CBS Records by John H. Hammond, known for discovering artists like Billie Holiday. Her work with avant-garde jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman on his 1972 album ‘Science Fiction’ earned her critical acclaim, including the DownBeat Critics’ Poll award for Best Female Jazz Vocalist. She also contributed lead vocals to the Peter Ivers Blues Band’s cover of ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’ and became a part of Andy Warhol’s Factory scene.

Throughout the 1970s, Puthli released several solo albums, exploring genres such as pop, rock, soul, funk, and disco. Her debut album, ‘Asha Puthli’ (1973), produced by Del Newman, featured cover versions and a disco rendition of “I Am a Song.” Her 1976 album, ‘The Devil is Loose’, was critically lauded, with Robert Palmer of The New York Times describing her singing as “extraordinary” and Thom Jurek of AllMusic calling it “a masterpiece.” Beyond music, Puthli starred in films like Merchant Ivory’s ‘Savages’ (1972) and Bruno Corbucci’s ‘The Gang That Sold America’ (1979). Her career also saw her music sampled by prominent hip-hop artists, and she headlined events such as Central Park Summerstage. In 2025, Puthli was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.