Deva Premal grew up in Germany in a spiritual family where she was introduced at an early age to chanting and meditation.  Her mother is a musician and her father an artist. "My father has been on the spiritual path since the 50's, studying Yoga, spiritual scriptures and whatever books were available back then, making it his daily discipline to meditate every morning between 3 and 5 am," she says. "When I was growing up he devised exercises for my sister and I, to help us become more aware of the moment:  We were taught to say 'Om' whenever we placed something on the table, for example. Another was to say 'Ram' whenever we switched on the light!" As a child she studied the violin and piano but it wasn't until she met Miten, at the Osho Commune in India, that she began exploring her voice. "When Miten began encouraging me to sing harmony with him, I didn't need a big push!  I had grown up with music so the ground work was already done.  And we sounded pretty good together!  At first I played a supporting role, singing second voice, playing keyboards, and co-leading our workshops, which used mantras and chants from different cultures.  I was very shy to sing alone, but encouraged by Miten, I became more confident and eventually discovered my voice."

Review:

Embrace

Embrace: Spiritually Provacative

The high chanteuse of chant, Deva Premal, is a pillar of originality in the grand garden of Indian music.  You might say she's to Sanskrit Mantras what Enya is to Celtic music.  Her smooth soulful voice, which resides in the lower octaves, haunts atmospheric, lightly rhythmic, ethereal soundscapes skillfully crafted by her partner Miten. Together they take listeners on a journey into the depths of the soul that doesn't forget to stop at the heart.  The music's easy on the ears, spiritually provocative and contains enough mass appeal to make even the yoga-phobic stir.  Throw in a duet with Jai Uttal (Om Ram Ramaya) and you have an album that will get anyone's chakras in an uproar. - Music Design In Review