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TroyBoi returns to his Indian roots with Rootz EP using Lata Mangeshkar’s voice to redefine British diaspora music
TroyBoi’s latest EP bridges generations by fusing South Asian heritage sounds with global trap and electronic production Instagram/troyboi
Why are British artists turning back to their roots?
Ever notice how so much modern British music carries echoes of the past? It’s not accidental. Artists like TroyBoi, Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh, they’re all part of a trend where the second- and third-generation are treating heritage not as ornaments but as foundation.
Previous generations often assimilated or created separate niches. Today’s generation fuses it all. Indian classical melodies with trap. Punjabi vocals over electronic bass. Caribbean rhythms folded into grime. It’s less about the exotic flavour and more about identity.
The UK has a history of this. The Windrush generation brought calypso, jazz and reggae. That became jungle, drum and bass, grime. TroyBoi and his peers are the next chapter, saying, “We can be British, and Indian, and global all at once.”
TroyBoi’s rootz: Heritage woven into bass
TroyBoi’s mother played Bollywood tapes constantly. He watched Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham more than 20 times as a child. So, for him, Kabhi is a memory encoded in sound. Lata’s voice is the past and the trap beats are the present. It’s cinematic, it’s club-ready, yet it’s personal. That’s the difference between appropriation and reclamation.
Other tracks follow the same logic:
- Masala: Punjabi vocals meet chest-thumping bass.
- Okay: Jazzy B collaboration, Bhangra melodies twisted into electronic form.
- Beggin’: Indian instruments layered over global bass.
What the Lata Mangeshkar sample really means
TroyBoi went through “a long, delicate process.” Mangeshkar passed in 2022, and her voice carries decades of memory. Using it is almost sacred, and he didn’t just want permission, he wanted respect.
And it shows, because Kabhi bridges generations. Parents recognise the melody; younger fans hear it in trap form for the first time. Almost like cultural continuity in motion.
Beyond TroyBoi: The broader British diaspora movement
He’s not alone. Look around:
- Nitin Sawhney combines Indian classical with electronic music.
- Talvin Singh brought Indian rhythms to electronic music in Britain.
- Johannes Radebe brings south African dance to UK stages.
Why this matters
This isn’t just about music. It’s about how identity works in multicultural societies. Artists growing up between cultures often felt torn. But now, they’re saying: duality isn’t a problem, in fact, it’s fuel. It also changes what “British music” can mean. British music mixes Bollywood, Punjabi and Caribbean sounds, and the scene is alive, loud and full of variety.
British diaspora artists like TroyBoi use heritage as foundation not ornament in contemporary musicInstagram/troyboi
Roots propel forward
By sampling Lata and merging heritage and trap, he is mapping identity in sound. Roots do not hold you back; they give you freedom. British artists using their heritage are not stuck in the past. They are shaping the music of the future, and it’s messy, alive, and ours to hear.
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