->Ira Leviton: Fixed a typo found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.

2021-10-05T17:42:52Z

Fixed a typo found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.

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{{short description|Indian music band}}

{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Casteless Collective
| origin = [[Chennai]], India
| years_active = 2017 - present
| genre = Tamil- Indie 
| label = Independent
| current_members = Tenma Muthu Bala Chandar [[Isaivani]] [[Arivu]] Chellamuthu Dharani Sarath Gautham Nandhan Kalaivanan Manu Krishnan Sahib Singh
}}

'''The Casteless Collective''' is an Indian [[Indie music scene|indie]] band based in [[Chennai]], Tamil Nadu. The band was formed in 2017, with support from the [[Pa. Ranjith#Neelam_Panpaatu_Maiyam|Neelam Panpaatu Maiyam]] started by filmmaker [[Pa. Ranjith]] and filmmaker and film composer Tenma, founder of the label [[Madras Records]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Pa Ranjith, says music director Tenma|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/dec/03/i-wouldnt-be-here-if-it-wasnt-for-pa-ranjith-says-music-director-tenma-2070588.html|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Kannadasan|first=Akila|date=2019-10-26|title=One love|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/one-love/article29806079.ece|access-date=2020-04-30|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Casteless Collective: A music band’s debut has caught the attention of Chennai and the internet|url=https://scroll.in/magazine/864285/the-casteless-collective-a-music-bands-debut-has-caught-the-attention-of-chennai-and-the-internet|last=Govindarajan|first=Vinita|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>

== Early years and band formation ==
Tenma, the leader and the music producer of the band was trying to put together a group of indie musicians and artists, the Madras Indie Collective, in 2017 when he received a call from Neelam's [[Pa. Ranjith]], enquiring if he could train [[Gaana]] singers and musicians from the Gaana genre. They put out calls for an audition and received about 150 applications. Since the band was embarking on a socio-political journey, the auditions were looking to understand the motivations of the performers, as much as their musical strengths. A blend of Gaana, hip-hop, rock, rap, and folk musicians were among the ~19 singers who formed the initial ensemble.<ref name="tmk-hindu"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/want-add-power-human-dignity-rapper-arivu-vanakkam-virus-and-his-art-122552|title=Want to add power to human dignity: Rapper Arivu on 'Vanakkam Virus' and his art|last=|first=|date=|website=The news minute|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>

The band's name originates from the usage, ''Jaathi Illadha Tamizhargal'', a phrase coined by 19th century anti caste activist and writer [[Iyothee Thass|C. Iyothee Thass]], who urged [[Dalits]] across [[Tamilnadu]] to register themselves without caste.<ref name="tmk-hindu">{{cite news |last1=T.M |first1=Krishna |title=Our music is about raw, primal instinct: The Casteless Collective |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/our-music-is-about-raw-primal-instinct/article26028183.ece |publisher=The Hindu}}</ref> The name of the band was inspired by a phrase – "jaathi bedha matra Tamilargal" – used by Tamil anti-caste activist and writer C Iyothee Thass.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scroll.in/magazine/864285/the-casteless-collective-a-music-bands-debut-has-caught-the-attention-of-chennai-and-the-internet|title=The Casteless Collective: A music band's debut has caught the attention of Chennai and the internet|first=Vinita|last=Govindarajan|date=|website=Scroll.in|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> Iyothee Thassa Pandithar (1845-1914) was the first to moot the phrase "Jaathi Bedha Matra Tamizhargal" in the early 20th century by publishing the same in his Tamil Journal ''Tamizhan'' (1907-1914).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/36522827|title=''The Caste-less Community''|first=Dickens|last=Leonard|date=|website=Academia.org|access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref>

The band's music is political, and their songs rebel against the inequality of the caste system, and the oppression of women and minorities by the state.<ref name="vice">{{cite news |title=The Casteless Collective is breaking caste boundaries with its music |url=https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/wjvyq9/the-casteless-collective-india-band-is-breaking-caste-boundaries-with-its-music|publisher=Vice}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pa Ranjith’s 'The Casteless Collective': A coming together of rock, rap, and gaana|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pa-ranjith-s-casteless-collective-coming-together-rock-rap-and-gaana-73809|last=Rao|first=Manasa|date=|website=The News Minute|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=IAS aspirant to auto driver — how Chennai's gully boys & girls fight inequality with music|url=https://theprint.in/features/ias-aspirant-to-auto-driver-how-chennais-gully-boys-girls-fight-inequality-with-music/195628/|last=Daksnamurthy|first=Aananth|date=2019-02-22|website=ThePrint|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref> The current lineup consists of 19 members including Tenma, leader and music producer, singers Muthu, Bala Chandar, [[Isaivani]], [[Arivu]] and Chellamuthu, Dharani (Dholak), Sarath (Satti), Gautham (Katta molam), Nandhan Kalaivanan (Parai and Tavil), Manu Krishnan (drums) and Sahib Singh (guitar).<ref name="tmk-hindu"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=An anti-caste collective challenges oppression through music|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/arts/anti-caste-collective-challenges-oppression-through-music|last=Senthalir|first=S.|website=The Caravan|language=en|access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref>

As of November 2019, the band had released thirty-five songs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wake-up songs: Across the south, bands are using folk to rock the boat|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/wake-up-songs-across-the-south-bands-are-using-folk-to-rock-the-boat/story-TCcb4EcKZyv1EAbqi7MQKO.html|date=2019-11-09|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref> In 2020 Gaana singer, [[Isaivani]], who is the only woman in the band was recognised for her role by the [[BBC]]. She was included in the [[100 Women (BBC)|BBC's 100 Women]] because she inspires others because she has sung and performed for a long time in a space that is dominated by men.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-24|title=Gaana singer Isaivani of The Casteless Collective on BBC's '100 Women 2020 list'|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/gaana-singer-isaivani-casteless-collective-bbcs-100-women-2020-list-138339|access-date=2020-11-26|website=The News Minute|language=en}}</ref>

== Singles ==
* Jai Bhim Anthem - 2018 <ref>{{Cite news|last=Sriram|first=Abhinaya|date=2018-05-21|title=Madras Medai: on stage, everyone’s equal|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/madras-meda-indie-music-concert/article23949846.ece|access-date=2020-04-30|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
* Quota - 2018 <ref name="vice" />
* Magizhchi - 2018
* Vada Chennai - 2018
* Thalaiva - 2019
* Dabba Dabba - 2019
== Albums ==
* Magizhchi - 2018 <ref>{{Cite news|last=Nath|first=Parshathy J.|date=2018-03-06|title=The Casteless Collective: When equal voices sing for equality|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/the-casteless-collective-when-equal-voices-sing-for-equality/article22946201.ece|access-date=2020-04-30|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Casteless Collective, The}}
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2017]]
[[Category:Indian musical groups]]
[[Category:2017 establishments in Tamil Nadu]]

The Casteless Collective - Revision history

->Ira Leviton: Fixed a typo found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.