The Bombay Royale
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2010 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Founder | Andy Williamson |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | International |
Key people | Andy Williamson, Parvyn, Shourov Bhattacharya |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Number of employees | 11 |
The Bombay Royale was an Australian ensemble consisting of 11 members, featuring vocalists Parvyn and Shourov Bhattacharya, with Andy Williamson at the helm. Their repertoire showcased original compositions that merged elements of funk, disco, and pop with Indian classical and folk traditions, evoking the essence of Bollywood soundtracks from the 1960s and 1970s. Conceived by musical director Andy Williamson—who also contributed on saxophone and flute—the band crafted a distinctive sound by blending a variety of musical styles.
Musical style
Drawing early inspiration from vintage Bollywood film scores, The Bombay Royale performed renditions of Hindi classics such as "Jaan Pehechan Ho" and "Dum Maro Dum" alongside their own original pieces. Their music integrated Indian classical and folk influences with Western genres including funk, rock, and disco. The lyrics were predominantly delivered in Hindi, Bengali, and English. Principal songwriters encompassed Andy Williamson, vocalist Shourov Bhattacharya, keyboardist Matty Vehl, bassist Andre Lobanov, and guitarist Tom Martin.
Biography
Established in Melbourne, Australia in 2010 by Andy Williamson, The Bombay Royale featured Parvyn as the female lead vocalist—daughter of traditional shabad singer Dya Singh—and male lead singer Shourov Bhattacharya, a second-generation Indian-Australian entrepreneur with Bengali roots. Parvyn also taught Bollywood dance and was married to multi-instrumentalist Josh Bennett from the band.
Their first album, You Me Bullets Love, released in April 2012, received the iTunes Breakthrough World Music Album of the Year award. The group expanded their international presence through performances at the 2013 Glastonbury Festival and tours across Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Their U.S. debut occurred in January 2014 with appearances at GlobalFEST in New York City and The Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C.
The Bombay Royale performed at prominent festivals such as WOMAD in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., as well as Reunion Island's Sakifo Music Festival. Their sophomore album The Island of Dr Electrico came out in July 2014 under HopeStreet Recordings, preceded by the single "Henna Henna." In that same year, Rolling Stone recognized them as one of "10 New Artists You Need To Know." Several songs from their catalog were licensed by Ubisoft for inclusion in the popular video game Far Cry 4 (November 2014).
In March 2016, "Henna Henna" was featured during season 2 of the American television series Better Call Saul. The band released the single "I Love You Love You" in July 2017 ahead of their album Run Kitty Run (August 2017), followed by tours throughout Europe including appearances at France's Festival du Chant de Marin and Hungary's Sziget Festival.
According to a 2021 interview with Parvyn, The Bombay Royale has since ceased its activities.
Members
- Parvyn (vocals – "The Mysterious Lady")
- Shourov Bhattacharya (vocals – "The Tiger")
- Andy Williamson (saxophone – "The Skipper")
- Andre Lobanov (bass – "The Happy Tripper")
- Tom Martin (guitar – "The Railways Mogul")
- Matt Vehl (synths – "The Bandit Priest")
- Julian Goyma (drums – "The Leaping Shaman")
- Josh Bennett (sitar, tabla, dilruba, guitar – "The Jewel Thief")
- Ed Fairlie (trumpet – "Chip Chase")
- Declan Jones (trumpet – "Dr. Electrico")
- Ros Jones (trombone – "The Kungfu Dentist")
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| You Me Bullets Love |
|
| The Island of Dr Electrico |
|
| Run Kitty Run |
|
Music Victoria Awards
Since 2006, the Music Victoria Awards have annually honored outstanding achievements in the Victorian music scene.
| Year | Work | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Run Kitty Run | Best Global or Reggae Album | Nominated |