Rupa & the April Fishes
Multilingual street-folk that dances through cumbia, chanson, and jazz. Political, poetic, and deeply human music for a borderless world.
Multilingual street-folk that dances through cumbia, chanson, and jazz. Political, poetic, and deeply human music for a borderless world.
Rupa & the April Fishes sound like a bustling international port city at twilight. The music is a rich tapestry of acoustic textures, where the mournful pull of a cello meets the bright, syncopated snap of a cumbia rhythm or the romantic swell of a French chanson. It is music that feels lived-in and traveled, carrying the dust of many roads and the echoes of multiple languages, primarily French, Spanish, and English.
What truly sets them apart is the 'agit-pop' spirit. Frontwoman Rupa Marya, a practicing physician, infuses the songs with a sense of urgent social consciousness. The melodies are infectious and often danceable, but they are anchored by lyrics that explore the human cost of borders, the complexities of identity, and the necessity of empathy. It is a rare blend of intellectual rigor and visceral, rhythmic joy.
Start with 'eXtraOrdinary rendition' to hear their most eclectic, theatrical foundations. It captures the band's ability to pivot from a smoky jazz club vibe to a high-energy street festival without losing their core identity. It is the perfect introduction to their border-blurring philosophy.
Rupa and the April Fishes is a global alternative group based in San Francisco, California, fronted by composer, singer and guitarist Rupa Marya. Marya is also an author and physician, who teaches internal medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine. The group's songs are a mixture of musical styles ranging from jazz to punk to reggae to chanson, with lyrics in multiple languages (primarily French, Spanish and English). The group began as a duet between Rupa Marya and cellist Ed Baskerville, and then grew to a band in San Francisco. The name “April Fishes” is a literal translation of the French term "poissons d'avril [fr]", for tricks played on April Fools' Day. The group was featured on BBC World Service's and Public Radio Internationals The World. The group has toured around the world and played at WOMAD, the Sziget Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Central Park Summerstage, Chicago Millennium Park, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Rajasthan International Folk Festival, and the Mosaic Music Festival.
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