Bass Prodigy from India, Willow Tiny Desk, A.R. Rahman, International Touring, Entrepreneurship
Mohini Dey grew up in India surrounded by music, and by the time she was a teenager she was already performing with some of the biggest names in the world. Today she's a full-time international touring musician, a solo artist, and a creative entrepreneur: and she's still only getting started. Elmo caught up with Mohini backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, just after her performance with Willow, for one of the most inspiring conversations this show has had.
They cover the full arc of her story: growing up in a musical family in India, the profound influence of A.R. Rahman on her development as a musician, and how she made the leap from the Indian music scene to stages all over the world. Mohini talks about her viral Tiny Desk performance with Willow, what that moment meant for her career, and what it's like to be part of one of the most creative young artists in music right now.
The conversation goes deep on what it takes to build a career on your own terms as an instrumentalist in the modern music industry: balancing touring, solo work, and entrepreneurship, all while staying true to the music. Mohini's journey is proof that dedication, family, and an uncompromising relationship with your instrument can take you anywhere.
"I grew up with music all around me. It was never a question of whether I would play. The only question was how far I could take it."
Mohini's musical upbringing, her family's role in shaping her as a player, and how the richness of Indian music gave her a foundation unlike almost any other bassist working today.
The influence of legendary composer A.R. Rahman on her musical development, and what performing in India's world-class music community taught her early in her career.
How the Willow collaboration came together, the story behind their viral NPR Tiny Desk performance, and what it's like to be part of Willow's live band on stage at Montreux Miami.
What it takes to sustain a global touring career as a bassist, the lessons learned performing alongside legendary musicians, and navigating life on the road across continents.
Mohini's solo projects, her approach to developing a personal voice on the bass, and how she balances her own artistic vision with the demands of touring with other artists.
How Mohini thinks about building a sustainable career on her own terms, the business side of being an independent musician, and what drives her beyond just the instrument.
Mohini tells the full story of growing up in India with music woven into every part of her life: her family, her training, and how the sounds she grew up with still show up in the way she plays the bass today.
Her relationship with A.R. Rahman: what it meant to be in that orbit early in her career, what she absorbed from that experience, and how the Indian music world shaped her into the musician she is now.
The Willow Tiny Desk moment: how that performance came together, why it resonated so widely, and what it felt like to have that kind of visibility at a stage of her career that was already building significant momentum.
What it's actually like to be a bassist touring internationally at the highest level: the preparation, the relationships, the moments that have stuck with her, and what she's still learning every time she gets on a new stage.
Mohini's take on dedication and happiness: her belief that how hard you're willing to work is directly connected to how fulfilled you'll be, and why she thinks that principle applies far beyond music.
Where she's headed next: her vision for the solo side of her career, new creative projects in the works, and her broader thinking about what it means to build something lasting as an instrumentalist in today's music industry.