Kiran Gandhi toured the world as M.I.A’s drummer, earned a business degree from Harvard, and trained to run a marathon, all at the same time, but there’s a lot more to her than that. She’s an outspoken, ambitious, radical young woman who pours herself and her skills into gender equality, especially within the music industry. Kiran made headlines, both positive and negative, after she ran the 2015 London Marathon as a “free-bleeder,” or without a tampon. We talk about how to handle pushback and criticism, about her wholesome but unconventional upbringing, about living spontaneously, about the role of gatekeepers, and how to find your own “inner Madame.”



















 RELATED LINKS:15 Best Lessons I Learned at HBSD.C. Lady Parts Justice ‘V to Shining V’ party to feature Kiran Gandhi“There Will Be Blood” - NYTDonate to Breast Cancer Care the organization that Kiran ran for in the 2015 London Marathon.Kiran's Website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube  MUSIC this week is by our guest, Kiran Gandhi herself. All the beats you heard in this episode came from Kiran. She’s working on a musical project of her own where she drums, sings, and lives life as a “young, bossy, busy lady”, otherwise known as Madame Gandhi.WazeyRough percussion Edit of DJ Obeyah's "African Flute Moomahton Edit"Kiran’s Drum Video Submission for M.I.A.
 CREDITS:Produced by Sarah Ginsburg & Elaine SheldonSound design by Billy WirasnikIllustration by Christine Cover 

I do have a business school degree and I worked in the music industry, but then I also have this radical, feminist, art, shock culture brain that I value. And I think my journey is going to be trying to reconcile the two and in doing that, providing solutions for the next generation.

— Kiran Gandhi


Current City: NYCWhat are you listening to now? Fantasy by Alina BarazWhat film/book/show/piece of media changed you? MulanWho is your career role model? Kimberly Thompson, jazz drummerWhat is a tool you can't live without? My vocal loop pedal; Beats headphonesHow do you take your coffee/tea? Iced Cold Brew; black OR Hot Almond Milk Latte when in Boston!What's your spirit animal? Panther UPCOMING APPEARANCES:10.15 Berklee College Music Minds, Discussion, Boston, MA10.16 The Femme Show, Performance Art, Boston, MA10.17 The Femme Show, Performance Art, Boston, MA10.20 UCLA Feminism In Action, Speaker, Los Angeles, CA10.26 The Hum, Kaki King feat. Kiran Gandhi Show, NYC, NY10.27 Future of Music Conference, Panel, Washington, DC10.28 Vanderbilt University Music, Panel, Nashville, TN11.02 Ableton Loop Conference, Panel, Berlin, Germany11.10 SF Music Tech Summit, Panel, San Francisco, CA CLIPS FEATURED IN SHOWKiran playing Daybreaker NYCMighty Morphin’ Power Rangers MorphM.I.A. - Paper PlanesAtomic Living: Kiran Gandhi at TEDxBrooklynVirgin London Marathon 2015