Jyoshna La Trobe is a NZ singer/songwriter, ethnomusicologist and co-parent. Jyoshna’s music communicates to others her life’s journey, written from the heart and soul of an artist. Her 30 plus music albums range from intimate love songs such as Unity Hours I (2005) to pulsating dance music on Magnificence (2000) to devotional and singer/songwriter styles on Unity Hours IV (2022) and ecstatic kiirtan ‘praise music’ such as Red Earth Fusion (2004) as well as indigenous peoples’ music such as Red Earth Song (2001). She has also written on commission for feature films (Stars in Her Eyes Dir. Athina Tsoulis), and TV documentaries (NRK TV), festivals and other events. Though born in England Jyoshna spent her childhood in New Zealand and is now living in Ireland in Co. Clare with her daughter Isabel.
As an ethnomusicologist La Trobe’s passion is to build bridges between people of diverse cultural backgrounds to bring greater understanding and appreciation between them. Her research into the background of kiirtan ‘mantra music and dance’ led her to Rarh, India, the homeland of the kiirtan tradition. Her own catalogue of Rarhi Music Culture is housed in the British Library World Music Archives (C1211).
Jyoshna songs express the desire for transformation, ecstatic love, separation and motherhood in her latest album ‘Unity Hours IV’, representing a musical diary of a woman’s journey – a deep, vulnerable, strong and transcendental experience. Jyoshna seeks to form deeps connection through music.