Sofia Ashraf Biography 
Sofia Ashraf is a Tamil rapper, lyricist and playback singer from Chennai who releases songs for social causes, as a sort of protest against corporate sector for the negligence to clean up industrial disasters. She uses her own lyrics and tunes for her songs. In 2008 she released her first song, "Don't Work for Dow" which criticized Dow Chemical Company for not giving compensation to the victims of the infamous Bhopal Tragedy of 1984. Most recently in 2015 she released the single "Kodaikanal Won't" as a protest against the pollution of a river in Kodaikanal by the wastes dumped by Hindustan Uni Lever.
Sofia has already made playback singing debut and has recorded two songs with A. R. Rahman, one in Tamil (Maryan) and one in Hindi (Jab tak hai Jaan - 2012). Her voice was used for the first time for the most popular track of the movie Jab tak hai Jaan - Jiya Jiya Re, aside Neetu Mohan. Her voice was used by Rahman for the second time by Rahman for the Tamil flick, Maryan in 2013. She sang the song - "Sonapareeya" aside Javed Ali, Haricharan and Nakash Aziz, and she also wrote the lyrics aside the veteran lyricist Vaali.
This talented young rapper, rapping for case was born in the year 1987. She was born into an orthodox Muslim family in Chennai. She studied Islamic History and Philosophy and later graphic design in Stella Maris College, Chennai. Since her college days she has performed as a rapper on stage. Following September 11 attacks in 2002, she protested against the discrimination shown towards Muslims through her onstage performance for college festival, which earned her the title, "The Burqa Rapper". She now identifies her as an atheist. She quit her job as a creative supervisor for Ogilvy & Mather in 2015 and released her single "Kodaikanal Won't” soon after.
Published: N/A
Updated: June 13, 2018
