Grammy-nominated Tibetan singer/musician/composer, Tenzin Choegyal has just released the first track, the titular “Snow Flower” from his forthcoming album, a collaboration with multi-instrumentalists Matt Corby and Rohin Jones (of The Middle East), and songwriter Alex Henriksson.
The song is a poignant exploration of life’s impermanence, beautifully rendered in Tibetan and played on the dranyen, a traditional Tibetan lute-guitar. The track features minimalistic, yet powerful lyrics sung by Choegyal with a textured richness, while Corby provides the harmonious backing vocals.
Tenzin Choegyal, is a Grammy-nominated artist who brings the rich tapestries of Tibetan nomadic music traditions to the global stage.
Born into a nomadic family in Tibet, his early years in exile shaped his deep connection to music as a form of emotional expression and cultural preservation. Now residing in Australia, Tenzin’s music transcends genres, blending traditional Tibetan sounds with influences from classical to rock. His instrument, the Dranyen, named Metok, symbolizes his bond with his heritage. A committed Buddhist, Tenzin’s performances are infused with the essence of Tibetan spiritual and cultural landscapes.
Musically, Choegyal has worked across the fields of punk, rock, experimental and classical music with the A-list likes of Philip Glass and Patti Smith. He recorded the 2021 Grammy-nominated Songs From the Bardo, a modern journey through visionary text The Tibetan Book of the Dead, with avant-garde icon Laurie Anderson and composer Jessie Paris Smith.
The album, set for release on the 4th of April, 2025, is a profoundly auditory experience providing a sanctuary of beautiful sound amidst the bustle of modern life. Snow Flower is a meditative journey which explores the therapeutic properties of 432Hz—a frequency known for reducing anxiety and lowering the heart rate.
Of the new album, Tenzin Choegyal said:
“Matt and Alex welcomed me into the warm embrace of the Rainbow Valley Records family, handing me a blank musical canvas to craft a collaborative record, infused with my Tibetan nomadic lineage and wisdom. Alongside Rohin Jones from the Middle East, we have created Snow Flower, a vibrant celebration of sound, spirit, and meditation, drawing from diverse genres that intertwine. This collaboration captures the rhythm of our shared journey and the deep passion that unites us through music.”
On the new project, Matt Corby said:
“Tenzin is one in a billion. He walks a different path to the rest of us. Working on this record was one of the great experiences of my creative life. The motivation behind what Tenzin creates goes beyond modern music and its societal reasoning. This album is as functional as it is beautiful. A guide to our every day but also a score to unearth true and purelife moments.”
Recorded at Rainbow Valley Studios on Bundjalung country in north eastern New South Wales and produced by Corby and Henriksson, Snow Flower is a sonic tapestry that weaves together the key tenets of Tibetan Buddhism—compassion, truth-seeking, and loving-kindness—with mantras, vocalese, and skillful instrumentation.
Each track is carefully constructed to transport the listener into a state of deep relaxation and contemplation, supported by mantras and minimalistic lyrics that highlight key Tibetan Buddhist tenets of compassion and loving-kindness.
The album can be pre-ordered here.
All images: As supplied
