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Homegoings
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Homegoings

Madame Gandhi: ‘Your superpower is your only option’

By Myra Flynn
Published April 10, 2025 at 2:51 PM EDT

Kiran ‘Madame’ Gandhi gained notoriety as a drummer who toured the world drumming with superstar M.I.A., and as an activist — who ran the London City Marathon free bleeding while menstruating. In this episode, Kiran talks about leaning into the multidimensionality of our humanity and viewing our traumas as superpowers. In the end … we have no other option.

This is the latest episode of Homegoings, a podcast that features fearless conversations about race, and YOU are welcome here. Follow the show here.

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Back in 2016, Kiran ‘Madame’ Gandhi was advertised as part of a panel at the Soho House in Los Angeles. She was one of a few musicians who were chosen to speak about the emboldened voices of women and the radical change they initiate through their art. And this stood out at the time, because in 2016 not a lot of folks were speaking about this stuff. Especially not women, Brown women, and queer women; three of the identities Kiran inhabits and has made music about since the start of her career.

Kiran is a drummer — who toured the world with British-Sri Lankan superstar M.I.A. — an activist — who went viral for running the London Marathon free-bleeding on her period — and a songwriter — whose lyrics evoke a message of positivity meant to elevate and celebrate the female voice.

For most people sitting in meditation for hours is like a form of cruel and unusual punishment. But once we get past the monkey mind, what I've noticed is only what really matters to you is all that's left. You know what actually matters to me? Because all my decisions should be optimizing for that. Let's say we get 100 years on the planet, OK? Let's make it count. — Kiran ‘Madame’ Gandhi

“From a young age, I’ve been taught to be deriving my self-worth from the outside rather than from the inside out. But letting go of that stuff helped me begin to take the first step to really sit with myself.” - Kiran ‘Madame’ Gandhi
Lindsey Byrnes
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Courtesy
“From a young age, I’ve been taught to be deriving my self-worth from the outside rather than from the inside out. But letting go of that stuff helped me begin to take the first step to really sit with myself.” - Kiran ‘Madame’ Gandhi

Credits

This episode was hosted and reported by Myra Flynn and edited by Aaron Edwards, with production support from Peter Engisch, Mike Dunn and our associate producer. Myra composed the theme music with other music by Kiran ‘Madame’ Gandhi, Blue Dot Sessions, and UPM. Kaylee Mumford is the graphic artist behind this episode’s Homegoings artist portrait.

Thank you for listening. You can see a video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel.

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Homegoings New England News Collaborative
Myra Flynn
Myra Flynn joined Vermont Public in March 2021 and is the Host and Executive Producer of Homegoings. Raised in Vermont, Myra Flynn is an accomplished musician who has come to know the lay of dirt-road land that much more intimately through touring both well-known and obscure stages all around the state and beyond. She also has experience as a teaching artist and wore many hats at the Burlington Free Press, including features reporter and correspondent, before her pursuits took her deep into the arts world. Prior to joining Vermont Public, Myra spent eight years in the Los Angeles music industry.
See stories by Myra Flynn