As Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie said while accepting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2013, “I never understood how I have been lucky enough to get this chance and I’m sure there is a woman who sits across the globe, who is probably a better actress, with the same work ethic, same love for family and same passion, only she sits in a refugee camp.” This sentiment forms the basis of Qayamat, a new song by Rashid aka RichieRich featuring Govandi-based rapper Saniya MQ, released on June 23.

Growing up in Mumbai’s Govandi, Saniya Mistri found her voice through rap during the COVID-19 pandemic, determined to tell stories often overlooked by the mainstream. Just entering her teen years she began performing at NGO-led community events before sharpening her skills at The Dharavi Dream Project. What sets the young rapper apart is the maturity of her writing — her hard-hitting verses often tackle themes of inequality, communal harmony, women’s rights and identity witha conviction well beyond her years.