In a country where the urban scene has long remained a male affair, they have decided to make themselves heard. Wild Wild Women, the “ indomitable women “, arrive from India with five voices and five languages. Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, English, their hip-hop ignores borders. Great revelation of this 22nd edition of Sakifo, these artists aged 24 to 32 form the first female Indian rap collective. A few hours before the closing of the festival in Reunion Island, this Saturday June 7, 2026, they transformed the microphone into a field of conquest.
De notre envoyé spécial à La Réunion,
In a country where hip-hop has long remained a male territory, they have chosen to take the microphone. Wild Wild Women, “ the indomitable women “, arrive from India with five voices, five backgrounds and five languages. Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada and English: their rap crosses borders as much as it challenges stereotypes.
Revelation of the 22nd edition of Sakifo, in Reunion, these artists aged 24 to 32 make up the first female Indian rap collective.
It’s hard to believe seeing them return the festival audience to the town of Saint-Pierre in the south of the island. And yet, Wild Wild Women has only existed for a handful of years. Behind the explosive energy and confidence displayed on stage lies a story of resistance. Pratika remembers. “ When we went to rap battles and hip-hop events in India, there were very few women on stage. And those who were there were not taken seriously. They all faced a form of exclusion from men. So, instead of waiting for someone to make a place for us, we stormed into ours. This is how our women’s collective, Wild Wild Women, was born. ».
« Our songs tell this reality»
The group was born in Mumbai, the economic capital of India and a megacity of more than twelve million inhabitants. A city of promise, but not for everyone, explains Hashtag Preeti.
« Mumbai is the city of dreams where different cultures coexist. But for young women like us, freedom often means trouble. Since childhood, we have had to negotiate our place, our appearance, our freedom with guys. Our songs tell this reality: resilience, family pressure, the female body, security, female identity. But at the same time, we add humor and joy to our misfortune in our songs to show the Indian woman other than through the prism of victimization and struggle. »
Wild Wild Women paving the way for other women
On stage and off, the Wild Wild Women are shaking up an established order which until then excluded them. A symptom which says a lot about the prejudices still at work in India, according to MC Mahila.
« The men’s reaction to our group was mixed. But we also met allies in Indian hip-hop. Music allowed us to measure the challenges that women face in very patriarchal environments. As we are a female newcomer in the world of Indian rap, our pink sari and our sneaker look sometimes attract more attention than our songs. Never mind. All these stories become holy bread for our songs. And it’s progressing. Today, there are more women interested in hip-hop than before. There is still a way to go, of course. But coming to Sakifo in Reunion to speak out for Indian women is already a small sign of change.. »
Sakifo ends on June 7, 2026. But certain voices continue to resonate.
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