India, Oct. 26 -- Singer-songwriter Jasmine Sandlas has spent over a decade shaping her own path in the music industry. Between her upcoming Bollywood track, Poison Baby in Thamma, her collaboration with Hanumankind for the title track of the upcoming film Dhurandhar, and her latest album Illegal Robbery, her work, she insists, is always purposeful. "Every song I create has to have a purpose behind it - whether it makes people dance, heal, or feel powerful," she says.

The 40-year-old is aware of the scrutiny the Punjabi music industry often faces for its portrayal of women. However, she sees empowerment as agency. "A woman can be sexy and powerful as long as she's in control. If she's dancing to her own rhythm, expressing herself freely,...