The U.K Asian music scene has been heaving with talent over the past few years. We have witnessed rising stars, an international number one and artists that have helped give the Asian industry that massive push into the mainstream. So music that was once seen as a niche, a subculture and suited to only those who could associate with the origins of its Desi beats and ethnic vocals has now broken all boundaries and become a genre that is highly appealable to a diverse audience and a must in all clubs.

With fresh new faces on the scene, notably one of the biggest changes is the rise of British Asian females, who have taken a stand and finally made themselves heard (literally). Although it was not rare for us to spot the odd glimpse of female input in the scene in previous years, it was short lived and lacked the star studded limelight. However all that has changed in recent years, with British Asian women influencing the music scene in a massive way, and exposing their talent in a scene that was previously limited to high doses of testosterone.

So it's time to check out a few of the most recognised British Asian women in the music scene, who have made a name for themselves globally and helped future female artists seeking to break into the industry...

Things certainly did go right for British born Asian female Mathangi Arulpragasam, also known as M.I.A, whose political dialect and social commentary caused an international awareness for her innovative music. Her Tamil Sri Lankan origins have been made evident throughout her music, which contains multi-lingual slang and strong lyricisms that link to the political history of the culture. M.I.A has hit the music scene with a creative outburst, strong enough to head straight into the mainstream, with unique cross- genre music that depict her identity as a British girl growing up in London and her cultural background which is linked to the issues surrounding Tamil political movements. Her talent hardly went unnoticed when her 2008 hit song 'Paper Planes' was selected for use in two blockbuster films; comedy hit 'Pineapple Express' and the notably popular 'Slumdog Millionaire'. A British Asian female that certainly overtook stateside, having won a number of awards and been nominated two grammy awards, she has also worked alongside HipHop superstars Kanye West, Jay Z and Lil Wayne on her track 'Swagga Like Us'. M.I.A certainly has done the UK Asian scene proud, hailing from West London she has created a space for British Asian females and her rebellious music and chic urban style has had America go nuts over her...After her first year of motherhood M.I.A returns to the stage this summer, set to headline at a massive festival in LA and NYC.

Bringing back the girl power, over the past few years Asian females have made a prominent stand in the entertainment industry, breaking any traditional perceptions that have previously left them in an inferior position. One female Asian singer who made a mark in the scene over 10 years ago and has recently made a super sexy comeback is Amar. Amar, who is the daughter of the renowned singer Mangal Singh, was one of the first Asian Females to be signed to a mainstream record label and has worked with alongside Talvin Singh and Nitin Sawhney. Her recent comeback hardly went unnoticed as she scooped up the Best Female award at the UK Asian Music Awards 2010, and with a strong production team, her album was the perfect blend of desi- meets urban. OK, so there is another cool factor that makes Amar by far one of the luckiest artists in the scene...she has worked with Godfather of beats, the man that turns a melody into magic...the infamous U.S.A producer Timbaland! Timbaland along with hit producer Jim Beanz have certainly left trademark prints on Amar's music, as her latest indo-urban album 'Show It Off' exemplifies a perfect Hindi- RnB fusion.

With funky fused collaborations, British Asian's have brought something fresh to the music scene, and made that move from local to global artists. The latest Asian sensation who has done just that is pop, RnB songstress Jaya, who is signed to mainstream label Universal. Not only is it an achievement being one of the few Asian female singers signed to a mainstream label, but Jaya was also the supporting act on tour with mainstream artists UK trio N-Dubz and Peter Andre...a major accomplishment for an artist who has only just stepped into the scene. Her debut single 'DJ Do It Again' released at the beginning of the year, a song that not only had instantaneous appeal but exposed us to a fresh, young and talented artist who we eagerly await to hear more from. Her heartfelt performance of her song 'Thunder' at the UK Asian Music Awards 2010 was a sneak preview of what's in store for this future star... Having already collaborated with UK grime star Tinie Tempah, and with a strong line of producers behind her music, Jaya is set to drop massive hits.

So although previously British Asian females have been overshadowed, the recent years have brought us highly successful and notable artists who have not only demonstrated their talent but also managed to achieve enough widespread support to open more doors to a music industry that thrives on originality and fusion. As the British Asian culture continues to become a part of mainstream entertainment, and appreciated by a varied audience, as do the artists and seeing more British females prove that their success is attainable breaks any traditional perceptions that have previously held them back.