Are You a Lipstick Girl?

Are You a Lipstick Girl? is a track composed and performed by Indian-British sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar. Released as part of her fifth studio album, the piece exemplifies Shankar’s fusion of Hindustani classical traditions with contemporary electronic and global pop elements. The track runs for 2 minutes and 46 seconds.

The song appeared on Shankar’s album Traveller, issued on October 11, 2011, under the Deutsche Grammophon label. Traveller marked a departure from her earlier classical works, incorporating flamenco, electronica, and worldbeat influences. Shankar collaborated with producers and musicians across genres, though specific session contributors for this track remain undocumented in public sources.

Lyrical content in Are You a Lipstick Girl? blends English and Hindi phrases, delivered in a playful, rhythmic vocal style. The composition layers sitar melodies over a percussive, groove-driven arrangement, featuring synthesized basslines and digital effects. Shankar’s sitar takes a central role, with improvisational passages rooted in the raga framework but adapted to the track’s modern structure.

The album Traveller received a Grammy Award nomination in 2012 for Best World Music Album, reflecting its cross-cultural appeal. While Are You a Lipstick Girl? was not released as a single, it gained attention for its accessibility and fusion approach, contrasting with Shankar’s earlier purely instrumental works. Live performances of the track occasionally featured guest vocalists, though studio recordings credit Shankar as the primary artist.

Critical reception noted the track’s departure from traditional Indian classical forms, emphasizing its role in Shankar’s broader exploration of global fusion. The album’s liner notes describe the piece as an experiment in blending folk rhythms with electronic textures, though detailed production credits for the track are not widely published. The title phrase recurs as a refrain, anchoring the song’s thematic contrast between modernity and tradition.