British-South Asian band 'Girls Like You' is making representation sound so good

If you’ve spent enough time scrolling through reels on Instagram, chances are you’ve stopped on a video of three girls singing a mash-up of Bollywood and English pop songs. And if your immediate reaction was, “Gosh, these girls can sing!”—well, same. Allow me to introduce Girls Like You (GLY)—a British-South Asian trio made up of Yasmin, Naveena, and Jaya.

Scouted through social media by their record label/management, the girls came together like it was fate. Yasmin, a Londoner with Sri Lankan and Persian roots, was the first one to join; followed by Jaya, a Bollywood-loving Punjabi girl from Birmingham; and Naveena, a half-Punjabi, half-Gujarati from Leeds. “Although I didn’t know the girls before we formed the group, now it feels as if I’ve known them forever,” shares Yasmin. You’d think three strong personalities in one group (who weren’t even friends before) might lead to creative differences, but that’s not the case here. “We’re generally always on the same page—we share a common vision and respect each other’s input,” she adds. Jaya agrees, calling their bond “surreal”, while Naveena, who along with Jaya commutes hours to London for rehearsals and content creation, shrugs off the struggle. “It’s definitely a challenge, but we love what we do, so that makes up for it”.

Looking at the South Asian population in Britain, one would imagine that British-South Asian bands must be thick on the ground. But here’s a shocker—GLY is the first such band to exist. Growing up without many South Asian idols in Western media, they’ve made it their mission to change that. “We want to inspire girls like us to follow their passions and dreams,” says Naveena.

Their journey from 2020—when the first member of the group was locked in—hasn’t been without hiccups. GLY initially started as a quintet before evolving into the trio they are today. But as Yasmin puts it, “Destiny’s Child had six members before they became three, and look at what they went on to achieve.”

For GLY, this is bigger than just music—it’s about representation. They are on a mission to represent every girl in the world—especially those underrepresented in Western media. “As artists, we want to reflect our cultures, languages, and experiences in a way that enriches the global music industry,” Yasmin explains. Their recent tour in India was proof that their message resonates. “The love we received was overwhelming,” Naveena recalls.

While the music industry has made progress in embracing women of colour, there’s still work to be done. “We often have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously,” Yasmin points out. Jaya echoes this, noting the severe lack of South Asian and female executives in major music labels. “We’re still underrepresented in these spaces,” she says.

It’s not just the industry—society, too, has its expectations. “Traditionally, I feel that South Asians are expected to go down an academic route rather than a creative one,” Yasmin adds. “Breaking those stereotypes is a big part of why this journey is so important—to show that we can unapologetically be ourselves.”

And they’re just getting started. With new music in the works, the trio promises fresh singles this year— possibly even an EP. So, if you haven’t already hit ‘follow’ on their journey, now might be a good time.

And they're listening to:

 

This article originally appeared in the March-April 2025 print edition of Cosmopolitan India. 

Images: Duane Jay Online & Project Leo; Album covers: Apple Music

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