▁( born ▁June ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American , ▁singer , ▁song - writer , ▁producer , ▁dan cer ▁and ▁an ▁actor ▁based ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁California . ▁ ▁Her ▁musical ▁work ▁sp ans ▁several ▁gen res , ▁including ▁rock / pop , ▁electronic ▁and ▁ch ill - out ▁music . ▁She ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Cleveland ▁and ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁but ▁traces ▁her ▁roots ▁to ▁Tir uch ira pp al li , ▁T amil ▁N adu , ▁India . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Sh a he en ▁She ik ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Cleveland , ▁Ohio ▁to ▁I q bal ▁She ik , ▁a ▁psych iat rist , ▁and ▁Sh arf ud he en ▁She ik , ▁a ▁mechanical ▁engineer . ▁She ▁also ▁has ▁an ▁older ▁brother , ▁Z af ar ▁She ik , ▁a ▁phys ician ▁in ▁Warren , ▁Ohio . ▁ ▁When ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁She ik ' s ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Orange ▁County , ▁California . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁She ik ▁was ▁a ▁studied ▁classical ▁dan cer ▁and ▁later ▁in ▁life ▁began ▁studying ▁vocal , ▁guitar ▁and ▁s arod . ▁She ▁received ▁her ▁B . A . ▁in ▁Anth rop ology ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California , ▁Ber keley ▁and ▁then ▁studied ▁law ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia ▁School ▁of ▁Law . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁law ▁school , ▁She ik ▁worked ▁full - time ▁on ▁her ▁musical