Poets, Protest & The Power of Sacred Song | Free Radical Podcast #64 | Bali Rico 2/18/26

In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, Swami Padmanabha sits down with renowned Vaishnava musician, author, and sincere seeker Bali Rico for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation.

Born in the United States to Colombian parents, Bali spent his formative years living in ashrams in the sacred land of Mayapur, West Bengal—immersed in the sounds, stories, and devotional traditions of ancient India. He is a co-founder of the kirtan group Mayapuris, whose distinctive sound is shaped by Bali’s innovative and dynamic mridanga playing.

A lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, academic, and hip-hop artist, Bali weaves rhythm and philosophy with personal reflection. His work holds protest and prayer side by side, giving voice to grief, devotion, and the search for meaning. In this warm and expansive conversation, they explore music and kirtan as communal practices, the experience of growing up in a religious family, the inner shifts of fatherhood, hip-hop as a confessional spiritual language, and the shaping of a mature, integrated spiritual path.

This conversation is an invitation—to listen deeply, to reflect honestly, and to explore how spirituality can be lived in dialogue with the fullness of everyday life.

After you have watched the episode, if you feel touched or inspired, please like, share, and subscribe, and join the ongoing conversation in the comments.

on YouTube! Swami Padmanabha – YouTube