V:shal Kanwar has been an artist and musician for the greater part of his life. As a child growing up in Nigeria, he was influenced both by the culture of the region, and his parents' interest in classical Indian music. As a long-time amateur ghazal singer and artist, V:shal's father encouraged him from a very young age to express himself as much as possible artistically. When his father suddenly passed away soon after the family settled in the United States, VK took his advice to heart and turned to art and music to help him cope with the loss. VK soon became proficient in a number of instruments, but art remained the stronger of his passions, and was once again his salvation after the unexpected loss of his mother in 2002.

Since breaking onto the east coast South Asian art and music scene in 2002 with his first live painting performance, he has created art alongside some of the most talented new artists in the United States and abroad, including the1shanti (Dum Dum Project), Karsh Kale, Zakhm, Sonny Caberwal (Thievery Corporation), DJ Goldie (UK), Dhamaal Sound System, DJ Bikram, tavia*, FunkDC (ESL), and Brown Sounds.