India Sade Boyé was born on 8 December 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Alex and Julie Boyé. She has seven siblings, with the youngest having been born in January 2021. She is a second-grade student at Willow Canyon Elementary School in Sandy, Utah. She seems to have music coursing through her veins, although that should come as no surprise considering her father is a world-renowned entertainer.
India recently won an award of excellence in the music composition category of a national PTA Reflections contest for a rap song about being biracial and why she matters. Contest categories include dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. The contest was open to students in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade who created original works of art corresponding to a student-selected theme.
India composed the song, “Indi-rap,” in her bedroom while her family was at home during the pandemic. It has gained national recognition and captured the hearts of listeners. She wrote the rap as both a tribute to her parents and in answer to the question posed by the 2020-2021 National PTA Reflections contest theme — “I Matter Because.”
India said that she entered the contest because her siblings were doing it. She also commented that she wrote a rap song because she likes to write, sing, dance and perform. As winner of the contest, she will receive a silver medal, certificate, $200 scholarship, and her work will be featured in a traveling exhibition.
The Deseret News reports that India’s parents attribute the rap resonating with the judges as part of the aftermath of the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd while in the custody of a Minneapolis police officer, as well as inequalities evidenced by the pandemic. Julie Boyé said, “I just knew that it was a unique thing. We figured that not many kids were rapping. As a biracial family with lots of kids in east side Sandy, I knew that she was going to stand out.”
Alex Boyé said that the first time that India asked him to listen to her song he was “really touched.” He commented, “She just started rapping and she’s going, ‘My dad is Black, and my mom is white.’ It made me realize that she was aware of the climate and what was going on.”
Julie added that the past summer events and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement sparked many conversations in the Boyé’s home. She said, “We had the news on in our house, to a degree, and they [the children] were aware of it.” She also mentioned that the theme “I Matter Because” was perfect for the moment in time.
Julie says that India “definitely got a gift for music.” India also enjoys dance and gymnastics but among the Boyé’s eight children, she is a natural entertainer and has a knack for music. The Deseret News reports that she studies videos of her father’s performances and likes to watch singing and performance competitions. Her mom further commented, “I will be upstairs listening to her sing and she will pick out harmonies. How many 8-year-olds can find a harmony to a song?”
The association recently announced the Reflections contest theme for 2021–2022, which is “I Will Change the World By …” India says that she plans to enter the contest next fall with another rap song.
India recently celebrated her eight birthday and was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to as “the Mormon Church”). Julie said, “So, Alex got to do it and he blessed her to know that she was equal to everybody else. Sometimes they don’t even know that that’s a thing until they start learning about it in first grade half the time.”
The video containing “Indi-rap,” can be seen on the Boyé family vlog, TheBoyeFamilyJewels, on YouTube. India’s rap starts at the 5:26 mark.
You go, India! I love creating music, too! It’s been my creative outlet for over 60 years. Onward we go!
Wow. This is super cool go India……