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Bikram Singh's latest album, "American Jugni" has spent week
after week on the top of the BBC Asian Bhangra charts. Bikram,
the embodiment of Punjabi folk music in the new millenium, has
his feet firmly planted in Punjabi soil. Now he looks to conquer
the world with his golden voice, his masterful lyrics, and his
urban attitude.
After a twelve-year-old Bikram emigrated to Queens, New York,
from Punjab, he was looking for a medium to express himself. He
didn't have to reach farther than his "Tumbi" instrument. Bikram
began emulating the Punjabi superstars on whose music he was
raised: Kuldip Manak, Surinder Shinda, and Yamla Jatt. By 2001
he had produced his own tracks, which he debuted at an Open Mic
Night in Greenwich Village. Bikram reminisces, "The response
that night was amazing, it was so positive. I mean, people loved
my stuff."
That core fan base loved Bikram's easy-going personality, too,
and so did the producers who flocked to work the rising star.
Soon Bikram was exploding the boundaries between Punjabi folk
lyricism and Asian Underground electronica, and he teamed up
with New York's DJ Navdeep to record the underground hit "Aa
Gayee". Bikram took his show on the road with Punjabi MC at
Summerjam 2003, when he sang "Beware of the Boyz" for 20,000
strong and shared the stage with LL Cool J, Nas, and Lil' Kim.
Since then Bikram hastoured all over Europe and the UK, Vegas,
Los Angeles, Northern California and, of course, NYC.
Bikram brings the folk roots of his people's music to the
forefront of global culture. Though the beats behind Bikram's
lyrics represent a diverse range of musical genres, his verses
and style have always come from the same Punjabi core: "An
artist's music has to be honest, you can't pretend to be
something that you're not."
The 2004 mix-tape "Exclusives" was the culmination of this young
artist's experimental stage. He worked with Global Soul
recording artist Shakti to produce "Do the Thang Thang," which
quickly found its niche on the radio rotations of NYC's Hip Hop
mainstays Hot 97 and Power 105. Also on the album were the
Tigerstyle-produced hits "Taakre" and "Nachna".
With the British-produced "American Jugni," Bikram brought two
major Bhangra producers (Tigerstyle and Ravi Bal) on one album,
a feat unheard of in the UK music scene. Ravi Bal's storied past
includes work with Punjabi music legends Malkit Singh and A.S.
Kang, as well his recent mega-hit with rising star Daljit Mattu,
"Captain Bhangre Da." Tigerstyle top all European charts and
bring an urban precision previously unknown in Punjabi music.
Tigerstyle put the beat behind Bikram's latest hit track "Kawaan,"
featuring Gunjan, a sexy duo about two separated lovers. "Kawaan"
is already a major hit in the UK, Europe, and North America, and
it's soon to make waves in India when the album is released in
the subcontinent in late March 2006.
This powerhouse vocalist and writer isn't done yet. Bikram Singh
has found his medium for expression, and now he's got his eyes
set on being the Punjabi folk voice for a new generation to
enjoy, love, and immortalize. Says the rooted singer, "You have
to keep tied to the folk elements, and I never forget the
history, our history."
- Biography courtesy of R.S Gill.
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