Bhaṅgṛā is a type of upbeat popular music associated with the Punjabi diaspora in Britain. The style has its origins in the folk music of Punjab as well as western pop music of the 70s and 80s. Prior to this musical fusion, Bhangra existed only as a dance form in the native Punjab. This British music was unique in that it was not traditional nor did it seek any authenticity. While the traditional folk music of Punjab has a set of melodies that are used by various singers, Bhangra was a form of strict "band culture" in that new melodies were composed for each song. Therefore, the musicians were as important as the singers.
Surjit Bindrakhia was an Indian singer. He was known for his unique voice and hekh, in which he sings a note continuously in one breath. His biggest hits include Meri Nath Dig Paye, Dupatta Tera Satrang Da, Lakk Tunoo Tunoo, Bas Kar Bas Kar, Mukhda Dekh Ke, Tera Yaar Bolda, and Jatt Di Pasand. Surjit is considered to have one of the greatest voices in Bhangra. He received a special jury award at the 2004 Filmfare Awards for his contribution to Punjabi music.
Malkit Singh, MBE is England-based Punjabi bhangra singer. Born in Hussainpur and raised in Nakodar, he moved to Birmingham in 1984. Singh was the first Punjabi singer to be honoured with an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. He was most famous for the songs "Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha", "Tootak Tootak Tootiyan", "Kurri Garam Jayee", "Dekh li vilyait", "Chal Hun", and "Jind Mahi", the latter two from the soundtrack to the popular film Bend It Like Beckham.
Sukshinder Shinda is a British-Indian playback singer-songwriter and bhangra Record producer from Handsworth in Birmingham, England. Since releasing his first professional recording in 1993, Dhol Beat Ek, Shinda has produced or collaborated on more than 200 albums, including all of Jazzy B's releases and the majority of Amrinder Gill's.
Jasbir Singh Bains, better known by his stage name Jasbir Jassi, is an Indian singer, lyricist, performer and actor. As of 2016 he has released thirteen albums, his first pop album being Dil Le Gayee, released in 1998 with Times Music.
Tigerstyle is a Scottish folkhop group from Glasgow with a British Punjabi background.
Paramjit Singh Sidhu, professionally known as Pami Bai, is an Indian singer, songwriter and Bhangra dancer from Patiala.
Bombay Talkie was a Bhangra band of the 1990s, from Glasgow, Scotland. The group were best known for their hit, "Charigue", which is still included on many Bhangra compilation albums.
Mukhtar Sahota is a British music composer and producer, popularly associated with the group Sahotas. Born into a musical family, Mukhtar plays multiple instruments, all of which are self-taught.
Amandip Singh Hayer better known as Aman Hayer, is a UK-based Bhangra Punjabi music director and singer.
Amrinder Singh Gill is an Indian actor, singer, songwriter, and film producer who makes Punjabi-language films and music. He has been nominated for twenty-four PTC Punjabi Film Awards, winning seven including three for Best Actor, and two for Best Playback singer and has been nominated for five Filmfare Awards, winning two for Best Actor and Best Playback singer, among other accolades.
Foji(Punjabi: ਫ਼ੋਜੀ, foji) is a Birmingham-based Punjabi singer, writer and producer,. First rising to fame in 2010 with hits such as Dafa Hoja and Bruah, Foji has continued with a number of successful releases and has featured in the top 3 of the Official Asian Download Chart for longer than any other bhangra artist. Foji Gill was sentenced to five years imprisonment for committing offences related to money laundering in April 2015 until January 2019.
Diljit Dosanjh is an Indian singer-songwriter, actor and television presenter who works in Punjabi and Hindi cinema. He is recognised as one of the leading artists in the Indian music industry. He also acts in Punjabi movies, with many of them being commercially successful, including Jatt & Juliet, Jatt & Juliet 2, Punjab 1984, Sardaar Ji, Ambarsariya, Sardaar Ji 2, Super Singh, Sajjan Singh Rangroot and Shadaa – which are among the most successful Punjabi movies in history.
Jaswinder Singh Dhami, better known as Jaz Dhami, is a British-Indian playback singer, music composer, music producer, and performer.
Teen Thay Bhai is a 2011 Hindi comedy film directed by Mrighdeep Lamba, produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Productions and PVR Pictures. The film stars Om Puri, Shreyas Talpade, Deepak Dobriyal, Ragini Khanna and Yograj Singh.
Breakaway is a 2011 Canadian sports-comedy film directed by Robert Lieberman, and produced by Akshay Kumar and Paul Gross. The film stars debutant Vinay Virmani opposite Camilla Belle, with Rob Lowe, Russell Peters and Anupam Kher in pivotal roles. It also features Akshay Kumar, Drake and Ludacris in cameo roles.
Anita Lerche is a singer-songwriter, composer and actress from Denmark. With the release of her album Heer from Denmark in November 2006, she became the first non-Asian woman from the west to create a solo album in Punjabi. In addition to singing in Punjabi, she has sung in a total of 16 different languages.
Nachhatar Gill is a Punjabi musician and singer-songwriter. He was born to a Sikh family at their village Akaalgarh near Badesron, Tehsil Garhshankar, Punjab, India. Gill was very fond of music. His father was a kirtani. He used to sing along with his father at their village's temple's annual program. Gill got popularity with his solo song "Dil Ditta Nahin Si". His two religious albums are Sahib Jinah Diyan Mane (2006), and Ardaas Karaan (2010). He appeared in his first movie, Gal Sun Ho Gaya in 2012. He has appeared in three more films since then, the latest one being Jugaadi Dot Com in 2015.
Bhujhangy Group are the world's longest-running bhangra band. The group was founded in Smethwick, near Birmingham, England in 1967 by brothers Dalbir Singh Khanpur and Balbir Singh Khanpur, who had come to the United Kingdom to in the mid 1950s and been joined by their families in 1964, initially working as labourers in the West Midlands' factories. They were named Bhujhangy – meaning "kids" – as they were still teenagers, and their first recording was "Teri Chithi Noon Parthan", a 7" EP recorded in 1967 that sold 100 copies.
