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Sukhbir
Better known as the 'Prince of Bhangra', Sukhbir has created his very own musical genre by breaking down musical barriers and bringing together diverse sounds and instruments,. He has fused traditional bhangra with Western music, including dance, reggae, techno and rave. Born in 1969 in Punjab, Sukhbir has lived most of his life in Nairobi, Kenya, where he moved when he was three.
His father being a priest, Sukhbir was brought up listening to bhajans and would play them back to his father using a harmonium. Encouraged by his musical family, Sukhbir experimented with his musical talent and soon formed his own group of 10 musicians and singers, with himself on the keyboards and performing backing vocals. In late '91, Sukhbir went solo, and performed a one-man show in Kenya. Familiar with every instrument used in his band, he used his versatility to create a sound that included different tracks to create the effect of a full band. Sukhbir's debut album New Stylee was a combination of Sukhbir's style and experimentation with new sounds.
His debut was followed by the release of two albums Hai Energy and Gal Ban Gayee, which, though in the bhangra mode, have a blend of reggae, rave and techno music. His latest album, a compilation called Prince of Bhanghra Greatest Hits Vol 1, has some of his best tracks and includes chartbusters such as, Sauda Khara Khara, Gal Ban Gayee, Punjabi Munde and Balle Balle.
In the realm of Indian music, he cites Jagjit Singh as a big influence and said that if he wasn't doing Bhangra he would be a ghazal singer. He also stated that Daler Mehndi and Malkit Singh were his biggest competition in the Punjabi music market [6] He has also collaborated with Pakistani musicians such as Shehzad Roy. He has also sung a song with a popular Indian singer Shaan. He sung the song Dil laga from Dhoom 2. He has also sung a song with Indian band Josh. When the tsunami occurred he sung a song with Jassi Sidhu, Shin, DCS and Taz, stereo nation. He is back to singing now and his new album is Tere naal nachna.
Performance
Songs
1. New Stylee (1996)
2. Gal Ban Gayee' (1997)
3. Hai Energy (1999)
4. Prince of Bhangra Volume 1 (2000)
5. Oi! Triesto' (2000)
6. Dil Kare (2001)
7. Sukhbir - Greatest Hits' (2002)
8. Tere naal nachna' (2008)
