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Profile
True to his
name, Malkit, which translates to One Has Rules The World,
has taken his music from the Punjabi vernacular to cross-cultural
experiments ranging from rap and house to the Hindi film screens.
The traditional folk music has gone from the relative obscurity
of a Punjabi village to the heady heights of a world stage. As the
music spreads its wings across the globe, Malkit Singh encompasses
an audience of all ages.
In 1981, his
winning of the third Punjab collegiate competition award was marked
with a "golden star" pendant. Malkit adopted the name
for his band, and the Golden Star band is as synonymous to Malkit
as the E-Street Band is to Bruce Springsteen.
As we move into
2002, Malkit Singh is still winning new audiences in the exploding
world of bhangra and in the process he's opening the floodgates
for many upcoming Bhangra artists.
From the classic
debut song Nach Gidde Wich, the infectious-feel-good Gurh Nalo Ishq
Mitha Boliyan [an anthology of traditional folk songs],
his trademark anthem Tootak Tootak Thootian (Hey Jamalo), these
songs became the benchmark sound of the 1980s. Furthermore,
with his 90s and Y2K excursions Midas Touch, Forever Gold
and the smash-hit Kudi Patoley Wargi, the songs went on to become
some of the most popular songs and videos in modern Bhangra music
history.
As an international
recording and touring artiste, performances at internationally acclaimed
venues have further cemented his dominance of his music genius.
Astonishingly, twenty-seven countries have already witnessed the
live phenomenon that is Malkit Singh and his backing band Golden
Star.
An enviable
plethora of prestigious accolades have been bestowed on Malkit Singh
over the years including the honour of being the biggest selling
Bhangra artists in the world, recognised by the Millennium Edition
of the Guinness Book of World Records in 2000. That follows his
Recognition of the City of Los Angeles for Services to the Indian
Community in 1997, Best Punjabi Male Singer and the Most Outstanding
Track of the Bhangra Era for Tootak Tootak Thootian (Hey Jamalo).
In 1998, the former Indian premier Mr. I. K. Gujral presented the
Punjabi Cultural Award for services to music to Malkit Singh at
his official residence - the sole recipient of this unrivalled honour.
Earlier in 2001, Malkit Singh was honoured with the Guru Nanak University
in Amritsars 27th Convocation Gold Medal Award Doctorate for
his services to Punjabi Music and Culture.
Malkit Singh
- Bhangras Saviour - is back with his 19th new album recorded
in India with Jahawar Wattal in Delhi and purified in the UK. Bhangra
is definitely here to stay with Malkit Singh as the purveyor of
new school Bhangra
hail the revolution, long live the King.
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