Daler Mehndi born August 18, 1967, is an Indian Bhangra pop singer.Mehndi was a student of traditional Punjabi music and his first album broke sales records in India.[1] Since 1995 he has recorded several highly successful albums in India, and also sung as a playback singer for several Hindi movies. His international popularity has grown in recent years allowing him to tour the United States.[2] Mehndi is also well known as a philanthropist, funding beautification projects in Delhi and aiding earthquake victims.
Biogr
aphy
Early life and discovery
Daler (Mr. Prince of Punjab) Mehndi' was born and raised in Patna, Bihar to a Punjabi Sikh family.[3] He began singing at age 6 and was taught the ragas and Shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib by his parents.[4] At age fourteen he spent three years refining his voice and learning how to play the tabla, dholak/dhool, harmonium and tanpura from Late Ustad Raahat Ali Khan Saheb of Gorakhpur.
1995-present: Popularity
Daler Mehndi eventually switched from classical music to pop, and in 1995 his first album Bolo Ta Ra Ra, with tunes based on those given to him by his mother,[6] sold half a million copies in four months and 20 million copies total,[4] making him the best selling non-soundtrack album in Indian music history. He received the Award for Voice of Asia International Ethnic and Pop Music Contest in 1994.[7] He earned Channel V's Best Male Pop Singer Award, which he received in 1996 for Dar Di Rab Rab and in 1997 for Ho Jayegi Bale Bale. He has appeared in the films Mrityudata and Arjun Pundit.[1] His success helped him negotiate a record-breaking deal with his record company Magnasound for 20.5 million rupees.[8] He has also been a guest star on the new Indian version of Sesame Street known as Galli Galli Sim Sim.[9] Currently he is mentor in the Zee TV reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Singing Superstar.
His album song "Tunak Tunak Tun" (1998) is a worldwide Internet phenomenon. This cult following was spurred by the music video for Mehndi's song "Tunak Tunak Tun", often referred to simply as "Tunak", which gained its popularity due to Daler Mehndi's wild dancing and has led to many homages and parodies.[10] Mehndi originally conceived of the music video, in which he dances with "clones" of himself, in respon
se to media statements that he was popular only because of the models in his videos. "Tunak Tunak Tun" was the first music video to make use of bluescreen technology in India.[4] It would later be the inspiration behind the dance employed by the fictional Draenei race in the popular video game World of Warcraft.[11][12]
Mehndi has also worked with British punk-rock band The Wolfmen, releasing songs such as "Two Eyes" and "Thieves and Liars" that combine his Indian vocal style with the strong guitar work of Marco Pirroni (well known from Adam and the Ants).
[edit] Controversies
In 2003, Mehndi was accused of being a member of a scam bringing illegal immigrants to Canada by disguising them as musicians, a charge he denies.[13] He was in hiding for a month before he surrendered to police in Patiala and was charged with 31 counts of immigration law violations.[14] Punjab police director-general, A. A. Siddiqui, later stated Mehndi was innocent and insinuated that the confusion arose because Daler and his brother, who was the original target of the scandal, looked alike.[15]
An Indian Islamic group called Raza Academy took Mehndi to court over some of the lyrics and the video of his album Nabi Buba Nabi to be offensive.[16] Several of the words were changed, removing references to "prophet".[17]
[edit] Artistry
Daler Mehndi specializes in a type of Hindi-Pop that he infuses with Rababi singing, a Sikh musical tradition. The sound is similar to that of Techno, dance, and house music, with the folk sounds of an Indian tabla being played in the background. His popularity and the concurrent revival of Bhangra music is thought to be driven by the ease of dancing to it and a national pride in the Indian people.[18] He has been trained under Girija Devi for a short span.
[edit] Philanthropy and other activities
Mehndi has established the Daler Mehndi Green Drive to help make a cleaner environment in Delhi. He has also donated 85 million rupees to the green drive, 12 million rupees to KARGIL charities, and built 16 houses in Gujarat after an earthquake there.[16] He also did a concert series in Pakistan to raise funds for the quake victims.[19] He has also helped rehabilitate victims of the Orissa cyclone and street children in Kenya.[6]
[edit] Discography
* Bolo Ta Ra Ra - Music Album - 1995
* Dardi Rab Rab - Music Album - 1996
* Ho Jayegi Balle Balle - Music Album - 1997
* Tunak Tunak Tun - Music Album - 1998
* Ek Dana - Music Album - 2000
* Nach Ni Shaam Kaure - Music Album - 2002
* Mojaan Laen Do - Music Album - 2003
* Shaa Ra Ra Ra - Music Album - 2004
* Single Nach le for Hindi film Lakeer - 2004
* Single Rang De Basanti for Hindi film Rang De Basanti - 2006
* Raula Pai Gaya - Music Album - 2007
* Aasman ko chukar dekha for Hindi film Hanuman Returns - 2007
* Bismillah - Religious Music Album - 2008
* Dhoom Punjabi - IPL Kings XI Punjab Theme song - 2008
* Eh Lai 100 Rupaiya - 2008
* Bhootni ke- for Hindi film Singh is Kinng-2008
* Mere Desh Ki Dharti for Hindi film Kissan - 2009
* Dulha Mil Gaya for Hindi film Dulha Mil Gaya - 2010
* Om Zaarare for Tamil film Kuselan , along with K.S.Chitra and Sadhana Sargam
* Karle Baby Dance Wance for Hindi Film Hello (2008) with Sunidhi Chauhan
* Punch Out!! , played and edited music for Great Tiger's Exhibition Matches - 2009
* Duet for Yamadonga, 2007 a Telugu hit film
* Jorsey for MAGADHEERA, 2009 a Telugu hit film
* Aila Re Aila for Hindi film Khatta Meetha (2010 film) - Akshay Kumar - 2010
* Zor ka Jhatka for Action Replayy
* Chamki Jawaani For Yamla Pagla Deewana
* Single Teen Thay Bhai for Hindi film Teen Thay Bhai, 2011
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