Bhangra music, a wave of music based on traditional Punjabi music, became popular in many Euro-centric and North American countries over the past couple of decades.
Numerous iconic Bhangra performers and groups, like Alaap, Heera, Malkit Singh, Apna Sangeet, DCS, Safri Boys, The Sahotas, Punjabi MC, and countless others, have their roots in the USA.
However, North American-born Bhangra is much more than just a genre of music. As many bands and musicians assert, the music was made to support the preservation of identity and culture.
South Asian populations in North America now consider this music to be a part of their identity and culture. Its peak popularity was between the 1980s and 2000.
North American Bhangra music acted almost as a thread between the two cultures. Music specifically allows individuals to create both their individual and collective identities. However, today it has developed into a form of music that people of various ethnicities can enjoy.
Bhangra for A Multicultural Audience
While preserving many of its classic sounds, contemporary bhangra continues to represent the cultural diversity seen in the North American bhangra music movement. Numerous well-known US artists have also found success with bhangra music, most notably Jay-Z in a 2002 remix of Punjabi MC’s “Mundian To Bach Ke.” Bhangra-inspired songs by Missy Elliott (“Get Your Freak On”), Selena Gomez (“Come and Get It”), and Pras of the Fugees all received positive reviews or reached the top of the charts.
Additionally, bhangra dance culture, which was traditionally a male-dominated art form, has seen more female participation. Men and women now perform together in modern bhangra, and at competitions, all-female bhangra teams have occasionally performed as well. Sarina Jain, a female dancer, helped establish bhangra as a form of fitness with her Masala Bhangra workout program.
Overall, Bhangra has now become a cultural art fit for people of all ethnicities, irrespective of their understanding of the Indian language and traditions. At En Karma, we aspire to help bridge these cultural differences by creating Bhangra music that caters to audiences of every ethnicity.
Whether you are an American hearing Bhangra music for the first time or an Indian looking to keep in touch with your cultural music, En Karma’s power-packed Punjabi beats are perfect for you!
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