Bollywood star Mika Singh to play at Wembley

dhamakaBollywood star Mika Singh has announced he will be playing at Wembley Arena later on this year in his UK debut.

Bollywood singer-songwriter king Mika will be the headline act at this year’s Dhamaka concert, the UK’s annual Bollywood and Bhangra concert, which is organised by Flex FX. Mika will be supported by Bollywood dance group Bolly Flex, who found fame on Sky1’s dance competition show, Got To Dance.

Naz Choudhury, from Flex FX, said: “We are really excited to bring Mika Singh to the UK and really happy this will be his exclusive debut, he is a powerhouse performer and deserves a solo stage and I’m really excited to host him.
“This show will be dedicated to a fusion between Bhangra culture and Bollywood music, so expect a range of supporting dhol acts and Bhangra dancers, Bolly Flex will be performing with Mika throughout the show to bring to life the signature dance moves.”

He will also be embarking on his first ever UK tour, starting in June 2013. His song for various Bollywood blockbuster soundtracks include Singh Is King, Pungi and Chinta Ta Chita.

Mika’s concert follows Dhamaka 2012, which was headlined by Atif Aslam, as well as the recent series of Bollywood Showstoppers concerts in London and Birmingham.

Choudhury added: “This is the first time we are doing a Punjabi-style concert, so we will go all out on the experience to give the audiences the taste of Punjab.”

“For that it doesn’t get bigger than Mika. He has single-handedly sold out and blown away audiences worldwide with his range of super hit songs.”

Watch Mika Singh’s official promo video below:

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DJ H cuts the ribbon at the first Spice 2 Go store launch

Bhangra and Bollywood music were brought to life when Spice 2 Go launched its first store in Swansea on Wednesday 20th of February. As the UK’s first Indian fast food chain, Spice 2 Go spares no detail when it comes to creating those delicious curries – or the launch day entertainment for that matter!

Celebrating all that is Indian, Spice 2 Go lit up the streets of Swansea with foot-tapping bhangra music, authentic Indian drum playing and the moves to match with Bollywood dancers brought in exclusively from London for the event. The colourful costumes of the entertainers coupled with the vibrant decor of the Spice 2 Go store itself was an attractive sight that brought in passers-by who were curious to find out more about the brand. The Spice 2 Go staff were stationed outside the store, busy handing free tasters and discount vouchers to Swansea residents who walked past the store.

Swansea University student Yushi was one of the many who sampled the Spice 2 Go range of curries. He said: “The food is really good. I’m glad I was walking this way! I’m a really big curry fan as well and the branding of the store stood out. It caught my eye, that’s for sure.”

Another satisfied customer was Cal who is a negotiator for an estate agency: “I order Indian a lot, and nothing ever tastes the same. With Spice 2 Go, I think the food is brilliant. Better than I expected to be honest.”

And the entertainment for the launch event was no less attractive. With an Indian musical and dance show bringing Swansea’s Dillwyn Street to life, the Spice 2 Go launch day festivities brought in customers from across the city who were keen to be part of the curry revolution. Guests also had the opportunity to have their photo taken in an exclusive Spice 2 Go photo booth – complete with quirky costumes and accessories to create memorable photos!

The store was inaugurated by popular Brit-Asian music producer/dj DJ H who was the star of the event. Known for such hits like ‘Aaja Aaja’, ‘Mar Javan’, ‘Jawani’ and ‘Char Panj’, the presence of DJ H was another feather to Spice 2 Go’s already expanding cap. Having tasted the curries himself, the DJ was full of praises: “This is an Indian takeaway with a difference! With this launch, Spice 2 Go has managed to bring the essence of Indian culture to the forefront – not just with the Bollywood dancing and the dhol (Indian drums) playing but also with the colours and the excitement that it has created is a true reflection of our culture and festivities. Even the Spice 2 Go logo with its reds, oranges and greens is what Indian food and culture is all about. It’s very colourful.”

Interested bystanders were caught up in the Spice 2 Go launch day extravaganza as many took to the dance floors themselves in tune with the bhangra music. It was a different day in the life of Swansea as never before had an Indian takeaway created such media hype before it even opened its doors!

Before long, the orders were pouring in as the fully-trained Spice 2 Go staff worked in unison to serve orders and deliveries in record time and truly living up to its reputation as an Indian fast food chain. While the entertainment ended by 5pm, Swansea’s appetite for Spice 2 Go was only getting started as the orders continued into the night until the store closed business for the first day at 11pm.

Despite the fact that the launch day activities are over, the Spice 2 Go journey has only just begun. As the UK’s first Indian fast food chain, Spice 2 Go is on a mission to redefine the Indian takeaway experience with sleek stores, trained staff, vibrant branding, exciting uniforms and exclusive Spice 2 Go delivery vehicles to make sure that orders reach customers in a quick and efficient manner. The company is also the first to have introduced a dedicated Online Ordering System that allows customers to track their previous orders and take advantage of special online deals. Similarly, Spice 2 Go can also access customers’ previous order histories linked to their phones when they call the store to place their orders, thus allowing for a more customised service.

Having done away with plastic carrier bags and introduced paper carrier boxes for their curries, the Spice 2 Go curry revolution has only just begun. With another store in Swansea’s Neath Road to open soon and a third planned for Cardiff in the next few months, expect to find a Spice 2 Go near you very soon!

Spice 2 Go is located at 11 Dillwyn Street, Swansea SA1 4AQ and is open from 11am – 11pm.

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Spice up Pancake Day with curry pancakes this year

With it being Pancake Day tomorrow, why not spice things up a bit by giving it an Asian twist by trying out a curry pancake recipe?

Traditionally, pancakes are eaten with sugar, lemon or chocolate sauce on Pancake Day, but who says you have to stick to tradition? There’s some delicious Indian-inspired pancake recipes out there for you to try, so why not give them a go this Pancake Day!

The first recipe – Indian potato pancakes with curry-lime yoghurt – is perfect as a side dish or if you’re preparing dinner for a large number of people. It will make 24 pancakes that are packed with spices including turmeric and cumin. This is a great twist on the traditional Pancake Day pancake and is a relatively quick and easy recipe, so why not add it to your list of signature dishes?

The next recipe, called simply “Curry Pancakes” serves six people, and can be served on their own or with whatever toppings or fillings you fancy! Ordinary pancakes can taste a bit bland on their own, but these curry-flavoured pancakes are anything but bland! The recipe is really quick and easy, and you only need four ingredients. So you have no excuse not to make this delicious, savoury, Asian-inspired take on pancakes tomorrow!

Got leftover curry and don’t fancy curry and rice for dinner again tomorrow? Well, why not make it into a pancake for Pancake Day?! Chicken and coconut curry pancakes are a delicious way of incorporating curry and pancakes together to make a yummy dinner that serves four. This is slightly more complicated than the other curry recipes listed, but it’s well worth the extra time and effort!

This recipe works brilliantly as an appetiser, and is a really traditional Indian dish. Puda (aka Chilla in some parts of India) is a vegetarian savoury pancake dish made with chickpea flour and semolina. This is the perfect recipe if you really want to Indianise your pancakes tomorrow! In case you aren’t sure what “cilantro” is, it’s just another word for coriander!

Hopefully these recipes will provide you with plenty of Indian inspiration so you will have a flipping great Pancake Day!

 

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Talking Bunty releases on iTunes to rave reviews

The world’s first Indian talking phone app, Talking Bunty, has launched amid much frenzy as fans rush to download the app and try out its features for themselves. Talking Bunty is a revolutionary product in that it is the industry’s biggest Asian app and provides users with a quirky and fun service that promises to be entertaining for all.

Available on the iOS App store, Talking Bunty is an interactive app that allows users to generate speech in an Indian accent along with the ability to make Bunty, the character of the app, perform a variety of comical stunts. This new mobile application has been praised by users from the Asian community across the world for being the first app that is directly complimentary to their culture and roots.

Talking Bunty has been produced in partnership with The Sound Pipe Media and Midnight Apps and is available on the iOS platform to iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 users. The makers of this app have targeted markets in the UK, USA, Canada and India although they strongly believe that the app will find popularity amongst markets across the world.

Talking Bunty will soon be available to download from Android app stores.

The developers behind Talking Bunty have a string of successful apps to their name including Tumbi Nut and Dhol Nut both of which featured prominently in the paid-for music app charts in the UK and in India.

It is only a matter of time before Talking Bunty finds its place in the top ten paid-for music applications charts but in the meantime you can download and enjoy all that Talking Bunty has to offer from the iTunes store.

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Offlicence release ‘Style’ ft Panjabi MC and Trilla

A brand new single is doing the rounds of the bhangra music industry in the UK and it’s none other than the Offlicence release ‘Style’ ft Panjabi MC and Trilla! The British urban trio, comprising Punjabi singer Sunny J and rappers Lexeye and Projay, have captured the British Asian and British urban music scene with ‘Style’ which has witnessed phenomenal success among fans and critics alike.

Coming together on this single are some of music’s hottest names. From MOBO and MTV award winning DJ and producer Panjabi MC to grime star Trilla Jermaine Trilloski of 0121, Etap and G Star fame, ‘Style’ has captured the attention of music lovers for its catchy lyrics, punchy chorus and sleek music video. Adding to its credentials, international music artist Jazzy B has also co-signed ‘Style’.

The music video for ‘Style’ has been directed by Carly Cussen who has previously directed videos for international music stars like Tinie Tempah, Ed Sheeran and Sunday Girl. The video reflects the robust personality of the track and boasts martial arts tricks from the Shaolin Temple Academy alongside magicians, freestyle dancers and a range of high-end luxury cars.

Sunny J from Offlicence says: “The song is about expressing yourself through what you do best. Whether that’s sports, partying or how you dress, it’s whatever you enjoy or do. Style is limitless and has no boundaries.”

The trio rose to fame in 2010 with their chartbuster ‘Maar Glassi’ supported by the globally recognised Christian Audigier Wines. Following this, Offlicence released their 2011 single ‘Ghaint Patola’. ‘Ghaint Patola’ captured top spot on the World Music iTunes store (UK) chart and featured on second spot on the ‘Official Asian Download Chart’.

Buy ‘Style’ today from iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and all other major online music stores.

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Honey Singh says, “Don’t use me as an excuse”

Honey Singh, one of bhangra music’s most iconic stars, has spoken out against the recent uproar caused over offensive lyrics of some of his songs that led to a scheduled show being cancelled in Gurgaon in the aftermath of the brutal gang rape that took place in India’s capital city, Delhi.

The Punjabi rapper was forced to cancel his New Year’s Eve show scheduled in Gurgaon following public outrage over certain lyrics to his songs that have been termed offensive towards women. With an online campaign underway against the rapper, activists have also lodged an FIR against him in Lucknow on Monday.

The Delhi gang rape that led to the death of the 23-year-old victim has raised the issue of increasing violence against women in this South Asian country and placed India in the international spotlight. Responding to the allegations, Honey Singh said: “Before you blame me, blame the government for not taking action against the rapists in the first place! Don’t use me as an excuse.

“#HoneySinghIsInnocent – trend if you’re with me! I’ve admitted that my past was a wrong choice, but now I deliver completely different music.”

Mr Singh’s manager, Anup Kumar, has denied claims that the Gurgaon show was cancelled due to the outrage caused over the singer’s offensive lyrics and instead stated that the cancellation was an act of solidarity for the Delhi gang rape victim.

He told Indian news agency PTI: “We did not cancel the show because of this petition and FIR. We cancelled it in the wake of Delhi gang rape issue. This is not the first concert we are cancelling in Delhi after that horrific incident. We had also cancelled our much publicised December 25 event.”

However, the hotel itself has refuted such claims. The Bristol Hotel in Gurgaon where Mr Singh’s show was scheduled to be held has maintained that the event was cancelled due to the mounting agitation over the star’s offensive lyrics. The hotel has also stated that the cancellation was a decision by the management and not by Mr Singh.

Mr Singh has released a public notice that claims that he is not the author of the lyrics and has threatened legal action against media outlets playing the videos/songs: “Honey Singh wishes to clarify through this notice that he has no connection whatsoever with the said songs. My client has already written to various digital platforms to immediately take down the video/songs and is also considering appropriate legal action for defamation, loss of reputation and violation of privacy”.

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RDB ‘We Doin’ It Big’ crosses 2 million YouTube views

The latest offering by international bhangra group RDB, ‘We Doin’ It Big’, has been a roaring success with the music video recording over two million views on YouTube since its release earlier in November. The track debuted on top spot on the official Asian Download Charts and been recognised by fans and critics alike for its energetic beats and soulful lyrics.

‘We Doin’ It Big’ brings together some of the industry’s biggest names in a collaboration that can only be termed as massive. Featuring 34 artists representing the Asian music scene, ‘We Doin’ It Big’ features Juggy D, Apache Indian, Jazzy B, Punjabi MC and many more. The track also brings together Smooth and Raftar and has been conceptualised as a tribute for RDB member Kuly Ral who succumbed to cancer earlier this year.

Fellow RDB member Surj says: “The video was shot is in memory of my brother Kuly, who died of brain tumour this year. All the artistes involved very readily stepped up to perform as a tribute act to him.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1OPOGA03Fo&feature=share&list=UUTXzemD6vFHKqkGshIey_Fg

Talking about Kuly, Surj reminisces: “He was my big brother, always emitting a positive vibe wherever he went. But Manj and I have decided to look at RDB future as a positive chapter, and taking the legacy that Kuly had created into a bigger dream.

“I wouldn’t wish this dreaded disease on anyone, and I won’t deny that we haven’t been personally affected, not hearing his voice, not seeing him in the recording studio. But we are motivated to keep his name alive with our fans and RDB is working hard to live up to Kuly.”

Here’s to the track that’s getting bigger each day! RDB’s ‘We Doin’ It Big’ can be downloaded from the iTunes store.

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SC Productions releases new track ‘Jaan’

SC Productions in collaboration with Digital Records have released a brand new single. ‘Jaan’ which sees British DJ Suraj work alongside North American favourite Deep Jandu and Roach Killa. The three popular artists bring a unique blend of urban house and reggae to the desi beats, making ‘Jaan’ an addictive track that is poised to become of the biggest club hits of the season.

‘Jaan’ has been written by veteran lyricist and musician H Sandhu and is already creating a buzz among the media and fans alike for its distinctive tune and fresh appeal.

SC Productions, also known as Surajpal Singh Channa, was born and raised in the British town of Medway. As a well-known DJ, it was only a matter of time before he started spinning his own tracks. SC Productions is not just an experienced DJ but plays a variety of instruments including the Tabla and Dhol.

Although a recent entrant to the world of professional bhangra music, SC Productions has already carved a name for himself with his musical skills and unique commercial sound which incorporates different genres of music.

Following the release of ‘Jaan’, SC Productions is collaborating with some of the UK’s finest artists and has a number of Bollywood projects in the pipeline. Some of his Punjabi music hits include being featured in DJ Sat Singh’s ‘Glassy’ feat. Ashok Gill and ‘Note’ feat Sudesh Kumari, Balvir and Sharmilla.

Get ready to burn up the dance floor with ‘Jaan’ now available to buy in store or download from iTunes.

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Hard Kaur releases second solo album P.L.A.Y

Indian hip hop queen Hard Kaur has released her latest single ‘Mujhey Peene Do’ along with the launch of her second album ‘P.L.A.Y – Party Loud All Year’ with record label Sony Music Entertainment. The long-awaited album was launched by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on the sets of TV programme Bigg Boss as part of the elimination episode to be aired on Indian television screens today.

After 35 chart busting hits spanning four years, Hard Kaur is not only India’s first female rapper but one of the world’s most successful musical talents in the bhangra and Punjabi music genre. Hard Kaur’s second album ‘P.L.A.Y – Party Loud All Year’ follows a five year hiatus since the launch of her first album ‘Supawoman’. Her new solo album features collaborations with musical sensations Mika, Lehmber Hussainpuri, Apeksha Dandekar and Eminem’s Band D12.

P.L.A.Y comprises 10 fresh singles that effortlessly blend Bollywood beats with hip hop and is an out and out party album. The first single ‘Mujhey Peene Do’ has already received rave reviews for its energetic and foot-tapping tunes and will be followed by the tracks ‘Boyfriend’, ‘Hello Baby’, and the exclusive track ‘Desi Dance’ featuring Eminem’s Band D12.

Hard Kaur is excited for the launch of her second album. The rap queen says: “I am happy to be back after a break of 5 years and I have been itching for a while to release my songs. I am glad to be back releasing my second album. I’ve been working on so many other projects, film, fashion, TV but finally had a chance to finish my own album this year. It’s out now and I can’t wait to hear what my fans think of it. It’s still true to the ‘hip hop meets Hindi pop’ vibe and it’s meant to keep you on the dance floors! This is my celebration album!”

P.L.A.Y promises to bring the dance floors to life with its sensational beats and swooning music. The album will be available on both digital and physical platforms; fans can download the album onto their smartphones from iTunes or purchase a CD to play on their music systems.

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JK wins Best Album at UK Asian Music Awards

One of the UK’s biggest music sensations, JK, has bagged this year’s award for Best Album at the UK Asian Music Awards (AMA). Held on 25 October, the UK AMA crowned the ‘Gabru Panjab Dha’ artist with the coveted prize adding another feather to his hat.

JK won the hearts of millions not just in the UK but overseas as well with his debut album ‘Gabru Panjab Dha’. His latest win at the UK AMA marks his presence in the music industry and his continued rise to fame.

‘Gabru Panjab Dha’ truly personifies the story of a young man from Derby who is living out his dream and has taken the bhangra music world by storm due to his sheer determination and imaginative musical talent that blends folk and traditional sounds with ease.

‘Gabru Panjab Dha’ is recognised for its high standards in production by international music producer Tru-Skool who lends the album its distinct feel. His music magic made sure that ‘Gabru Panjab Dha’ entered the mainstream album charts on the very day of its release! JK’s talent shone through, and along with the musical experience of Tru-Skool, JK was able to secure sold-out concerts and tours across UK, Indian, Canada and the USA in 2012. Soon, JK will amaze and captivate Australian fans when he begins his upcoming Australia tour scheduled for December this year.

The UK AMA 2012 was held on 25 October 2012 at Wembley Arena in London.

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