Bhangra is her business

Nindy Kaur was born to the thumping beats and the gung-ho lyrics of Bhangra music. Growing up in the UK, away from the land of Bhangra’s origin, Punjab, Nindy found her heart growing fonder for traditional music even as she followed  RnB, pop and Bollywood.

Still, her love for music stepped up to another level when she met her husband Manjeet Ral, member of the group RDB (Rhythm, Dhol, Bass) who encouraged her to sing. From then on there was no turning back for Nindy. She made her international stage debut in 2004 alongside Shezad Roy and Sukhbir. She went on to record and release singles such as ‘Aja Sajana,’ ‘Gur Nalo Ishq’ and ‘Gidha Pao’ which became instant hits. She caught B’wood’s attention shortly and was asked to work on the music of the 2009 flick ‘Aloo Chat’ starring Aftab Shivdasani.

The tracks ‘Aloo Chaat’ ‘Dhadke Jiya Ye Rasta’ and ‘Boliyaan’ featuring Nindy and RDB were very well received and earned Nindy the moniker of the latest ‘Bhangra Queen.’ Nindy’s other achievements include collaborating with the Canadian group Culture Shock that had previously worked with Lady Gaga and Nicole Sherzinger. Soon after the release of the latest track ‘Save The World’ from her album ‘Nindypendent’ Nindy talked to Masala! about her love for Bhangra, her album and more.

Tell us more about your latest single ‘Save the World’ from the album Nindypendent and your experience collaborating with Canadian musicmakers Culture Shock.
‘Save The World’ is a feel good high energy track that was great fun to make. Culture Shock are part of the extended RDB family and we have known them for years. They came to me with this track and an idea of a female voice. I loved it the moment I went into the studio and from then on, everything happened naturally and quickly. The end result was way beyond what any of us expected and the fan response has been overwhelming so far!

Do you really think it is necessary to endure grief or pain to get that burst of creativity that artistes often tend to experience?
Every song is a story of how you feel at that moment. It's not necessary to endure grief or pain but when you are writing a track, your emotions always come through and pain is a very strong overwhelming emotion so it can feature heavily for a lot of artistes.

How did you make your entry into Bollywood? What was your experience of working on the music for ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’ and ‘Aloo Chaat?’
My first foray into Bollywood was with RDB. They were working on ‘Aloo Chaat’ and saw a fit for a female voice. Manj was always bugging me to stop singing in the car and around the house and get into the studio. When the opportunity came up, the RDB boys wouldn't take no for an answer and dragged me into the studio kicking and screaming  The rest is history as they say!

In your opinion what is the most effective way for young and upcoming artistes to market their songs?
Marketing a track is so different nowadays than before. The key word is getting your track viral. The internet has made it possible to have your track shared and sold instantly worldwide. My suggestion to new artists is to get their songs online through outlets such as Facebook and YouTube and stay active on social networks and support this activity with traditional print and TV campaigns.

They say that it is difficult when you do business with your family members. How did you decide to work with your husband, Manj and his brothers for the group RDB?
I didn't have a choice. The brothers are a very rare breed. One minute they are acting like normal brothers and laughing, smiling and punching each other but when it's time for business a switch goes on and each is very responsible for their part of RDB. I think that's what makes it work.

Do you ever think that you could have a wider appeal had you been based in India and not the UK?
I wouldn't trade the path we have taken for anything. To go from crowds of 1000 people to well over 1,50,00 people singing your songs back to you means we must be doing something right. No matter where you are from, the music speaks for itself. If it's good and fans like it, then technology these days allows one to break all borders and the music spreads instantly.

Tell us about your world tour. Which cities have you planned a gig at? Do you plan to visit Dubai any time soon?
Dubai is always a stop on the tour. I am there quite often and love it! The fans come out in droves and show me a lot of love and support. Nindypendent is truly going to be a global tour including North America, UK, India, Middle East & Asia. I can't wait to release the album and meet all the fans across the world!

Which artists influenced your music during your childhood and teens?
Shazia Manzoor, old skool Bhangra bands like Heera Alaap Pardesi and of course in mainstream music I love the King of pop, Michael Jackson.