| Surjit Singh Bindrakhia | |
|---|---|
Jithe Marji Ja album cover |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | April 15, 1962 Bindrakh, Rupnagar, India |
| Origin | Bindrakh, Rupnagar, India |
| Died | November 17, 2003 (aged 41) Haripul, Mohali, India |
| Genres | Punjabi Folk |
| Years active | 1990-2003 |
| Website | Official website |
Surjit Bindrakhia (born Surjit Singh Bains) 15 April 1962 – 17 November 2003 was a Punjabi Bhangra singer. He was known for his hekh, in which he sings a note continuously in one breath. His hits include Dupatta Tera Satrang Da, Bas Kar Bas Kar, Tera Yaar Bolda, and Jatt Di Pasand. Surjit is considered to have one of the greatest voices in the history of Bhangra. He received a special jury award at the 2004 Filmfare Awards for his contribution to Punjabi music.[1]
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Surjit was born to his father, Sucha Singh, and his mother, Gurcharan Kaur, in the village of Bindrakh of district Rupnagar in Punjab.[2] His father was a famous village wrestler, who brought the village to prominence.[3] Surjit was influenced by his father to take up wrestling and kabaddi. He won intercollege bouts at the university level. Although, his father always wanted Surjit to be a wrestler, he always wanted to be a singer. He began his singing career by singing boliyan for his college bhangra team.[3] He received formal teaching from his guru, Atul Sharma. Bindrakhia appeared in films, before he was a major figure in the music industry.[3] He was extra in movies, appearing in the background of several scenes. It wasn't until lyricist Shamsher Sandhu recognized his talent that Surjit had an opportunity in the music industry. All of his hit songs were written by Shamsher Sandhu and music was produced by Atul Sharma. He married Preet Kamal. The couple had two children, his son, Gitaz, and daughter, Minaz.[2]
Surjit Bindrakhia had arguably one of the most powerful voice among Bhangra singers during his time. Throaty, with a wide range of sounds, he was one of the most successful traditional artist doing the rounds of the bhangra scene during his time. Surjit had been known in Punjab for many years, but his big break in the expatriate market came with Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da 1995, a track that was his best known. Since many remixes in 1990's were made of his older songs and a new releases.[4] Surjit Bindrakhia is credited as being the first international superstar in bhangra music. His song Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da holds the record for being the number one Punjabi song on UK charts for weeks.[2]
Immensely popular in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s at the rural lengend belt of Punjab, Bindrakhia’s voice was considered to be one of the most powerful voices among traditional singers like in Punjab. He had cut 32 solo audio cassettes during his decade-long tour career. Surjit had been known in the Punjab for many years before, but his big break in the expatriate market came with Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da 1995 a track that can only be called explosive. Since then there had been various remixes in the 1990s of his older songs and some blockbuster new releases, including ‘Tu Ni Boldi’ and ‘Jatt Di Pasand’ Bindrakhia was a traditional bhangra singer, and since most of his work had been produced in India, it may at first have appeared unpolished. Certainly the music is more “rustic” than that found on many bhangra bands from the UK, but that did not reduce its impact. There are more sustained dhol beats in Bindrakhia’s work than you would find elsewhere and the style is traditional.
A note must be made of the high tone Bindrakhia sometimes uses, which sounded like a screech. You can find others trying such vocal pryotechnics, but few can pull it off as Bindrakhia did. His singing style worked with the beat, so you would find him pausing along with the dhol and raising and shifting into different keys as the dhol does. All of this gave Bindrakhia the air of a child gone a little mad with his voice. Stated to be one of the most popular singers in Punjab, Surjit Bindrakhia was considered to be the vital link between traditional Punjabi folk music and modern Punjabi pop.[5]
In 2011 DJ Harvey and Nirmal Sidhu made a tribute song to Surjit Bindrakhia called Bindrakhia Boliyan, it has been a huge success since its release being ranked at Number 1 on the BBC Asian Network Chart on the first week of release.
Bindrakhia died of a heart attack on the Morning of November 17, 2003 at his home in Phase-7, Mohali.
Many singers and artists attended his bhog and funeral at Bindrakhia's native village Bindrakh. Some of the artists who turned up to pay their last respects to the legend included Hans Raj Hans, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Babbu Mann, his lyricist and a close friend Shamsher Singh Sandhu and his guru and music composer Atul Sharma, and the legendary Gurdas Maan. Bindrakia stormed the market with over 250 million hit sales of which 175 million came from India alone. He later combined with greats such as Surinder Shinda doing live sets.
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Ishque Di Agg | [[T-Series] |
| 2003 | Ghabru Gulab Varga | T-Series |
| 2002 | Billiaan Akhiyaan | T-Series |
| 2002 | Munda Ki Mangda | T-Series |
| 2002 | Dilaan Diyaan Choriyaan | T-Series |
| 2001 | Phul Kadhda Phulkari | T-Series |
| 2000 | Aakhiyan De Vanj Bure | |
| 2000 | Lakk Tunoo Tunoo | T-Series |
| 2000 | Ladla Deor | T-Series |
| 2000 | Mundri Nishani | Music Waves |
| 2000 | Dil Nachda | Tips |
| 2000 | Addi Utte Ghum | Catrack |
| 1999 | Rumaal Bhul Gayee | T-Series |
| 1998 | Mukhda Dekh Ke | T-Series |
| 1998 | Tera Vikda Jai Kure Pani | T-Series |
| 1998 | Valeiti Masti | Tips |
| 1998 | Wang Wargi Kuri | T-Series |
| 1997 | Nare Nee Mutiare | Music Waves |
| 1997 | Phullan Wangoo Hasdiye | |
| 1997 | Sohni Naar | T-Series |
| 1996 | Dil Watte Dil Mangda | T-Series |
| 1996 | Labh Kiton Bhabiye | T-Series |
| 1996 | Tauba Tauba Hussan | |
| 1995 | Hai Darhuka | |
| 1994 | Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da | Finetone/MovieBox |
| 1992 | Bas Kar Bas Kar | Finetone |
| 1991 | Munde Aakhde Pataka | AMC |
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jithe Marji Ja | T-Series |
| 2005 | Pyar Kar Lai | Music Waves |
| 2004 | Galti Malti Maaf Kar Deo | T-Series |
| 2003 | Main Kal Takk Nahin Rehna (Tribute to Bindrakhia) | T-Series |
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Forever Surjit Bindrakhia | Music Waves |
| 2002 | Bindrakhia Blast | Catrack |
| 2001 | Cheez Kamaal Di (Remixes) | T-Series |
| 2000 | Wang Hogi Tang (Remixes) | |
| 2000 | 100% Bindrakhia (Remixes) | AMC |
| 2000 | Best of Bindrakhia Vol. 1 | |
| 1998 | Bindrakhia Power Point | |
| 1994 | Strictly Bindrakhia |
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Bhai Sangat Singh Ji | Star Makers |
| 2002 | Singho Sewadar Bano | T-Series |
| 2001 | Janam Dihara Khalsa Da | T-Series |
| Release | Film | Song | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Rab Dian Rakhan | ||
| 1996 | Zorawar | Ve Kehre Tere Amb Torh Laye with Parmjit Sandhu | Catrack |
| 1996 | Ishq Nachavye Gali Gali | ||
| 1994 | Kachehri | Dera Jatt Da with Dilshad Akhtar | T-Series |
| 1991 | Jatt Jeona Mour | ||
| 1991 | Badla Jatti Da | Boliyan with Surinder Shinda | |
| 1990 | Anakh Jattan Dee |