The foot-tapping Jogia
By Dharam Pal

AFTER the phenomenal success of his first album Jogia Khalli Balli, Bhupinder Chawla Bhupi is coming with another high-powered album being released by Tips.

Bhupi is now the new Punjabi pop star of Tips after Shankar Sahney. King of pop, and bhangra — Bhupi has acquired many a label over the past two years and why not! He has swayed fans all over India and abroad with his music and amazing live shows which cut across all language barriers.

A great fan of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey and Elton John, Bhupi was born and brought up in Delhi. This sardar with restless toes got his first break when he was still in school. He received training in classical Hindustani music under the Rampur Gharana. He is grateful to his mentor Jawahar Wattal, a famous music director, and elder brother G.S. Chawla, a writer of repute, for inspiring and encouraging him.

Bhupi, who was in Chandigarh recently, said: "My album Jogia Khalli Balli became the craze of pop lovers on various satellite channels. After a gap of two years, I am coming with an album full of melodious numbers".

Bhupi has a typically rustic technique and he always keeps his commitment to sur, taal and laya. He is a happy father of a son and a daughter and his wife who offers him her full support is proud of his success. This talented pop star is backed by a bhangra band with several vocalists. His groundwork helps him to switch from one number to another with ease during stage shows.

Bhupi maintains that a strong classical base is a must for any singer to make it big. "As long as there is real melody and rhythm, a talented singer will have lasting power", says Bhupi. His comment on the future of pop is that people will always seek a change because that is the way of the world.

Bhupi’s new album is in collaboration with Jawahar Wattal and it contains compositions by both. The lyrics have been penned by up-coming lyricist G.S. Chawla and veteran Surjeet Singh Raahi.