Silinder Pardesi is a Bhangra singer-songwriter, lyricist, and composer from Coventry, West Midlands, England. His love for music started at a very young age when he sang in Sikh temples, inspired by his idol, Mohammed Rafi. With encouragement from his family and friends, he gained confidence and expanded his singing and musical knowledge. Then, in 1982, Silinder Pardesi founded Pardesi - which later became known as The Pardesi Music Machine. The band was composed of talented musicians of high caliber and always maintained impeccable standards of high-quality music. The Pardesi Music Machine is famous for performing a fusion of Punjabi and Hindi music with other musical influences, such as reggae, dance, RnB, and rock. The Pardesi Music Machine's first significant turning point was winning the prestigious Asian Song Contest Award in 1986, which secured them a recording contract with Oriental Star Agencies. This encouraged them to record and release their first religious album, with all proceeds being donated to charity. Soon after, they recorded their first Bhangra album. In 1988, they released an album titled 'Pump Up The Bhangra,' which became one of the biggest selling albums in Bhangra music history, selling over 25,000 copies worldwide. This album set the trend for a new wave of Bhangra music, seeing the first use of samplers, sequences, and remixing. The album captured the imagination of the Asian youth with its insistent westernized beats and traditional eastern melodies. It reached number 1 chart status across Europe, Canada, and the US. The Pardesi Music Machine performed live on the eve of the football World Cup final in Italy in 1990. They have also performed at world music festivals in Canada, the US, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, where they have featured alongside leading pop acts such as Womack & Womack, Neneh Cherry, Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, and many others. In 1994, Silinder Pardesi decided to move on and pursue his solo career, releasing seventeen highly acclaimed solo albums and one greatest hits album. He also recorded two tribute albums for his childhood musical idol, Mohammed Rafi. In 1995, he received a graduate degree with honors in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Aston University, Birmingham, England. Silinder Pardesi's contribution to the music industry is immense, and his love for music and singing has been a significant part of his life. His journey from singing in Sikh temples to founding one of the best live Asian music bands in the industry has been truly inspiring.
