Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Ranjah's Playlist

Ranjah's Playlist

AMERICAN newcomer Ranjah teamed up with established British talent Raxstar for recently released debut song Nakhre.

The top tune has several musical influences and that was also apparent when Eastern Eye got the singer to select 10 songs he loves. Before choosing, he said: “This is a hard question to answer, as I love all types of music, ranging from old school bhangra and the spectrum of Punjabi music to tropical house, reggaeton, dancehall, Afrobeats, r’n’b, garage, hip hop, classic Hindi songs and ghazals. So, it’s hard to choose, but here goes, in no specific order.”


Jind Mahi by Malkit Singh: Performed by an absolute legend! This song connects me culturally and emotionally back to my roots in Punjab. The lyrics are steeped in tradition, and the beat has a blend of dhol with non-traditional instruments, which makes this a masterpiece.

Hold On, We’re Going Home by Drake: A major musical influence in my life, as he is for many other artists. Drake admirably hits that beautiful Venn diagram that covers hip hop, r’n’b, pop, and sometimes world music. I plan on doing a Punjabi version of this soon at my sister’s wedding in May.

Independent Girl by Apache Indian & Malkit Singh: This song by two legends remains a favourite to this day. Apache is a pioneer who radically changed the perception of what a south Asian artist was supposed to be. He’s one of my first and strongest musical influences, and combined with Malkit, smashes this track out of the park.

My Playlist Ranjah 04

Yaar Tera Lit by Mickey Singh: Have to represent with another US artist on this list. This became an anthem at every house party in our local area when it first came out. Definitely a good one to get you hyped up! Mickey is a talented singer and I’m always looking forward to what he’s putting out.

Lahore by Guru Randhawa: Ask any Punjabi, whether Indian or Pakistani origin, and they’ve probably listened to this track. Always a party favourite! My nani ma (grandmother) passed away recently, and I know she enjoyed this song, as her whole family was from Lahore pre-Partition.

7 Days by Craig David: A nostalgic track! When this came out back in the day, it perfectly captured the free-spirited flirtation that happened between someone and their crush. I associate this track with late night chats on MSN/AOL messenger and some secret walks in the park with my romantic interest at the time.

Insane by AP Dhillon, Gurinder Gill & Shinda Kahlon: Something I can keep on repeat, it’s addictive. For me, it’s the combo of lyrics, right amount of moodiness and elements of trap/hip hop. I vibe with that. AP Dhillon is another regular on my playlist.

Dance With You by Rishi Rich, Jay Sean & Juggy D: Absolute banger when it

first came out. I remember this powerhouse team of artists and seeing them live in New York. I still play this regularly. On a side note, an honourable mention to Rishi Rich’s Pure Garage (1 & 2) albums, which were a huge musical influence. Absolute vibes.

Don’t You Know by I-Sasha: I lived in the Caribbean for two years on the island of St. Kitts. Really got into dancehall, soca music at that time. This is such a feel-good track you can play any time of the day or night.

Nakhre by Ranjah Ft. Raxstar: I want to create music I love listening to and makes others feel good when they listen. I’m proud of my debut track Nakhre and enjoy bumping it in my car and AirPods. I’ve gotten some great feedback from inside and outside the desi community, which I really appreciate. Check it out on YouTube or any major streaming platform if you haven’t already and give your boy a follow on Instagram: @ranjahmusic

More For You

The Aamir Khan Effect: Transformations That Stun and Inspire

Aamir Khan’s iconic transformation in Bollywood over the decades

Getty Images

Aamir Khan effect: Whiskers, wigs and big wow moments

Aamir Khan returns to the big screen this month in Sitare Zameen Par, a heart-warming Bollywood remake of the Spanish comedy-drama Campiones. He plays a disgraced basketball coach who takes on an unexpected challenge with a team of individuals with special needs.

Sporting a look unlike any from the past decade, the film – due out on 20 June – adds to the many transformations he has embraced over his career, from shifting hairstyles to dramatic facial hair.

Keep ReadingShow less
Exploring South Asian Faiths: A Cultural Journey at the British Museum

The Ancient India: Living traditions exhibition at the British Museum

Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

British Museum highlights Hindu, Jain and Buddhist traditions in UK context

The British Museum’s Ancient India: Living Traditions is among the most significant displays for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists living in the UK.

Eastern Eye was given a tour of the exhibition by its curator, Dr Sushma Jansari, the Tabor Foundation curator of South Asia at the British Museum, and Kajal Meghani, the project curator, who has completed a PhD on the contributions of South Asian collectors to the museum.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hunia Chawla’s 'Permission' takes aim at politics of ‘saving’ Muslim women

Anisa Butt and Rea Malhotra

Hunia Chawla’s 'Permission' takes aim at politics of ‘saving’ Muslim women

A NEW play explores the issues faced by this current generation of immigrants and questions the definitions of freedom and liberation, its playwright has said.

Permission, written and co-produced by Hunia Chawla, casts a questioning eye on the trope of ‘the oppressed Muslim woman’ and examines the links between patriarchy, protest, and the global political order.

Keep ReadingShow less
Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers

Sons of the late, legendary Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal

Najmuddin Saifuddin Qawwal Group

Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers carry forward a timeless Sufi tradition

At a time when the spiritual essence of Sufi music is often diluted by commercial reinvention, Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers Qawwali Group stand tall as torchbearers of an unbroken tradition stretching back more than 700 years.

Sons of the late, legendary Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal, the five brothers continue a sacred musical lineage dating back to the 13th century and the disciples of the genre’s founding figure, Hazrat Amir Khusro.

Keep ReadingShow less
British Asian Narrative Reveals Deep Toll of Cultural Conformity

The cast of Marriage Material in key moments from the play, including Avita Jay, Kiran Landa, Omar Malik, Irfan Shamji and Anoushka Deshmukh

Helen Murray

Sathnam Sanghera’s 'Marriage Material' adapted into bold new play on conformity

The play Marriage Material at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s adaptation of Sathnam Sanghera’s novel of the same name, which first came out in 2013.

She is lucky to have Iqbal Khan direct Marriage Material. The play, a co-production with the Birmingham Rep, is set in the late 1960s. Mr and Mrs Bains (played by Jaz Singh Deol and Avita Jay) run a corner shop in Wolverhampton. Their younger daughter, Surinder (Anoushka Deshmukh), is 16, her sister Kamaljit (Kiran Landa) is just a bit older.

Keep ReadingShow less