ONE of the biggest British Asian musical success stories of recent years has been the remarkable rise of hit-making producer Steel Banglez.
The London-born star has scored big in the western mainstream with his critically acclaimed songs and blazed a trail with his unique brand of music. It has been a long time coming for Steel Banglez – whose real name is Pahuldip Singh Sandhu – who has been working his way up in the industry since the tender age of 10.
Since childhood, music was always a constant in his life. His mother was a music teacher and as a child, he started DJing jungle music. He subsequently presented a show on the pirate radio station Mystic FM and started producing music in his early teens.
However, it was a rocky road to success. At the age of 17, Steel was imprisoned for the possession of a firearm with the intent to endanger lives. It gave him time to reflect and it was during this period that he seriously began thinking about his future. “The master plan started when I sat in jail as a 17-year-old,” he revealed in an interview with Eastern Eye newspaper last. “I always knew I was going to be one of the biggest producers in the country. I read a lot of books on self empowerment, on the mind and attracting stuff. I was just thinking outside of how I was raised too. I want to be one of the biggest music executives in years to come on the likes of Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre.”
After being released, the award-winning producer pursued his dreams and began to make waves in the industry. Since he exploded onto the scene with his first solo chart hit Bad in 2017, his star status has continued to grow.
In 2019, he achieved his highest chart position with Fashion Week which peaked at number seven. As well as carving out a solo career for himself, he is also known for his production work with popular artists like Mist, MoStack, J Hus and Wiley. Although he is now a hugely successful artist, Steel has not forgotten his roots. He said he was “grateful for where I am and what I’ve achieved”.
“I mean it has taken me over a decade to get to where I am,” the 34-year-old said. “From toiling the streets of the underground to where we are today making music. It is more about my role to keep production at a high level.”
His background keeps him grounded, Steel added. “It’s also my upbringing – the humble household I was raised in Forest Gate, East London, and the cultural values and what my parents taught me,” he admitted. “They prepared me for the world and to be successful. I saw people lose themselves when they became successful.”