I know we have different people creating instruments but above all of that, beyond all of that, everything is created by God. ‘I also believe as a Sikh that everything is created by God. They’ll hear drums or synthesisers in other music that they listen to,’ explains Kaur.
‘I think a lot of younger people are enjoying this sound of kirtan because they can relate to it. That direction could loosely be called Sikh devotional electronica. This particular track has four-and-a-half million views on YouTube and I think when Talvin saw it he really understood what direction I was trying to go in.’
‘He sent Talvin one of the tracks I have up on YouTube called “Guru Ram Das”. ‘I have a great manager now and he got in touch with Talvin,’ Kaur tells me. This is Sikh spiritual music for the 21st century, recorded in London with renowned DJ, tabla player and producer Talvin Singh, a pioneer of modern Asian electronica who has worked with Madonna, Bjork and Sun Ra. The album is also bringing Sikhism to a wider and younger audience. While the songs on I Bow To You Waheguru are based on the Sikh holy scriptures-the Guru Granth Sahib-the music pushes boundaries: no obvious harmoniums here. The very first thing that you would read when you open the Sikh holy scriptures is Ik Onkar, and that means one god.’ Waheguru, Ram-there are many names for God.
‘In Sikhism we believe in one god and that god has many names. Kaur now lives in Dubai, where she recently released her second album of devotional songs, I Bow To You Waheguru, a reference to the Sikh god. ‘If you’re a Sikh woman today you’re equal to your husband.’ ‘Actually Sikhism is one of the religions that have come out of India that have equality for women,’ she says. Years of practice and a belief in equality gave her the confidence to perform devotional music in public, a practice done by men. Kaur grew up in Melbourne, where she learned to sing and play the harmonium. I would hear these shabads-shabads is basically what I sing, spiritual music-I would hear these shabads at the Sikh temple and just slowly fell in love with it.’ ‘Two play the harmonium and one of them would play tabla. Kaur is a young singer and songwriter who performs shabad kirtan, Sikh hymns and songs of praise usually performed in a Sikh gurdwara or temple. I compose music to these verses and then I record them.’ Kirtan is basically singing spiritual music that’s taken out of the Sikh holy scriptures. ‘What I do is kirtan, which is spiritual music, for causes.
‘Every album I do is for a cause,’ says Manika Kaur. Not bad for a singer of devotional songs who gives all her proceeds to charity. One of her recent videos has racked up more than four-and-a-half million views. She may not be a household name just yet, but on YouTube Sikh kirtan musician Manika Kaur is a star.
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