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This month I was so pleased to be interviewed by The Rhythm Divine radio show on Radio National, Australia. It was a pleasure to speak with Geoff Wood about my music, Kirtan for Causes, leading a spiritual life and the meaning of singing devotional Sikh song.
I was also delighted to be interviewed by Harvinder Kaur for the Hindustan Times, one of the most widely circulated print newspapers in India.
In both of the interviews I touch upon the Sikh principle of seva or Selfless Service, the religious practice of performing work or service without any means to gain reward, validation or personal benefit. It is no secret that Sikhs are among the most generous of communities: a 2014 study carried out by the BBC and polling company ComRes sampled more than 3,000 British people of all faiths and none in the UK and found that 100% of Sikhs in that group had given money to charity in the past month. My musical career is in itself a seva dedication as all profits from my recordings and forthcoming London concert at The Union Chapel go towards educating impoverished children. Via my work for this cause I have donated to The SOS Initiative, an organisation founded in 2004 that supports the education of underprivileged children living in rural Punjab, India. Initially The SOS Initiative supported thirty young people by financing their school education, now we support over 2,000. Recently The SOS Initiative joined hands with one of the biggest organisations in Punjab – The Baru Sahib Organisation which own 128 educational institutions. Because of this there are now classrooms all across Punjab waiting to educate these amazing children.
On my trip to India last month to film my music video, I met and spent time with many of the children benefiting from the scheme. To see their passion and vigour for the education, to see their brilliant intelligent young minds developing is an indescribable honour and blessing. I can only hope and pray that my music can continue to foster and nurture this beautiful relationship. I humbly ask those who enjoy my music to purchase my album and come to my concerts in order to help me continue to work and offer up seva to Kirtan for Causes. There can be no greater cause than the education of today¹s children for they will be tomorrow’s adults.
Every child deserves an education.
Kirtan for Causes is a foundation that I created to allow me to work on many great projects I believe in. I want to sing exquisite kirtan that serves a higher spiritual purpose and touches the souls of all those who listen. I’m also donating all of the proceeds from the sale of my album to charity as an act of seva. My first album Bandhanaa, later re-released under the title Satnam Waheguru raised over 1,000,000 dhirams which part-funded the construction of the famous Guru Nanak Darbar in Dubai. Kirtan for Causes is my way of continuing to contribute to causes dear to my heart. My album I Bow To You Waheguru raises awareness of the socio-economic disadvantages facing children living in rural Punjab and calls for help from the international community. My forthcoming music video for the track ‘Aukhee Gharhee’ from my new album visits the area and spotlights the cause further.
Tickets for my show at The Union Chapel, London on 22 August 2015 are now on sale via this link. Please come and share in my kirtan whilst supporting a worthy cause.
This month I’m filling my time working hard on new compositions, editing my music video and organising forthcoming rehearsals with Jyotsna Srikanth, Talvin Singh and more marvellous musicians with whom I will have the pleasure of sharing the stage with in London. As the date draws closer my excitement grows in equal measure with a sense of anticipation: I’m so looking forward to sharing my music with the crowd and I hope to see you there.
Waheguru Ji