At the crossroads of diverse cultures and bound by the universal language of music, Auckland-based singer Amrita Kaur has carved a harmonious path that transcends borders and touches hearts.
She is now making headlines globally after a video of her recent musical performance in Pakistan has gone viral on YouTube the last few weeks.
She performed a music concert at Haveli Baroodkhana in Lahore in January this year for the reputed Virsa Heritage Revived series, and the video of the concert that was uploaded to YouTube last month has already garnered nearly half-a-million views.
Born in the UK, Amrita's roots are deeply entwined with Malaysia, where her parents hail from. She came to New Zealand when she was seven, marking the start of an incredible voyage of musical exploration.
Sitting at her recording studio in Mt Roskill, Auckland, Amrita’s eyes light up as she tells us about her trip to Pakistan.
“My dad, Yadvinder Singh, and I were invited to Pakistan for a kirtan tour. We performed at various places within Punjab and Sindh, including Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Daharki, Lahore, Karachi and Hyderabad.
“We got in touch with Mian Yousuf Salahuddin (a Pakistani philanthropist and ex-politician), who was keen to produce a Virsa Heritage show with us at his haveli.
“So at the end of the tour, in the last few days, we flew to Lahore from Karachi for a day…did the show and then returned to Karachi before flying back to Auckland."
Reflecting on the experience, she says, "The show was amazing. It was the first time I did a solo show that long…of ghazals, songs and Punjabi poetry. It was a very memorable experience. It was probably meant to be, the universe made it happen."
The cold night in Lahore did little to dampen her spirits as she graced the stage, accompanied by talented musicians, including a guitarist who had earlier performed with the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Amrita also has a ‘kirtan’ (devotional songs) YouTube channel that she launched with her father nearly five years ago. Quite a few of the videos on the platform (https://www.youtube.com/@AmritaKaurYadvinderSingh) have more than a million views. Their Gurbani tracks are also available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.
Amrita is now preparing for an upcoming kirtan tour in India in September. She says her connection to her roots remains strong despite not having an immediate extended family in India.
Amrita with her father, Yadvinder Singh.
"My ancestors moved to Malaysia a few generations back. We don't have direct relatives in India. But we do go quite often because my dad has strong connections there," Amrita says, reflecting on the family's regular visits to the country where her father once pursued his own study of music.
The connections her father forged with India during pilgrimage tours as part of his family business in Malaysia have kept the flames of their Indian heritage burning bright. Frequent visits to India over the years have further strengthened their ties to the land that resonates with music, spirituality, and the essence of Sikhism.
"I think it is mostly the music and the spirituality and, of course, our religion - most of Sikh history is based in India with many places of significance, including Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple). Apart from that, I have grown up watching Bollywood movies, so that is also how I connect," she says.
Music played a central role in Amrita's life from an early age, thanks to her father's influence. Together, they performed kirtan every Sunday at the Kolmar Road gurudwara in the southern Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe.
A young Amrita performs kirtan at a gurudwara
"I used to sing along with my dad," she recalls fondly.
This nurturing environment ignited Amrita's passion for music, leading her to learn classical Indian music under the guidance of revered music guru Professor Shuk Dev Madhur.
"I performed as part of my music school shows while growing up, and alongside I was singing at the Guruduara as well. So, it was good because I was getting good practice and exposure. I continue to learn and improve.”
Beyond her artistic pursuits, Amrita’s tryst with science plays out in her day job. She has a Master’s degree in architecture from University of Auckland, where she explored the intriguing relationship between music and architecture in her thesis. She works full-time in the building industry.
Amrita says she is inspired by an array of artists like Arijit Singh, Mehdi Hassan, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal and Jagjit Singh.
While she cherishes the idea of singing playback, Amrita's musical journey has a sense of fluidity, and she believes in embracing opportunities as they come. Whether it is a kirtan tour in India, or exploring collaborations and original compositions, she seeks to carve her path in the world of music.
"I am happy to see where the journey takes me, including the hope of organising a solo show in Auckland," she says, exuding a sense of openness and possibility.
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