Jhumka isn’t just a golden bell shaped ornament that adorns the Indian woman, it’s also an arrangement of dangling beads that shimmy the arrival of something tantalizing. Jhumka, the debut single from Nalini’s third solo album Mera Dil Deewaana does just that, its beads lusciously harmonize Rajastani Folk, Bollywood Bhangra & Ghazal. No doubt the jewel of this Jhumka is Nalini’s voice, a liquid velvet which has wooed audiences across the UK, India and East Africa. The album basks in Bollywood glory as does the video shot at Jaisalmer’s Mandir Palace staring former Miss World Yukta Mookhey.However, palaces and the yellow sand of Rajanstani ramparts are a far cry from Nalini’s childhood in Nairobi. There she was raised in a traditional household where the sound of music was devotional, religious and everywhere. She enjoyed the hymns and harmonium playing but ultimately her ‘devotion’ coursed its way to more modern instrumentation - the charm of early Bollywood, the sounds of Geeta Dutt, Lata Mangeskar, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh et al. The lure of Bombay pop culture and the movie industry beckoned, but the songstress chose to settle down in London, train under the renowned Shree Pandit Govind Prashad Jaipurwala, and later with Ratan Sharma and Raj Kamal (of Chashme Buddoor fame). London was also the setting for the launch of her first two albums Raas Garba with Nalini (Sangeet UK 1984), and Inspiration (Big Papa Production 2002). Now, new age genres have taken inspiration from her third album - fusionists Transglobal Underground have remixed an eclectic version of Jhumka which will feature on their forthcoming album Moon-Shout releasing spring 2007. Nalini has also worked with the Grammy nominated ‘world music’ band 1 Giant Leap for their second album, also coming out this year.Nalini’s repertoire extends beyond music and includes a wide range of projects from formerly co-presenting the radio show Geet Mala on LBC to hosting concerts for various NGO’s like the Neasden Swami Narayan Temple and the Women’s India Association.
Nalini’s prized jewel Mere Dil Deewaana (Ocean Records) has won rave reviews from Shree Jagjit Singh, Ismail Darbar and Irfan Khan. Her performance at the Asian Guild Awards ceremony received equal praise from Shree Om Prakashji and Hrithik Roshan.
If you haven’t already seen her on B4U or Sony you can hear Mere Dil Deewaana and watch the videos at www.myspace.com/naliniuk
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