Prita Chhabra

"Music is my passion and always has been. It's the blood the runs through my veins. I can't NOT do music. I've tried running away from this dream of mine, and it's gotten me no where. I love it, and it's the only thing in this world that makes me feel alive." --Prita Chhabra

BIO

Prita was born in Montreal, Canada before moving to Orlando, Florida at the age of fifteen. After living in Orlando for seven years, she returned to Montreal and obtained a degree in psychology at Concordia University. Since then, she has decided to pursue her singing and songwriting career.

Love of Music

For Prita, music is something comfortable and natural. Writing and performing are spiritual experiences; almost as though a muse speaks through her. Music has always had a hold over Prita, and to deny her ambition would be to deny herself. Music is the blood which runs through her veins and leaves her feeling like she's lived her life...fulfilled.

Music Experience

Prita has been singing and writing music since childhood, including the orchestra score for her high school graduation. While living in Florida, she often performed at Disney World, in addition to concerts put on with Valencia Community College and InTone.

Over the past year, Prita has achieved a series of career milestones which include touring Canada and performing for thousands as part of RBC desifest (Canada’s national South Asian music festival) ; becoming one of the few Canadian singers to perform at Parliament Hill in Ottawa for key Canadian ministers and dignitaries ; and being the featured music performer at Bollywood star Rahul Bose's Oxfam benefit in Toronto.

Recently, Prita made history as the first South Asian Canadian musician to open for an artist listed number 1 on the Billboard charts, when she opened for British R&B superstar Jay Sean at the Hershey Centre for over 2,000 fans. Prita also became one of the few Canadian singers to be featured in her own national segment for Entertainment Tonight Canada.

Additional highlights from some of Prita’s national and local media coverage include performing on CTV’s “Telethon of the Stars” ; being playlisted and charting 4 on the “Top 6 @ 6” fan requested countdown on Canada’s top South Asian radio station RJ1200 ; and receiving a half page pictorial in the Toronto Sun newspaper following a performance for over 5,000 people at Yonge & Dundas Square.

Prita’s debut EP, “Spread The Word”, consists of her seven original songs with Montreal’s JUNO Nominated Othentic Productions. Prita is currently recording her sophomore EP with one of Canada’s top music exports, fusion band JoSH.

Influences

Prita has a variety of musical influences, each coming together to form her unique style. One of her favorite artists, since childhood, is Bette Midler. Every day, she would listen to her tapes at home and dream of being a singer. More contemporary influences include Our Lady Peace, Dave Matthews Band and Nelly Furtado. Being South Asian, Prita values her cultural heritage as an important influence on her music. She has studied classical Indian music as well as Western music, and strives to create a blend between the two in her songs.

HIV/Aids Awareness

In 2008, Prita was among 6 students selected to participate in a research study trip to Malawi, Africa. The purpose of the trip was to do grassroots level research on HIV/Aids, so that they could return to Canada to educate youth about the millennium development goals, and to bring awareness about global issues. For Prita, the trip was a life changing experience.

Prita has since been visiting Canadian schools to give presentations to kids about HIV/Aids and life in Malawi. On December 1st, 2009 for World Aids Day, Prita released her interpretation of a traditional Malawi song entitled "May God Be With You" as a free single to help continue her awareness efforts. Prita also premiered a self-directed short film of the same title about her trip to Malawi at FILMI, North America's longest running South Asian film festival.

Prita will be donating a portion of proceeds from her debut EP to the village, and through her efforts now feels privileged to count several Canadian government luminaries as her fans, ranging from MP Justin Trudeau to Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne.