It’s so great that we were able to get in touch with you! After falling in love with Mere Sapno Ki Rani, Aap Jaise Koi, and a few other songs, I knew there had to be fans out there dying to watch your performances. I know Bravura fans will be excited to read about you guys. Let’s keep this interview short & sweet!

Tell us a little bit about the origin of your group! Who was the founder and how has the group been able to keep the group alive?
Penn Masala was formed in 1996 at the University of Pennsylvania by four guys who thought that the concept of an A Capella group singing Hindi music was novel and was a way in which they could represent their Indian culture on campus. With support from the University and other performing arts groups, the Penn Masala became the world’s first Indian A Capella group. Through on and off campus shows, recruiting new members and of course and most importantly, support from our fans, we have been able to keep the group alive and successful.

How many members are in Penn Masala? How often are tryouts for the group?  Bravura fans are curious of how you guys function in the group?
Currently, the group has 14 members. We hold auditions every semester but our busiest tryouts are usually in the Fall. In addition to singers, we also hold interviews for Business Managers that handle all business related matters of…

Indy Sagu has been working on the Bhangra scene for nearly nine years. His album The Debut, launched his career in spectacular form (2001). In 2004, he released his second album, Indystructable, furthering him as a household name in the U.K. and abroad. Despite having established himself as a producer, this time around he is hoping to break the mould and this album could well be the gateway to that haven. 2008 bought Indy his third installment to the Bhangra industry; the album titled Reincarnated released worldwide through iTunes, and again showcases his talent as a music producer, as well as, his ability to fuse music from East & West with his own twist. This has bought much interest from around the globe furthering his grip in this music market.

DJ-ing & producing remixes since the age of 17, this young man has been influenced by personal experiences, like all good artists. He bought his first set of turntables before age 16; his influences vast and closer to home than one would imagine. At an early age, Sagu learnt to play the dholki and tabla from his father. Now owning his own professional music studio, as well as, record company (www.lioncorerecords.com), he’s established a firm foothold in this ever changing music industry.

Since picking up his award for BBC Best Newcomer 2003, Sagu has concentrated on the production of sound and has spent time learning percussion with the view to bring new sounds and flavors for everyone. Recently Indy Sagu was down in New Jersey for a ‘wicked’ (as they would say in the U.K.) performance with RDB so yo know I had to snag my interview right away!
 

Indy, when did you realize that music was something you were at one with?
I think from an early age actually,…

Rapping is their forte, and dancing, well…it’s something that they’ve just recently become introduced to! Well in case you were wondering who I’m talking about, it’s artists known by the names: Hard Kaur & Lil’ Kim.

Both these talented ladies are Hip-Hop artists in their respective communities, but besides that, they are both contestants on two of the most watched shows in the American & Indian community: Dancing With the Stars and Jhalak Dhikla Ja.

When Kaur and Kim began on this show, the only knowledge they had of dancing is what their choreographers would have them do for their music videos – and when you’re a rapper, you know there isn’t a lot of dancing involved! But both of these ladies were determined from the get-go, to strut their stuff and make it known that they CAN dance!

Both contestants have attained some of the highest scores possible by the judges, and have broken free from their shells! Last week Hard Kaur showed off her dance skills as she graced the dance floor with an amazing performance to one of the hardest dances possible – paso doble! But she got some high scores from the judges and that’s what been keeping her in the game thus far…not to mention that all her fans are calling and sending texts for her!

Lil’ Kim, though she might have had a few bumps on the way (cough, cough…wardrobe malfunction), we won’t be the ones to hold that against her. Just the other day she performed an awesome dance to the Tango and her partner wasn’t a ‘womanizer,’ that night because it seemed like Kim was calling all the shots!

So I wanted to ask the readers of Bravura Artist, if Lil’ Kim & Hard Kaur were to have…

Is it a mistake to skip the morning breakfast? It is a good mistake or bad mistake? Well one of the biggest nutritional mistakes that many people make is skipping the breakfast meal, which is the first meal of the day. There are many reasons why individuals do this and the reasons are endless. Some skip because they are too busy and don’t have time to prepare something. Some believe that by skipping morning breakfast, calories will be saved from the meal which will help them with weight loss. There are also those that just don’t appeal for breakfast foods.

However, they are missing out on the benefits of breakfast. It is generally seen that individuals who do consume up to 1/3 of their daily calories in the morning meal will eat less late on that day. When one does not then their body tends to play catch up with the calories and often surpasses what you would have eaten otherwise. Also without having some fuel in your system, you simply will not have the same concentration or focus levels that you otherwise would and your work or school performance is going to suffer. Can a car function without gas in the car? No!

That is exactly how our bodies function. Take some extra time to in the morning and prepare breakfast. Breakfast doesn’t have to involve traditional breakfast foods. It is completely fine to eat some leftovers from the previous night. Another tip can be to prepare something before going to bed. So you can easily take it with you on the go in the morning. There are many things that can be done to change your lifestyle into a healthy one. Therefore, try not to skip breakfast and add energy into…

Refractive surgery for vision correction has made many significant advances since its start as radial keratotomy. The concept was first used in the early 1960’s by Sato in Japan. However, the original procedure did not work for most people. It is the earliest form of vision correction surgery. Over time in the 1970’s the procedure was corrected by the Russian, ophthalmologist Fyodorov and it was performed in the United States of America in 1978.

Today, several different options exist to help the majority people who wear glasses or contact lenses reduce their dependence on their corrective lenses. Refractive surgery is mostly elective and cosmetic. However, most people today are depending on the laser vision correction procedure to correct their vision.
 

What is laser vision correction? Laser vision correction can be used to treat myopia, myopia with astigmatism, hyperopia with astigmatism, or astigmatism alone. Not every person requesting laser vision correction is a candidate for surgery. Some factors that may prevent a candidate from not being able to get this type of surgery include a person with very high refractive errors, certain ocular diseases, and certain medical diseases.

What is the eligibility for getting the laser vision correction? The main criteria includes that the individual has to be of 18 years of age or older for myopia or hyperopia. Although, for astigmatism, the individual should be of 21 years of age or older. The individual can not have any eye problems such as keratoconus, herpes keratitis, unstable refractive error, or corneal disease/scarring, or cataract/glaucoma. Also, individuals with medical problems such as collagen vascular disease (lupus), autoimmune diseases, immunosuppressive diseases such as AIDS, or pregnancy or breastfeeding, and no diabetic retinopathy if diabetes is present may not be allowed for laser vision correction. There are…

What is social anxiety disorder? It is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses. It consists of a persistent fear of one or more social performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual begins to fear that he or she will act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing.

Now let’s ask the question of what the causes of social anxiety disorder are. What are the causes of this disorder? Usually, it is developed in the childhood. The cause can be genetics if either of the parents had social anxiety as a child then the child is more likely to have it too. It can also be caused by the brain chemical imbalance. Where there is an imbalance of serotonin then it can be a cause of some disorders. Another factor would be the environment in which the child grew up in. This can affect his/her personality. If he is embarrassed in front of other people then it can trigger social anxiety. Also another cause in teenagers includes negative experiences; this is because if they were embarrassed at school or were scrutinized because of their body image, it can trigger this disorder.
 

How does one know if he/she is experiencing social anxiety disorder? What are some signs or symptoms? Some signs include showing less interest in exploring new things. Also rather than being excited about new things, they are much more likely to be scared. Top ten social situations that are the most feared include the following: reading aloud in front of the class, musical or athletic performances, joining in on a conversation, speaking to adults, starting a conversation, writing on a the blackboard, ordering food in a…

A very gifted writer and a talented rapper, Lil Deep also known as Young Punjabi Soulja, the new generation’s next big artist. Originally, from the streets of Hoshiarpur, Punjab – India, Lil Deep migrated to the states in 1997 and currently resides in the city of Los Angeles, California. The young mastermind started writing at the age of 15. Initially, Lil Deep’s main focus was to Ghost Write (writing for other artists), staying out of the spotlight. After coming across many artists and friends who also were into music, they highly encouraged Lil Deep to deliver his own lyrics. He then realized this is truly what he wanted to do-to express his feelings and struggles of his people through music.

Lil Deep isn’t your every day Rap artist. He grew up listening to Punjabi and Hindi music. Lil Deep says, “I love Hip Hop and I love my Indian music. Music has played a big part of my childhood life. Coming from Punjab to United States, I was heavily influenced by the Hip Hop culture but I never lost my love the desi music.” Lil Deep noted that collaborations with such artists are also in the works. A most definite attribute observed in him is his individuality and he doesn’t fail to bring different flavors to his music.

Not only does he have the talent to write, he also practices, produces and records his own music straight out of the comfort of his bedroom with his own equipment. Aside from his own production, Lil Deep has had the chance to shine on the beats of producers such as Guess Who, DJ Ruff, DJ RBS, Amit from UK, DJ Kurioo (Soul Tap Records), Vicious Vic (Atlanta) and is currently working on a Happy…

Continue reading to see just what Gamble had to say during out interview…
 

First of all how did you get involved with the music industry? How old were you?
I’m 19 Years old, I recorded for the first time in year 2005, it was off of a web camera which had a built in mic so you already it was terrible in quality. Two of my close friends (Shugga Shane, Lil Shine) had multiple tracks out, back then they went by the name “Youngstars”, that was my very first tap into the music scene. From 2005 to 2006 it was a on and off relationship with recording until I moved to Cerritos and had access to a studio and recording engineer (Blaze),  from then on i was just grinding.

Who are some inspirational figures that have motivated you throughout this journey?
There are three inspirational figures that have motivated me. 1. Will.i.am. 2. Bengali Crown Family. 3. Jay Sean. Everything Will.i.am does is fire…whether it’s his hooks, mixing, or his beats. Bengali Crown Family has been my inspiration since day one, there are too many talented desi rappers here in L.A, it’s a shame. To see a Desi Artist do and accomplish what Jay has done is…

How is it that your nails have the most bacteria? Is that why your mom yelled at you every time your finger was in your mouth, and your teeth were grinding against those filthy nails? Well the reason behind that is that we are constantly using our hands throughout the day with the various activities that are carried out which include going to the bathroom, opening doors, switching on the light, and many other activities. Therefore, gradually bacteria and other germs build up causing other illnesses or diseases within the human body. Also our bodies host a variety of microorganisms, some of which are beneficial to us. These microorganisms also include bacteria and fungi. Fungal infections are caused by microscopic plants that live in our skin and on the dead tissue of our hair and nails. So in order to prevent any nail diseases or other problems lets look into some tips for nail care.

Nail tips will provide helpful information about taking care of your nails. All it requires is 15 to 20 minutes of your time each week and nothing more.

Continue to read for some important tips that which should be considered when treating your nails…
 

1. Let’s start with doing a manicure on your nails. One should do it after taking a shower, bath, or after washing the dishes. This is because these activities remove the dirt from under the nail.

2. Nail polish thinner can be used to thin out the nail polish that has become too thick. Keep the polish in the refrigerator to make it last longer.

3. Try not to use nail polish remover more than once a week. This is because it causes the nails to dry out. Dry nails crack and split more easily than nails that…

Singer/songwriter Seril James loves performing – and with that said, which artist doesn’t love something which they are passionate towards. His bio quotes him as a, “savvy artist (who) has developed a three-pronged career in music, acting, and modeling, successfully merging his talents into one captivating package.”

And yes ladies, he is really multi-talented!

A native of New York, Seril has grown up in an environment full of inspiring experiences, people, and cultures including his own South Asian heritage. He began his musical journey from the start of his educational career and has continued since its completion. In college, Seril performed the National Anthem at numerous sporting events as well as singing at many of the universities cultural shows. Focused on his goal, he began to define his talents and steeled his passion and determination to produce his own musical sound.

Seril’s songs showcase his soulful voice with R&B/Pop Fusion songs, featuring infectious hooks, South Asian flourishes, and solid professional production. Currently in the studio, Seril is working on new songs for his upcoming album, but I had the chance to sit down with this super-star on the rise and talk about all his talents, and his future as a singer!

Seril, it’s a pleasure to interview such a multi-talented person; and you stand true to the phrase “multi-talented.” You’re an actor, model, as well as, singer – the first thing I’d like to ask is how do you handle all three roles?
It’s not easy, but I love every second of it. It’s quite a bit of juggling but I think I’ve done pretty well with it all. The three are all very different but at the same time very similar too. I’m constantly using things I’ve learned in one role and applying it…