But I Smile Anyway…

So true…

Music…

It’s played a huge role in my life, both growing up, and in my adult years.

Music and dancing.

Music for pleasure, music for prayer, music for learning, music for my soul… music for all times in my life.

Growing up, I was surrounded by music.  Both my parents love to listen to music, and I had a real eclectic mix of old Hindi, Bollywood music, that they both loved, Bhangra music which my Precious Pops loved to sing along, and dance to, and a real mix of 60’s music that my mum had crown up with in her English boarding school, in Kenya, and when she had been in the UK at university.

Couple that with some Kenyan, Swahili tunes, and I was always going to have a true mish mash of genres that I would generally like.  My parents had these old cassette tapes that had been recorded for them before they left Kenya, to come here, with great golden oldies from the Bollywood era.

A beautiful Bollywood love song from the 70’s!

And bhangra bands were fast popping up all over the place, but the Midlands, where I grew up, was a true hotspot! And as my Pops was an avid dancer, he would keep up with all the latest tunes!

A classic Bhangra tune!

Going through school, I grew up with the 80’s and 90’s pop, which all my friends listened to.  I remember some of my friends deciding The Beatles were the best thing since sliced bread then, so I acquainted myself with all their songs, and mum could have a good old bop around to them with me too!

As my cousins got married, the traditional music became fascinating to me too. so as a result, some of my cousins and me, we got together, and learned these songs and dances, and I can proudly say, I could perform at a wedding mehndi ceremony, with a full understanding of the lyrics and the dances that go with the songs too!

That’s me, singing!

Going to university, my love of music grew more. I was still as much into Bollywood as before, I pride myself on my knowledge of the old classics, singing them frequently! And the same goes for Bhangra, and Pop music.  I loved the old Cheese that was played at the student nights in the clubs, and I was introduced to R’n’B, Soul, Hip Hop, Swing, Reggae and Ragga.

It was the THING for most Indian students to like this type of music, and most of the club nights with this type of music would be packed to the rafters with Indian students.  I loved it!   I hadn’t even been a clubber before University, but this was great! My 2 loves coming together! Music and dance! Oh I could ‘boggle’, ‘wind’ and ‘butterfly’ with the best, alongside ‘changing the lightbulbs’ to the bhangra, and ‘heaving my chest an wiggling hips suggestively’ to the Bollywood! and of course, jump around like a loon to the pop and cheese too! I forgot to mention, after a college trip to the US, I even got to know a few country songs, and tried my hand at line dancing!

I’ve loved all these music genres for my entertainment, and pleasure, and as I;ve grown older, I’ve also increased my listening of spritual Sikh hymns, finding amazing Raagis, and singers who keep the love of religious music current, so eve my kids sing along, and love it too!

Manika Kaur, simply beautiful.

And as my own children are growing up, I have attempted to introduce each of these genres into their lives.  In Hubby Dearest’s car, there is usually Bhangra blaring out at top volume. In mine you might have the greatest hits of the 60’s one day, a religions CD next and some hip hop after! Eclectic, I told you!  But I want them to have a rounded knowledge of all music, and now, as they are getting older, they decide, be it One Direction, or Will-I-am, or whatever they want, alongside mummy’s cd’s, because they like it!

What music did you grow up with?