Channi Singh, born Harcharanjit Singh Rupal, is a British-Indian bhangra musician, known as the “godfather” of bhangra in the West. Originally from Malerkotla, Punjab, Singh relocated to the United Kingdom in 1975. In 1977, Singh co-founded the group Alaap with Harjeet Gandhi, Randhir Sahota, and Inder Kalsi. By combining Western and Punjabi folk instruments, the group developed the genre UK Bhangra. Alaap toured globally, performing at Madison Square Garden, the Al-Nasir Indoor Stadium in Dubai, and the Royal Albert Hall, and became the first British Asian group to perform in Pakistan in 1992. Singh also composed scores for Bollywood films, including Yalgaar (1992), Shaktiman (1993), Teri Mohabbat Ke Naam (1999), Janasheen (2003), and Mr. Bhatti on Chutti (2012). Album releases with the group include the compilation Alaap - The Greatest Hits. Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2012, Singh also received the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award for Punjabi music and the 2017 Brit Asia TV Lifetime Achievement Award.
