Archive for the ‘Kudos DJ’s’ Category

Female Mehndi Wedding DJ Available

DJ Shmia – Female Mehndi Wedding DJ from Kudos

Known for her captivating looks on the catwalk and in front of the camera, Model Sam Ahmed is now rapidly being recognised for her skills behind the decks as DJ Shmia.

Originally hailing from Southampton, she was training to become a financial advisor but a chance meeting with a modelling scout on a trip to London changed the fate of this now model and DJ.

Female Mehndi DJ

DJ Shmia - from Kudos Music

Having been told that she has what it takes to be a model and after some persuasion from friends, Sam moved to London to embark on a modelling career. As a freelance model, this beauty has graced the pages of popular magazines such as Asiana, glided across catwalks including during London Fashion Week and featured in a number of well-known music videos.

With support from her family and friends, this young woman is breaking the stereotype and excelling in the world of fashion and has now set her sights on the music industry. Going back to her real name – Shmia, this DJ has already snagged an accolade as the first female Asian wedding roadshow DJ. Joining the team of Kudos which also features big names such as DJ H, DJ Dips and Jas Johal, Shmia hopes to capture a niche market as a female DJ.

Music has always been a keen interest for Shmia, who says she is more comfortable behind a set of decks than on a fashion ramp. When she moved to London and started modelling, Shmia’s network within the entertainment scene grew and she made some good friends in the DJ scene to whom she was able to confess her desire to become a DJ. Under the guidance of Kudos DJ Academy, DJ Shmia has been training to master her DJing technique and has been performing to appreciative audiences over the last year. Starting off big, DJ Shmia’s first gig was in Amsterdam for a private launch party for LG.

May it be a mehndi, wedding party or club night, Shmia’s knowledge of mixing and blending various genres including Bollywood, Bhangra, House, RnB and Arabic plus the added bonus of having a leading Asian model hosting has had a hugely positive reaction. There are no limits to where this Model DJ’s talent and appeal can take her.

DJ Shmia – Model by nature, DJ by heart.

Click here to see DJ Shmia’s profile from Kudos >>

Book your female mehndi wedding DJ with Kudos >

DJ H – Kudos Music DJ Biography

DJ H started DJing in his early teens. He started off by joining other DJs at gigs and events, carrying equipment, helping set up and doing anything that would give him exposure and build his experience.
Once H had mastered the basics, he searched for his own style of DJing which would separate him from others. He practiced relentlessly to perfect his skills; experimenting with classic urban flavours and slices of Desi beats. It wasn’t long before he was DJ’ing in Londons biggest nightclubs alongside big names such as Trevor Nelson, Tim Westwood and Bhangra acts such as RDB, Jazzy B and Malkit Singh.

His intimate knowledge of Bhangra led to him joining the UK’s largest professional discoteque company, Kudos Roadshow and go on to possibly be the UK’s most sought after wedding DJ. With an abundance of commitment and self belief, H continued to progress in the music industry by signing a developmental deal with the UK’s biggest Desi label, Untouchables UK. In 2005, H went on to piece together his musical ideas and knowledge into his first album. ‘The Debut‘ album was released under the Untouchables UK record label. The album showcased H‘s variety of musical influences through some noticeable sampling, guided by label-mates RDB.

It was the opportunity to work with chart-topping singer/songwriter Lembher Hussainpuri that propelled H’s name into every bhangra fans CD players and iPods. The club anthem ‘Ishq Brandy‘ was the Bhangra record of the year, and the single and album held onto the BBC Asian Network Charts top spot for an unprecedented 13 weeks straight. Additionally, ‘The Debut‘ also remained at the top of Club Asia’s chart for 8 weeks. ‘The Debut‘ was considered one of the albums of the year, and ‘Ishq Brandy‘ without doubt the Bhangra club banger of the year.

The success of the album forced H into every nightclub in the country, often performing in two different cities on the same night. H’s international reputation as one of the best Bhangra DJ’s has also been enhanced with international bookings in Dubai, India and Hong Kong, amongst others.

Not satisfied with one hit album, H began working on his follow-up album – ‘Reloaded‘. Not forgetting his roots, this time H acquired the talents of fellow Kudos Roadshow member and friend DJ Rags, coupling their talents and musical influences. The album which was executively produced by the duo, released in August 2008 on independently set up label – Reloaded Camp Records.

It features an array of talent including Lehmber Hussainpuri, Pankaj Khanna, Bharat Goel, Manak-E, Tanvir Gogi, Nirmal Sidhu, Miss Pooja, Billa Bakshi, Rebel Man, Kaka Bhainiawala, DJ Bola and Jas Johal.The experience and engineering skills of Kam Frantic and RDB were employed to give this massive album an extra spark. Probably one of the highest budget Bhangra albums ever, H and Rags have made major waves on the worldwide desi scene with ‘Reloaded’. The album even hit the number 1 spot in the Panjabi charts in India in just 6 days of release.

The album infuses Bhangra melodies, from classic covers to contemporary Asian beats. With a mix of H and Rags’ creative talents, the pair have provided some unique sounds and styles on this offering which will score highly with fans and critics. The album is filled with funky beats and intense energy, taking you from the London to Panjab via the United Arab Emirates.

With four chart topping releases from the album – ‘Aaja, Aaja‘, ‘Mar Javan‘, ‘Jawani‘ and ‘Char Panj‘ , there’s still more to come with the release of ‘ Peeniya‘. DJ H has been super busy on the music scene and has also transferred his attention to TV with the production of ‘Nightshift‘ on Brit Asia TV.
A full-time professional DJ, H continues to perform every week in front of thousands of people, either with Kudos Roadshow or at gigs and events at the biggest nightclubs across the UK and abroad.

Dhol Players Available from Kudos… What is a Dhol?

Dhol Players From Kudos

Kudos can source some of the UK’s finest Dhol players to add a musical accompaniment to the bharaat, the bride and groom’s entrance or to do a set during the party and liven up the dance floor. Dhol players are becoming more and more popular for Indian weddings and are a very cost effective solution.

What is a Dhol?

Description

The dhol is a double-sided barrel drum (straight barrels also exist) played mostly as an accompanying instrument in regional music forms. In Qawwali music, the term dhol is used to describe a similar, but smaller drum used with the smaller tabla, as a replacement for the left hand tabla drum. The typical sizes of the drum vary slightly from region to region. In Punjab, the dhol remains large and bulky to produce the preferred loud bass. In other regions, dhols can be found in varying shapes and sizes and made with different woods and materials (fiberglass, Steel, Plastic). The drum consists of a wooden barrel with animal hide or synthetic skin stretched over its open ends, covering them completely. These skins can be stretched or loosened with a tightening mechanism made up of either interwoven ropes, or nuts and bolts. Tightening or loosening the skins subtly alters the pitch of the drum sound. The stretched skin on one of the ends is thicker and produces a deep, low frequency (higher bass) sound and the other thinner one produces a higher frequency sound. Dhols with synthetic, or plastic, treble skins are very common.

Dhol Playing

The drum is played using two wooden sticks, usually made out of bamboo and cane wood. The most common rhythm played on the dhol is the Chaal, which consists of 8 beats per measure. The stick used to play the bass side of the drum is a bit thicker (roughly about 10 mm in diameter) and is bent in a quarter-circular arc on the end that strikes the drum, the dagga. The other stick is much thinner and flexible and used to play the higher note end of the drum, the thili. The drum is slung over the neck of the player with a strap usually made up of ropes or woven cloth. The surface of the wooden barrel is in some cases decorated with engraved or painted patterns.

Importance

From North India, the Dhol spread to other parts of the Indian subcontinent as well. Apart from Punjabi music, it is also used in music of regions like Assam (Bihu dance), Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal (including Bangladesh), Goa (during the Shigmo/Holi festival), South India etc. It has also become popular in other parts of the world due to South Asian diaspora. Dhol was a popular musical instrument in both formal and informal dance performances for decades. The introduction of electronic devices such as tape recorders has led to a decline in the importance of dhol players in celebratory events. Nevertheless, dhol music still figures in the studio recordings of present day Raas/Garba and Bhangra music artists. A related instrument is the dholak or dholki.

In Maharashtra, Dhol is a primary instrument used in Ganesh Festivals. In the city of Pune students, working professionals, businessmen come together to form Dhol Pathaks or troups. Pune supposedly has the largest number dhols in India.

When doing Attan, the cultural Pathan/Pashtun dance, Dhol is the main musical instrument. Attan is done in accordance to the sound of the Dhol.

In Assam, Dhol is widely used in Rongali Bihu (Bohag Bihu), the most beloved festival of the Assamese people. Rongali Bihu is celebrated in the mid of April every year.

Click here to see the Dhol Players available for your wedding >>

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