Artist Nirinjan Kaur– From your first experience of Nirinjan Kaur’s voice, you are hooked. There is an indelible pull to the sacred that travels through her sound current and carries you into the devotional space that is the signature of every note of Nirinjan’s music. Nirinjan herself was born into this sacred musical space, having been in the womb when her mother recorded her own sacred chant CD, ‘Narayan’ during her pregnancy. When Nirinjan came into this world in February of 1988, the Narayan chant she heard in the womb was being played around the world in Yogi Bhajan’s classes and Kundalini courses.
Born into a family of Kundalini yogis, her parents were not only devoted teachers, but also steeped in the practice of sacred music. Her mother, Guru Raj Kaur, is a well-known musician, and her father, Hari Singh, is an award-winning music producer.
Nirinjan began formally studying both Eastern and Western music at a very young age, learning piano at the age of 7 and studying Gurbani Kirtan with her mother even before that. But to her, this was just one of things she did between climbing trees and wandering through the worlds of her imagination with her childhood friends. She grew up loving music like a member of her family. She can remember the feel of joy and connection while belting out her favorite song in the car on her way to school. At that time, the music was less of a skill to be learned for her, but more of a beloved way of being moved by the spirit, a way of experiencing life more deeply. It was often also a sweet comfort, listening to mantras and feeling cozy and held.
At the young age of 13, of her own accord, Nirinjan decided to go through Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training. She said, “I started to feel a need to find my center and feel a sacred connection within.” This was a powerfully transformational time for her, and it marked the point where she made the personal decision to begin her journey on the path of Kundalini Yoga. She started to feel the need to share her love of this experience. That is when she started to sing. She began singing the many Kundalini mantras that she had been raised with, singing the morning sadhana chants, and leading music in meditations and gatherings within her community in Vancouver. As she continued to sing and practice yoga, she became more deeply connected with her spiritual Sikh upbringing, feeling more and more drawn to dive deeper into the realm of sacred chanting, into singing the poems, called “Shabads” of the sacred Sikh scripture, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. At that point, she decided to really dive into her learning, and in 2003 she traveled to India so study at a Kundalini Yoga and Sikh boarding school in Amritsar, in the Punjab province of Northern India called Miri Piri Academy. This school was created by Yogi Bhajan to offer education for children not only in academics, but also in yoga, meditation, martial arts, classical music, and more.
For the next few years, Nirinjan worked full time, finding opportunities to practice her music and share it in her community. In October of 2008, she went on an east coast tour with Guruganesha Singh, called the “Joy is Now Tour.” She loved the experience and just after that, Spirit Voyage Music approached her to become an artist with their label. Nirinjan very happily obliged. As if that wasn’t enough excitement at one time, she then became pregnant, and during her pregnancy, recorded her third album (but the first one with Spirit Voyage), ‘Adhara.’ It was released in December 2009. The birth of her son, Gobind Singh Khalsa, was on January 31st, 2010. http://www.spiritvoyagerecords.com/artists/nirinjan-kaur/
CD Prem Siri A Nirinjan Kaur album is a journey into peaceful bliss, but none more so than Prem Siri. Two years in the making, this beautiful recording features heart-opening vocals and a mastery of sacred Gurmukhi shabads and Kundalini mantra. From the first notes of “Bhaj Man Mere”, a hypnotic journey into peace, Nirinjan’s richly evocative voice will relax you and open you to a world of sweetness. Each track has its own magic, from the melodic “Sabh Karta”, the soaring “Aad Guray Nameh”, the healing “Mera Baid”, the hypnotic “Sa Re Sa Sa”, the moving “Ether Tattva Waheguru” (which was used by 3HO as the 2012 Summer Solstice Meditation), to “Poota Mata Kee Asees”, a sweet and clear prayer of motherly love. Prem Siri means Great Love, and once you hear the beautiful voice and pure heart of Nirinjan Kaur, your love for her will be great, too.
CD Adhara Nirinjan`s first Spirit Voyage release is a masterful production by Hans Christian. Nirinjan Kaur has created an incredible collection of rich, powerful and deeply moving Kundalini chants, Gurbani kirtan and devotional songs wrapped in layers of cello, acoustic guitar, bansuri flute, sarangi, sitara, nyckelharpa, tablas and more.
With a stellar cast of musicians including GuruGanesha Singh, Manish Vyas, Hans Christian, John Wubbenhorst and Victor DeLorenzo, this album is not only a sacred journey but also a musical masterpiece.
Credits:
Nirinjan Kaur: Vocals, Harmonium
GuruGanesha Singh: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Manish Vyas: Tabla, Cajon, Various Percussion
Hans Christian: Cello, Sarangi, Sitara, Nyckelharpa, Keyboards, Bass, Programming
John Wubbenhorst: Bansuri Flute
Siri Amrit Singh Khalsa: Vocals
Victor DeLorenzo: Drums
