Sikhlens Virtual Concert

Sunday Host: Nikki Gill

Nikki Gill has spent her entire life in the world of film and television production. As a teenager, she began filming and editing videos while pursuing her Bachelor of Arts at York University. Today, Nikki serves IMC among the city’s preeminent postproduction facilities as its CFO. However, in a shop as diverse as IMC, responsibilities entailed so much more than crunching numbers. The company specialized in most facets of post and demanded a highly diversified skill set from its executives. It is evident that the loyalty and dedication she has given to the company is well reflected by the shop’s slate of top-name clients; CTV, CBC, Shaw, CP Rail, Discovery, MuchMusic, YTV, are merely a few. Nikki’s vast industry experience and passion for all forms of media are also serving her well as a talented Executive Producer for TV shows such as Fight Xchange. For over 35 years, Nikki has continued to work in filmmaking. Now, Nikki continues her passion for film as one of the MCs for this year’s Sihklens Art and Film Festival.

Kiran Ahluwalia and Rez Abbasi. Singer-songwriter Kiran Ahluwalia and multifaceted guitarist Rez Abbasi are a real-life couple and music world duo.  One is of Indian origin, and the other Pakistani. They perform love and breakup songs with equal conviction, exhilaratingly mixing Indian rhythms with West African Bluesy riffs, languid Jazz, and Indian improv.  The result is a merging of elegance and crispness, all with an easy, inviting charm. The music sounds raw and fresh, and yet familiar, a rarity in these times. From their home in New York City, Kiran and Rez have established themselves as some of the music world’s most compelling and distinguished cross-pollinators.  Their reworking of the classic Qawwali tune Mustt Mustt with the Malian super group Tinariwen has racked up nearly 3 million views online.

Dhol King Gurcharan Mall, CEO and AMBASSADOR is a 68-year-old International performing artist. He has been promoting Dhol & Bhangra music for 52 years worldwide. In this time, he has become a Bhangra historian, artistic director, teacher, singer, music producer, writer and choreographer. He is the holder of the British Empire Medal, and Lifetime Achievements Awards, three Personality Awards, Best Dhol player Award, and lots of other awards. 

Parvyn Kaur Singh is a singer, dancer and musician from Melbourne, Australia. She has been performing globally with her father Dya Singh from a very young age, later known as a vocalist in vintage Bollywood inspired band, The Bombay Royale. Parvyn’s current solo project synthesizes a lifetime of work and represents a new step in her career. Parvyn’s work is informed by electronica and jazz, her background in Sikh devotional music and her training in classical Indian music and dance. Her debut solo album ‘Sa’ was released worldwide in September 2021. With influences from Bjork to Anoushka Shankar, it is immersed in a reflective world of different cultures and perspectives.

Jas and Kamaljeet Ahluwalia, are known as Absolute Focus. Kamaljeet plays the Santoor, a rare and exquisite hammered dulcimer from Kashmir. Jas plays the Tabla, a pair of North Indian drums with a vast range of sounds. Together this husband-and-wife duo, referred to as Absolute Focus, use their Indian Classical roots to walk an innovative path in music and art.

Pavan Kaur Mudhar is a graduate student studying to become a Doctor of Audiology. She has been classically trained in Bharatanatyam and performs with the Arpana Dance Company. Pavan has been learning Gurmat Sangeet and Hindustani Classical music since the age of six. She also loves playing the sitar and enjoys traveling the world.

Ramneek Singh is an internationally acclaimed Indian born Canadian, Hindustani Classical vocalist, originally from New Delhi, India. Now based in Canada, she has created her own niche in the music world through her unique style. Coming from the rich lineage of Ustad Amir Khan’s Indore Gharana, Ramneek is proficient in musical genres like Khayal, Thumri, bhajan, Sufiana and Folk. She has developed her unique style of presenting Shabad-Gurbani in classical genre, for which she has been critically acclaimed. She has performed all over Canada, USA, UK, Australia and India and her mesmerizing voice, that spans three octaves, leaves a lasting effect on audiences.

Himmat Singh is a singer, songwriter, & multi-instrumental artist known for his vocals & blend of multiple genres – RnB, Pop, & Punjabi Folk. Born & raised in the Bay Area, California, he fell in love with music at a young age learning Gurmat Kirtan & developed his creative passions in Los Angeles, California. Himmat graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) and now works as a Solution Architect in a Technology company in the Bay Area, in addition to making music. Himmat works with a professional studio in San Francisco to create his unique sound. You can stream his music on all platforms – including Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, etc.

Agamjot Singh has been fascinated with music since a young age. He started playing the harmonium and taking kirtan classes at the age of eight years. He has performed at various events and is fond of being on stage. In the year 2020, during lockdown he decided to try his hand at drums and was immediately taken by it. He has been self-taught and has been dedicatedly practicing throughout the last year. In this time, he also started posting on his social media channels and has built a following in a short time. He loves to experiment and has dabbled in various genres. He hopes to continue this journey and pursue a career in the music industry.

Dr. Neelamjit Dhillon is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Vancouver Canada, Neelamjit is skilled in both North Indian classical and American jazz music. His music is a reflection of his own multifaceted identity, spirituality, and vision for promoting a more equitable and just society through shared experience and collective action.

Neelamjit’s primary instruments are the tabla, saxophone, and bansuri. He has played tabla since the age of 10 and continues to study the instrument under the tutelage of world-renowned maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain. Neelamjit has performed around the world at prestigious events and festivals in locales such as Somalia, India, Brazil, Europe, the United States, and Canada.