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Anita Lerche the Unique Punjabi Singer | ||
She is the first non-Asian woman from the West to sing and release a solo album in Punjabi. Since her first Punjabi album release, Heer from Denmark in 2006, Anita’s career has flown straight to the top, giving her the opportunity to tour and perform all over the world.
The track ‘Sammi’ from the new album brings a new aspect of Punjabi culture to life as she pays homage to the ladies who brought a rich layer to the culture through music and dance. Anita’s amazing journey from Denmark to the Punjab is an interesting one. Anita grew up in a musical household, with her father playing the guitar and her great grandfather who was a professional singer and musician. At the age of seven, she began singing publicly when she joined the Herlev School choir. Then, at the age of thirteen, she was accepted to the choir of Radio Denmark and was chosen to sing in an opera for children. With her vocals improving more and more, two years later she started training in the western classical style and took her first professional job as a Church singer. Anita studied musical theatre and arts at Mountview Academy of Theatre in London, completing her degree in 2001. DESIblitz had the pleasure of catching up with Denmark-born Anita Lerche in Birmingham for some exclusive Gupshup.
Anita’s love and passion for Punjabi music came from her first trip to India in the summer of 2005, where she visited the apple orchard of Mr. Anurag Sood in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh. She was immediately mesmerised by Punjabi culture and music. Within just three months stay in Hoshiarpur with Mr. Sood and his family, Anita learned to sing in Punjabi and her first solo album soon became a reality: “On the bus to Punjab, I was mesmerised by the driver’s Punjabi music. The music and the rhythms were so inspiring, I wanted to dance there and then in the bus. I felt that this was the music I had been looking for,” says Anita. “While recording in the studio my talent was recognized and I was offered a recording contract. Since I had already fallen in love with Punjabi music, I decided to cancel my shows in Europe, put my career on hold and stay back in India to follow my heart.”
Her deep passion is to spread happiness, unite different cultures through her singing and bring the East and West closer together through music. What is remarkable about this versatile singer is her ability to sing in multiple languages. She has impressively sung in Punjabi, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Chilean, Norwegian, Hindi, Himachali, Swedish and Latin. Her Punjabi pronunciation is almost effortless and just goes to show the lengths and dedication this singer has gone to in perfecting her art:
The global appreciation this singer has received is truly incredible. In 2006, the Times of India wrote: “Anita has also rendered traditional Heer in the album and succeeded in imbuing the depth, pain and passion of the rich composition.”
Anita has received numerous awards over her career, including the 2007 Sita Mata Award, from New Dharmik Utsav Sabha (Jalandhar) for singing Hindi Bhajans, the 2009 Danish World Music Award for World Track Of The Year with ‘Maahiya’, the 2010 Pride of the Indians Award from the Indian Cultural Society Denmark, and the 2013 Global Punjabi Society Award for Conspicuous Singer, and many more. Her song, ‘Sammi’, is recognised as a folk dance, which is picturised by the women of Punjab. It’s a dance performed in circles and calls for the ladies to be dressed in colourful lenghas.
“Striking a cord inside my heart, it almost felt like I once upon a time could have been this Punjabi kuri myself. Together with the talented music director Gurmoh we have made ‘Sammi’ come to life with the notes from the past blended with the sound of today,” she says. Fans and music industries around the world have shown great appreciation and support for Anita. This has helped boost her career giving her wider opportunities: “Music is a universal language that speaks directly to the heart, so it can unite people from different cultures and eliminate existing borders,” Anita believes. And in her unique case, this is not far from the truth. DESIblitz has a feeling that there is a lot more to look forward to from this unique Punjabi singer, who has only just embarked on the journey of her wonderful career. |
"Music is a universal language that speaks directly to the heart."
f you heard the name Anita Lerche, it is unlikely a Punjabi singing, blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty would automatically come to mind. Anita Lerche, is in fact a Caucasian singer, who although entirely Danish, has an outstanding command of the Punjabi language.
Her new album Sadke Punjab Ton is a direct reflection of Anita’s love and passion for Punjabi culture.
Since then, Punjab has become Anita’s second home, and she is continuously travelling all over the world performing and promoting the Punjabi language, culture and music.
“In fact, going by her style and pronunciation, one would get the impression that she is a Punjabi only to discover that she is white,” they added.
Anita brings the whole scene to life in her new energetic music video. She dances vivaciously to the Punjabi drums, surrounded by swirling ladies. The clip projects a sense of nostalgia as Anita uses music as a medium to connect cultures:
“Film director Harjit and lyricist Dr. Tejinder Harjit have guided me and taken me through the most beautiful and colourful journey of my life while creating ‘Sammi’,” admits Anita.
Anita Lerche writes to SikhNet Sat Sri Akal ji, My name is Anita Lerche, also know as "Heer from Denmark". I am writing you to share some information about my passion for Punjabi music industry and about my latest music releases. Punjab is like my second home and since 2005 I have spend more than 4 years in Punjab, traveled all over the world singing Punjabi songs and promoting Punjabi culture, because I love it so much and feel deeply connected to it. I have just come back from a great Promotional Tour in UK, where I also was releasing my new music video "Sammi" and performed at the Birmingham Mela. Moreover I had a great experience, when I was a guest at the Sikh Channel TV for their Breakfast Show and they put a turban on my hear (my first ever). One viewer wrote directly to the channel afterwards: "Your Breakfast TV programme is out of this world. With the likes of Anita Lerche on this morning's show I felt completely uplifted, mentally, musically and spiritually. Her renderring of 'Mil mere Pritma jeeo' made me ascend into the 'seventh heaven' wherever that is. I felt happy like I have never felt before, and I cried (with joy) like I have never cried before. May Waheguru bless her with a long happy life and I pray for more Shabads from her." I have plans about making some recordings in near future with Shabads and other devotional songs, because I feel that I beside from spreading happiness through my music and performances also through these songs can spread even more love and understand amongst different cultures and nations. Music is the language of the heart - and it can connect people from every corner of the world. Through music we also learn to understand and respect other cultures. I truly believe in following your heart in life - and if you work hard, there are no limits to what we can achieve. See my new videos: "Sammi" (released 4th july 2013 and have had more than 2 million views of YouTube):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scAE4FmTJEc "Sadke Punjab Ton" (released 28th April 2013 and have had more than 5 million views on YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNo9bNpROPM Presentation Video & Documentary about my musical journey into Punjab and my musical background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgoEKfk5Kuo This is my latest article (reproduced in full above ~ Ed)and video interview made by DesiBlitz:http://www.desiblitz.com/content/anita-lerche-the-unique-punjabi-singer My third single "Merea Ranjha", including music video, is planned for release in September and the whole album "Sadke Punjab Ton" will be released in Oct/Nov this year. Your support in all my forthcoming work will be truly appreciated, as I am working independently without any sponsors - but with thousands of well wishers and fans spread out all over the world. For more information about me, please see: www.AnitaLerche.com |
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Presentation Video of the International Singer Anita Lerche | |