- Dr Zeus
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Dr. Zeus Birth name Baljit Singh Padam Born 17 July 1976 Origin UK Genres Bhangra Years active 2001–present Labels Envy Entertainment Ltd (UK) Associated acts DJ Stin, DJ Sanj, Shortie, G Sharmilla, Lehmber, Talweezy,Gunpreet,Manpreet Sandhu,General Levy,Fun*dmental,Yana Gupta Website http://www.envyentertainment.com Dr. Zeus is the stage name of Baljit Singh Padam, who is a Birmingham[1] based Music Producer.
Contents
Career
Zeus gained stardom in India in late 2003 with his hit song "Kangna". He has large fan bases in India, the United States, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other large Punjabi markets. His popularity broadened when he collaborated with South-Asian female trio, Rouge. Contrary to popular belief, even though he goes by the prefix "Dr." and contrary to the Indian stereotype, Dr. Zeus has not in fact gone to medical school.
Dr. Zeus began his career in 1999 where he was signed to the Envy music label based in Birmingham, UK where he produced Pure Garage - Sue My Ass by the Punjabi singer, Balwinder Singh Safri, from the band Safri Boyz. He had two popular songs on this album, which were "Sahiba Bani Prawa Di" and "Par Langa De Veh".
A year later, he went on to producing his second complete album Deathjamm 4.5. This album is a part of the series Deathjamm Collections from the early 90's. On the album he had a pure Panjabi great similar to Sabar Koti featuring on the main track "Sajno Belio".[citation needed]
He then released his debut solo album "The High Life" in 2001, on the Envy music label. This album featured the vocal talents of Amar Arshi singing "Gwandian Da Dhol", which was a hit but still did not put Zeus on the international scale until 2003.
Dr. Zeus then released Unda Da Influence in 2003. This album surprised the Bhangra industry as a whole. Unda Da Influence gave Zeus the international and UK boost to take Best Album of 2003 and Best Song of 2003 "Kangna".
Dr. Zeus then released his third album, The Original Edit in 2005 with Lehmber Hussainpuri singing all the vocals. This album had many hit songs such as Je Jatt Bigr Gaya, Sachiyan Suniyan Ni, and Putt Jattan Da. This album won Best Album of 2005 and the song Sachiyan Suniyan Ni won Best Song of 2005.
Dr. Zeus then released his remix album of all his greatest hits entitled The Street Remixes in 2006, which again did make heads turn and give Zeus more confidence and recognition.
Dr. Zeus came back with a bang in 2008 with an album named Back Unda Da Influence . In this album Zeus took a very different approach compared to Unda Da Influence and considers it a much more 'Desi' album. In Back Unda Da Influence Zeus used majority unknown artists and introduced another new phenomenon; G.Sharmilla; whom Zeus has high expectation of. Back Unda Da Influence received a massive reception and was nominated for Album of The Year 2008 but did not win. The song named Sat Sri Akaal hit No.1 on the BBC Asian Network Charts and was also nominated for Song of The Year 2008 but lost.
Dr. Zeus stated on a BBC Asian Network interview that Back Unda Da Influence was recorded exclusively at his own studio (BFK Studio). This will hopefully stop all the people claiming that they produced all of Zeus' music.
As his next project, Dr. Zeus produced G. Sharmilla's solo debut album Headline. The album was supposed to be released in December 2009, but was pushed back to February 2010, April 2010, then July 2010. In July 2011, information was released stating the album would release in August 2011 and would be renamed Zindabaad
Dr. Zeus stated that as his next solo project he will be giving legendary singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's sufiana verses a hip-hop twist. And that's not all—the yet untitled album that will feature his Punjabi chums interspersing R&B Jargon with Bulle Shah's poetry. He also says he may just have Czech-mate Yana Gupta in the video too, "but not in a sexy avatar. We've got to respect Nusrat," he clarifies.
Zeus shared his plans of launching three new albums."The first one will have some of Nusrats greatest songs reproduced - something that even Bally Sagoo tried a few years ago, but my album will have a hip-hop flavour and will feature new artistes along with Nusratsaab. Then, I'm also producing a folk album with G Sharmilla (of sat sri akal fame) and a bollywood pop album introducing a new singer, Kanika Kapoor," he says.
Zeus, who's yet to test Bollywood waters, also spoke about his disappointing brush with movies. "Vipul Shah wanted to include my song, Asi Haan Punjabi in Singh is Kinng. But Pritam, who composed other songs on the soundtrack, chose against. But I'll take on Bollywood very soon."
In January 2011, Manpreet Sandhu's album "The Spirit" was released with music by Dr. Zeus.
Dr Zeus Is the Big Music Producer
Discography
Solo Albums
- 2001: High Life
- 2003: Unda Da Influence
- 2005: The Original Edit
- 2006: The Street Remixes
- 2008: me
- TDB: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Remixes
Videos
- 2001: "Gwandian Da Dhol" (featuring Amar Arshi)
- 2003: "Kangna" (featuring Shortie aka Littlelox & Master Rakesh)
- 2003: "Ah Ni Kuriye" (featuring Lehmber Hussainpuri)
- 2006: "Kangna Street Remix" (featuring Shortie aka Littlelox & Master Rakesh)
- 2008: "Sat Sri Akaal" (featuring G. Sharmilla)
- 2008: "Mitran Di Jaan" (featuring Shortie aka Littlelox & LHP)
- 2008: "Aag Ka Dariya" (featuring Shortie aka Littlelox, Yana Gupta & Ravindra)
- 2008: "Assi Haan Punjabi" (featuring G. Sharmilla)
Albums Produced
- 1999: Pure Garage - SUE MY ASS by Balwinder Safri
- 2000: Death Jamm 4.5 by Various Artists
- 2005: Folk Attack by Lehmber Hussainpuri
- 2011: The Spirit by Manpreet Sandhu
- 2011: Zindabaad by G.Sharmilla
- TBD: Kanika Kapoor's Debut by Kanika Kapoor
References
- ^ Back Unda Da Influence Review by Jaspreet Pandohar. BBC Music, 17 January 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
External links
Categories:- Living people
- English record producers
- People from Birmingham, West Midlands
- 1979 births
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