Daler Singh (born 18 August 1967), better known as Daler Mehndi, is an Indian singer, songwriter, author, and record producer.
He has helped to make Bhangra popular worldwide, as well as Indian pop music independent of Bollywood music.
He is known for his dance songs, turban, and long flowing robes.
1991
In 1991, he formed his group, composed of his brothers, cousins, and friends.
1994
In 1994, he was awarded the Voice of Asia International Ethnic and Pop Music Contest in 1994 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Magnasound signed Mehndi for a three-album contract for three years.
Bolo Ta Ra Ra, Mehndi's debut album, sold over 20 million copies.
The album established Daler as a pop star, which also won him the Channel V's Best Indian Male Pop Artist Award.
A year later, his second album under Magnasound, Dardi Rab Rab, was launched.
This album surpassed the sales of Bolo Ta Ra Ra.
He was nominated in three categories at the Channel V Music Awards and won the Channel V Best Indian Male Artist Award.
1997
In 1997, he released his third album, Balle Balle.
This got him Channel V Awards in six categories.
Like his previous albums, Balle Balle went multi-platinum.
The same year, Mehndi composed and performed the popular track "Na Na Na Re" for the Bollywood film Mrityudata, where he featured on the big screen with Amitabh Bachchan.
The film's Bollywood soundtrack album sold 1.5million units in India.
1998
In 1998, he released "Tunak Tunak Tun", which had a music video produced on a then unprecedented budget of ₹25 million (US$), equivalent to ₹million (US$million) adjusted for inflation.
The song and video was a success in India, cementing Mehndi's status as India's biggest popstar at the time, later becoming an international success.
The album won the award for Best Indian Pop Album at the 1998 Screen Awards.
In 1998, Mehndi was signed by Coca-Cola for product endorsement and was featured in 30 concerts across India.
He has performed worldwide including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, East Africa, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore, West Indies, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
2000
In 2000, Mehndi released his album Ek Dana with the music label TIPS Music.
The album had a mix of genres ranging from folk, rock, and pop.
One of the more popular songs of the album Sajan Mere Satrangiya featured Indian actress Priyanka Chopra in the video.
This video was released in the year that Chopra won the Miss World title.
2001
Subsequently, Mehndi signed up with Universal Music in 2001 and released a new track "Kala Kauwa Kaat Khayega".
2003
In 2003, Mehndi forayed into playback singing for films.
He started with the song "Ru-Ba-Ru" for the film Maqbool.
The same year Daler and A.R Rahman came together to give another track "Nach Le" for Lakeer – Forbidden Lines which the song reused "Thaniye" from the Tamil-Telugu film Rhythm.
2004
He fused Rock with Bhangra with his next album titled Mojaan Laen Do and in 2004 he self-produced Shaa Ra Ra.
2013
On 29 September 2013, Daler performed at the YouFest festival in Spain.
He has had an advent with Canadian electronic dance music artist Deadmau5 in a Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce, Daler featured on his tour in India and together they produced an EDM remixed version of "Tunak Tunak Tun".
2014
In March 2014, Deadmau5 and Mehndi made a remix of Mehndi's 1998 hit "Tunak Tunak Tun" performed by the duo.
On Navratri 2014, Mehndi composed and recorded his rendition of the 'Hanuman Chalisa' overnight while working at his studio in Delhi.
Daler Mehndi, feeling inspired during the festival of Navratri, composed and record his rendition of the 'Hanuman Chalisa' in the DM Folk Studio.
In September 2014, Mehndi released his song 'Aaja Mere Twitter Te' to encourage users to visit his Twitter account and Facebook page.
On 6 November 2014, Mehndi released his album 'Best of Gurbani' on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti.
2018
In 2018, Mehndi was convicted of human trafficking and was sentenced to two years in prison.
After serving around two months, his sentence was suspended and he was released.
Daler Mehndi was born in Patna, Bihar, India in a Sikh family.
