Ginni Mahi
{{Short description|Indian singer (born 1998)}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{infobox person
| name = Ginni Mahi
| alias = Gurkanwal Bharti
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| nationality = Indian
| education =
| occupation = Singer, Composer, Lyricist
| website = [http://www.facebook.com/GinniMahi.Singer Facebook Profile]
| image = Ginni Mahi (Photo by Atul Anand).jpg
| alt = Ginni Mahi with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's photograph in the background
}}
Ginni Mahi is an Indian Punjabi folk, rap and hip-hop{{Cite news|url=https://video.scroll.in/812422/watch-at-17-ginni-mahi-has-brought-dalit-politics-to-music-and-become-a-punjabi-pop-sensation|title=At 17, Ginni Mahi has brought Dalit politics to music and become a Punjabi pop sensation|date=25 July 2016|work=Scroll.in}} singer hailing from Jalandhar, Punjab, India. She became famous with her songs Fan Baba Sahib Di and Danger Chamar that went viral on social media.
She attended the Global Media Forum (GMF 2018) in Germany, where she was dubbed as a Young Voice in Equality and Freedom, for speaking up against flogging.https://www.m.dw.com/en/global-media-forum-2018-global-inequalities-and-the-digital-future/a-44122976?xtref=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.co.in%252F{{Dead link|date=December 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Ginni idolizes Lata Mangeshkar and Shreya Ghoshal in her singing while trying to convey the messages of B. R. Ambedkar in her lyrics. Mahi has performed outside of India, in Canada, Greece, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. She held her first Interview in 2016 on NDTV with Barkha Dutt in Delhi. Subsequently, in 2018 she attended 'Sahitya' Live conversation show organized by AajTak TV channel at New Delhi. She took the stage to speak up for equality of women in the Indian society.{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/ok5MXktGGAk| archive-date = 2021-12-09| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok5MXktGGAk| title = साहित्य आजतक के मंच पर लोक गायिका गिन्नी माही LIVE #PunjabTak | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
Early life
Ginni Mahi was born to Rakesh Chander Mahi{{cite news|last=Kuruvilla|first=Elizabeth|title=Ginni Mahi: The rise of a brave singer|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/vInFgOP6POSxxOOznQ7qzO/The-rise-of-a-brave-singer.html|work=Live Mint|accessdate=2019-04-27}} and Parmjit Kaur Mahi in Abadpura, in Jalandhar, Punjab.{{cite news|last=Bhasin|first=Shivani|title=Meet Ginni Mahi, the Young Punjabi Dalit Singer Spreading Ambedkar's Message|url=http://theladiesfinger.com/ginni-mahi-dalit-singer/|work=Ladies Finger|accessdate=2019-04-27}} Her original name is Gurkanwal Bharti.{{Cite web|date=2016-08-30|title=How 18-Year-Old Ginni Mahi of Punjab Is Singing to End Social Inequality|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/66560/ginni-mahi-b-r-ambedkar-dalit-assertion/|access-date=2020-06-30|website=The Better India|language=en-US}} She began singing songs to her father at the tender age of seven. While her stage name is Ginni Mahi, her original name is Gurkanwal Bharti. Her parents changed the last name of all their children to Bharti to remind them that they are Indian, above all. Her father also quit his job in an air-ticketing office to manage Mahi's career.{{Cite web|last=Kuruvilla|first=Elizabeth|date=2016-12-30|title=Ginni Mahi: The rise of a brave singer|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/vInFgOP6POSxxOOznQ7qzO/The-rise-of-a-brave-singer.html|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Livemint|language=en}} She is studying a degree in music at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya College.{{cite news|last=Manu|first=Gayatri|title=How 18-Year-Old Ginni Mahi of Punjab Is Singing to End Social Inequality|url=http://www.thebetterindia.com/66560/ginni-mahi-b-r-ambedkar-dalit-assertion/|work=The Better India|accessdate=2017-06-11}}
Mahi was just eight when the family took note of her musical talent and enrolled her to Kala Jagat Narayan School in Jalandhar. She subsequently began singing religious songs with a backing of Amarjeet Singh of Amar Audio, who produced both her devotional albums.{{Cite web|date=2016-10-10|title=Ginni Mahi, the 17-year-old Dalit voice from Punjab, is making waves|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/a-17-year-old-dalit-voice-from-punjab-is-making-waves-an-artist-has-no-caste-3003291/|access-date=2020-06-30|website=The Indian Express|language=en}} She did her first live show when she was just 12 years old.{{Cite web|date=2017-12-10|title=Punjabi Dalit rapper's offbeat style has made her a youth sensation|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/punjabi-dalit-rappers-offbeat-style-has-made-her-a-youth-sensation/18810186|access-date=2020-06-30|website=mid-day|language=en}} She wishes to pursue a PhD in music to attach the "Doctor" title to her name. She eventually wants to become a Bollywood playback singer in Mumbai.{{Cite news|last=Sahai|first=Shrinkhla|date=2020-01-30|title=Ginni Mahi's fresh take on Punjabi music|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/ginni-mahis-fresh-take-on-punjabi-music/article30692064.ece|access-date=2020-06-29|issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite web|last=Kuruvilla|first=Elizabeth|date=2016-12-30|title=Ginni Mahi: The rise of a brave singer|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/vInFgOP6POSxxOOznQ7qzO/The-rise-of-a-brave-singer.html|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Livemint|language=en}}
Career
= Social justice and her music =
Her first two albums, Guraan di Diwani and Gurupurab hai Kanshi Wale Da were devotional hymns. However, it was an ode to Babasaheb Ambedkar that got her fame. One of her first songs was
When she was in school, she was asked of her caste. When she replied that she belongs to the SC category (Scheduled Castes), her classmate persisted on the details. Mahi finally relented and said that she belongs to a community that is formerly known as Chamar but not before insisting that she doesn't believe in caste. In response, her classmate said, "Arre Chamar bade danger hote hain, panga nahin lena chahiye (Chamars are supposed to be dangerous, You should be careful)." Upon coming home, Mahi shared this incident with her family members and this story spread among their friends. One day her father got a call from a lyricist who had written an empowering song around 'Danger Chamar'. That's how the song was born. The song looked at eradicating the unpleasantness associated with her caste name, Chamar and turn it into something more empowering and a matter of pride.{{Cite web|title=Dalit and proud: singers rise above caste|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/dalit-and-proud-singers-rise-above-caste-1.2003771|access-date=2020-06-29|website=gulfnews.com|date=April 2017 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Kuruvilla|first=Elizabeth|date=2016-12-30|title=Ginni Mahi: The rise of a brave singer|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/vInFgOP6POSxxOOznQ7qzO/The-rise-of-a-brave-singer.html|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Livemint|language=en}}
She has sung songs on female foeticide and the problem of drugs in Punjab.{{Cite web|date=2016-10-10|title=Ginni Mahi, the 17-year-old Dalit voice from Punjab, is making waves|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/a-17-year-old-dalit-voice-from-punjab-is-making-waves-an-artist-has-no-caste-3003291/|access-date=2020-06-30|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}
= Performances =
In a short span of time, Mahi has performed in many concerts. In India, she has performed for popular events including Udaipur World Music Festival,{{Cite web|date=2020-02-16|title=Udaipur World Music Festival: In tune with the times|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/udaipur-world-music-festival-in-tune-with-the-times/1869157/|access-date=2020-06-29|website=The Financial Express|language=en-US}} 'We the Women' a congregation of women speakers in Mumbai{{Cite web|date=2017-12-10|title=Punjabi Dalit rapper's offbeat style has made her a youth sensation|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/punjabi-dalit-rappers-offbeat-style-has-made-her-a-youth-sensation/18810186|access-date=2020-06-30|website=mid-day|language=en}} and also globally including Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum among others.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-12|title=Orange Magazine – Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum 2018 – Young Indian artist tackles inequality and women's issues through music|url=http://www.orangemagazine.eu/young-indian-artist-tackles-inequality-womens-issues-music/|access-date=2020-06-29|website=Orange Magazine|archive-date=30 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630231641/http://www.orangemagazine.eu/young-indian-artist-tackles-inequality-womens-issues-music/|url-status=dead}} In 2020, post her Europe music tour, she was stuck in Italy owing to the lockdown imposed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Stuck in Italy, Ginni connected with fans through social media|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/stuck-in-italy-ginni-connected-with-fans-through-social-media-70883|access-date=2020-06-29|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}} She returned back to India by boarding the first of Vande Bharat, India's repatriation flights.{{Cite web|title=First Vande Bharat Mission flight from Rome takes off with 239 passengers|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/europe/first-vande-bharat-mission-flight-from-rome-takes-off-with-239-passengers20200522043717/|access-date=2020-06-29|website=ANI News|language=en}}
Discography
She chose to sing devotional songs first to gain some recognition among the Punjabi population, before shifting to the political and anti-casteism theme that sings in now.
=Albums=
- Guraan di Diwani (2015)
- Gurupurab hai Kanshi Wale Da (2016)
- Dhol Wajde Sangtan De Vehre (2017)
- Folk Fusion (2019)
=Singles=
- Danger Chamar (2016)
- Haq (2016)
- Fan Baba Sahib Di (2016)
- 1932 (Haq 2) (2017)
- Suit Patiala (2017)
- Salaaman (2018)
- Raaj Baba Sahib Da (2018)
- Mard Daler (2019)
=Commercial Songs=
- Dhee Haan (Ki Hoya J IK Dhee Haan)
- Suit Patiala
- Holidays (Cover Song)
- Down to Earth
- Tere Piche (ft. Har Saab, 2022)
- Bolo Jai Bhim (2020)
References
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Category:Singers from Punjab, India
Category:People from Jalandhar
Category:Women musicians from Punjab, India
Category:Indian women folk singers
Category:21st-century Indian women singers