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Manmohan Waris is one
of the top Punjabi singers in the world.
He has been around for almost 12 years
now. Since he released his first album
"Gairan Naal Peenghan Jhootdeye'
in 1993, he has never looked back. Punjabis
around the world love him and he feels
the pressure of not letting them down.
His humbleness and sincerity has won
many hearts. His voice is considered
one of the sweetest around and his songs
attest to his passion for clean and
literary lyrics. So far Waris has released
17 albums which are:
1. Gairan Naal Peenghan Jhootdeye
2. Sohnian De Laaray
3. Hasdi De Ful Kirde
4. Sajjre Challe Muklavay
5. Gali Gali Vich Hokay
6. Chardi Kala Ch Panth Khalsa
7. Mitran Da Sah Rukda
8. Husn Da Jadu
9. Gajray Gori De
10. Dil Vatte Dil
11. Ghar Hun Kitni ku Doore
12. Nachiye Majajne
13. Punjabi Virsa 2004 (along with Kamal
Heer)
14. Punjabi Virsa 2005 (along with Kamal
Heer)
15. Tasveer Live
16. Punjabi Virsa 2006 (along with Kamal
Heer)
17. Dil Nachda
He was born into a farming family
in the Village of Halluwal, Punjab.
He had a great interest in music since
an early age. He started his formal
music training at the age of 11. Everything
he learned from his Guru, he taught
his younger brothers. So all three brothers
got seriously involved in music at a
very early age.
He got his music degree from Punjab
University. But the most influential
music Guru he had was Shree Jaswant
Singh Bhanwra. Unlike many other Punjabi
singers who also learned music from
Shree Jaswant Singh Bhnawra, the Guru
did not teach him so called "Lok-Gaayiki",
he insisted on teaching him the real
music he knew himself. He saw a great
singer in Manmohan and he wanted him
to shine.
In 1990, Manmohan Waris's family moved
to Canada. Here he made his first album
'Gairan Naal Peenghan Jhootdeye.' The
album was a great success and when Waris
returned to Punjab, Punjabi's everywhere
just couldn't get enough of him. So
he decided to move back to India.
His career has never seen a foggy day
since that time. Waris' philosophy about
his name and fame may have something
to do with that. In his opinion "keeping
your name on the top is not an easy
thing, you have to work hard to get
here, and you have to work harder to
stay here".
Manmohan got married in 1996 and in
1997 he and his wife Pritpal had their
first baby. It was a boy and they named
him 'Amar' after the great Punjabi Dhadi
singer 'Amar Singh Shaunki. Manmohan's
in-laws are also from the same village
as the late Dhadi. Waris has recorded
a few of Dhadi Amar Singh Shaunki's
songs as a tribute to him. These songs
are:
1. Do Tara Vajda Ve (1993)
2. Aja Bhabi Jhoot Le (2000)
3. Ghar Hun Kitni Ku Doore (2003)
Manmohan's latest religious release,
named “Tasveer” contains 9
very touching and thoughtful songs.
In 2001 Manmohan and his wife had their
second child, a girl named 'Saiya'.
Manmohan spends most of the year in
Punjab and he tours the west in the
summer.
Manmohan's songs are evergreen songs.
People remember his earliest work same
way as they do his latest. Manmohan's
latest Punjabi Album is titled "Nachiye
Majajne". The album is on Plasma
Records/Kiss records and got a great
response from Punjabis everywhere. The
title song "Aja Appan Nachiye Majajne"
with its Desi music and Dhole rhythms
is a milestone on the future path of
Punjabi music. Also the success of 'Punjabi
Virsa.' another song from this album
proves that there is still room for
literary and meaningful poetry in the
fast paced, single based commercial
Punjabi music world.
Waris has always worked hard to put
his efforts where his heart is. He is
always eager to point out anything that
gets his attention. He has never sung
a song to gain mere a commercial success.
But this is not his greatness, his greatness
is that he doesn't do it to serve his
language or his native land, he just
does it because he is that kind of person
and it is his nature.
We hope that Waris will continue to
give us thoughtful and yet entertaining
music for many years to come and may
God help him to live his dreams.
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