ABSTRACT
Bhangra, as it is known today, is not the ‘traditional’ Punjabi folk music it has its roots in. Rather, it is something which came out of the Punjabi Diaspora in the West, primarily the United Kingdom and North America, from the early and mid-twentieth century. During the mid-1970s, young Punjabis living in these places started experimenting with Punjabi folk music, retaining instruments such as the dhol, the tumbi and the dholak, while adding modern Western instruments such as electric guitars, keyboard synthesizers and drum kits. The end product was Bhangra as it is known today – often considered to be as ‘genuinely’ Punjabi as it is recognizably Western. Initially, Bhangra was only performed at Punjabi weddings and social functions but soon moved on to the club scene from the 1980s as Bhangra started incorporating other contemporary forms of music like Rhythm and Blues (R&B), Reggae, Drum ‘n’ Bass and Garage into its own styles.
