Prita Chhabra

"She’s a Gemini, in case you didn’t already gather from the cover art. As Prita Chhabra‘s new single ‘Roots’ drops this month in tandem with South Asian Heritage Month in Canada, the recording artist - whose two-faced look was inspired by the late Kevin Aucoin – was inspired to take our Questionnaire and become Gay Guide Toronto's Woman of the Hour." - Shaun Proulx Media

"She’s a Gemini, in case you didn’t already gather from the cover art. As Prita Chhabra‘s new single ‘Roots’ drops this month in tandem with South Asian Heritage Month in Canada, the recording artist - whose two-faced look was inspired by the late Kevin Aucoin – was inspired to take our Questionnaire and become Gay Guide Toronto's Woman of the Hour." - Shaun Proulx Media

If you attended this spring's India International Film Festival in Tampa, you may have caught the premiere for Prita Chhabra's video for Roots, a rhythmic stew of hip hop and eastern pop.

Chhabra's Indian roots come through strong in her music. Comparisons to Nelly Furtado are inevitable, thanks to an array sexy, catchy, well-produced pop songs with a distinct eastern flavor. Like Furtado, Chhabra grew up in Canada, but moved to Florida at age 15 -- she even worked and sang at Disney World for a time -- and has split her time between Orlando and Montreal ever since.

She has opened for Jay Sean and performed with Canadian-Indian comic Russell Peters, and has performed the national anthem at Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors games.

Chhabra's debut album, Spread The Word, was released in 2010. And over the weekend, she debuted the video for Roots online, on her YouTube channel. - Soundcheck

If you attended this spring's India International Film Festival in Tampa, you may have caught the premiere for Prita Chhabra's video for Roots, a rhythmic stew of hip hop and eastern pop.

Chhabra's Indian roots come through strong in her music. Comparisons to Nelly Furtado are inevitable, thanks to an array sexy, catchy, well-produced pop songs with a distinct eastern flavor. Like Furtado, Chhabra grew up in Canada, but moved to Florida at age 15 -- she even worked and sang at Disney World for a time -- and has split her time between Orlando and Montreal ever since.

She has opened for Jay Sean and performed with Canadian-Indian comic Russell Peters, and has performed the national anthem at Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors games.

Chhabra's debut album, Spread The Word, was released in 2010. And over the weekend, she debuted the video for Roots online, on her YouTube channel. - Soundcheck

Prita Chhabra is one of the many Desis who is a far way from the motherland, but she is a proud Desi who is bringing the best of the East with what she's learned in the West in her single "Roots."

The video has a few versions. Prita is sharing a 3D edition of her music video making her the first solo Desi recording artist to release such a video. Prita also has an urban version which includes a cameo by Middle Eastern rapper Imaan Faith. The video in its original form is not short of exciting elements. The video features dholi Bunny Panesar, former WWE star Tiger Jeet Singh Jr., comedian Jus Reign, and Miss India Canada 2010 Anchal Sharma

With the single out, Prita keeps her project engaging with an interesting cover. Prita pays tribute to "Face Forward" which was done by late celebrity makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. The visual of traditional Desi hair and make-up matched with a modern and western look is an internal conflict we are sure many can relate to. - DesiHits.com

Prita Chhabra is one of the many Desis who is a far way from the motherland, but she is a proud Desi who is bringing the best of the East with what she's learned in the West in her single "Roots."

The video has a few versions. Prita is sharing a 3D edition of her music video making her the first solo Desi recording artist to release such a video. Prita also has an urban version which includes a cameo by Middle Eastern rapper Imaan Faith. The video in its original form is not short of exciting elements. The video features dholi Bunny Panesar, former WWE star Tiger Jeet Singh Jr., comedian Jus Reign, and Miss India Canada 2010 Anchal Sharma

With the single out, Prita keeps her project engaging with an interesting cover. Prita pays tribute to "Face Forward" which was done by late celebrity makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. The visual of traditional Desi hair and make-up matched with a modern and western look is an internal conflict we are sure many can relate to. - DesiHits.com

Singer Destined To Make It Big

Popular singer Prita Chhabra speaks to India Journal correspondent Jatin Naik in an exclusive interview.

(Full article PDF available on request) - Jatin Naik

Prita Chhabra sings herself into the history books

Singer Prita Chhabra was invited by the National Basketball Association to sing the Canadian and American national anthems at the Air Canada Center in Toronto April 4 before a crowd of 20,000 people.

For Chhabra, 27, singing is spirituality. "I feel god is by my side, helping me sing better each day, helping me write better songs," she said. "I sing to myself even while I do chores. When I sing something takes over. When I am on the stage, energy comes out of me and I believe I am connected to god. Time stops for me."

In the audience at the Toronto Raptors versus Golden State Warriors game were about 3,000 South Asians invited by businessman Nav Bhatia. He has been celebrating the Sikh festival Baisakhi for the last 11 years by buying tickets at the Air Canada Center and giving them away to young South Asians who may otherwise not be able to attend an NBA game. It costs him $60,000 a year. "I do it to celebrate Baisakhi and promote our culture on the national TV networks," he said.

Chhabra said, "South Asians at the game came up to me and said they were very proud."

She wore a salwar kameez. "I felt very proud to be wearing traditional clothes and bringing our culture to the mainstream audience. I always enjoy singing, but singing at the NBA game was special because it was to mark Baisakhi."

Chhabra always knew she wanted to sing. "I started singing before I started speaking," said the Montreal-born singer. "Other students were excited about getting their degrees, but it wasn't a big deal for me. I didn't want to be a professional, make lots of money. I wanted to sing and write music."

But her parents didn't think she had the talent. "They didn't understand that I loved music. I wanted to disprove that and the opportunity came when they invited guests home for a party. They were mostly South Asians, all bigwigs -- lawyers and doctors. I was really angry at them (parents). So, I said to our guests, 'May I have your attention please?' and sang one of my favourite songs. Everyone was astonished and my parents started crying. They felt embarrassed that I had turned the tables," she said. "Now, they are very proud of me, as they see me on TV and read newspaper articles about me. They also saw me in Orlando with (standup comedian) Russell Peters."

Chhabra writes her own songs. "I started writing when I was in the second grade," she said. Her first album 'Spread the Word' released last year. She is working on her second, which will have mostly Indian-themed songs.

She also made history in December last year as the first South Asian Canadian musician to open for a Billboard charts topper, when she opened for British R&B superstar Jay Sean at the Hershey Center (Ontario, Canada).

After the NBA game, she is all set to sing the national anthem before federal lawmakers at the House of Commons in Ottawa as part of Baisakhi celebrations, April 15. "I am also doing Desi Fest on May 29," Chhabra said.

The next stop on her list, she says, is "two Grammys under my belt".

(Article PDF available on request) - Ajit Jain

Driving Mass Desis

Squeezed between Vancouver's recent edition and the upcoming Toronto finale, the Montreal stop of the DesiFest events, celebrating the creative efforts of South Asian youth in Canada, boasts sets from singer Prita Chhabra (pictured above).

(Article PDF available on request) - Rupert Bottenberg

The third annual RBC Desifest brought together the best in local musicians from the South Asian community yesterday. At left, Caitlyn D'sa, 5, and her cousin Siann Rego, 7, dance to singer Prita Chhabra, at right. About 20 acts performed during the 12-hour free concert in Yonge-Dundas Square to mark South Asian Heritage Month.

(Article PDF available on request) - Veronica Henri

Prita Chhabra has been singing and writing music since childhood, including the orchestra score for her high school graduation.

Born in Montreal, Prita moved to Orlando, Florida at the age of 15 where she lived for seven years, before returning. With a degree in psychology from Concordia University, she decided to pursue her singing career, and is currently studying music at Vanier College.

"In the spring of 2007 I earned my BA in psychology and on the day of my graduation I realized that I wasn't doing the right thing with my life. Although I graduated with distinction, it just felt wrong. That's when I realized that I had to seriously pursue a singing career," says the aspiring singer.

While living in Florida, she often performed at Disney World, in addition to concerts put on with the Valencia Community College and In-Tone. More recently, she attended the Berklee School of Music Song Writing Workshop and Canadian Music Week in March 2007. The singer also headlined the desiFEST Montreal concert earlier this year.

(Full article PDF available on request) - Renu Mehta

DYM chats up with Prita about her journey through her discovery for the love of music, her trip to Africa, her new album and her songs with which she is now "spreading the word"!

(Full article PDF available on request) - Gita Tariq

There are some who pursue what others want them to. Then there are others who follow their heart...Prita decided to challenge herself and others who told her that the music scene was too difficult. An inspiration to the youth of today, here's Prita.

(Full article PDF available on request) - Armin Sethi

Prita on the parquet

For years the National Basketball Association has tried to generate interest for the NBA in India. This year, these efforts have been ratcheted up another level. Earlier this year, Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor made a very well-publicized appearance at a New York Knicks game. Now, Indian artist Prita Chhabra is set to sing both the American and Canadian national anthems at the April 4 game between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors in Toronto.

(Article PDF available on request) - Ajit Jain

Chhabra: A Monster Hit

There was a time when Canada was only famous for maple syrup,
terrible weather, ice hockey and a giant waterfall.

Then something happened and the country started to give the world
really great artists at regular intervals, ranging from bhangra prince
Jazzy B to pop goddess Celine Dion.

Another singer who is slowly making a name for herself is Canadian
diva Prita Chhabra. The singer has got herself noticed with perfectly
pitched pop tunes and now plans to take her music around the world.

That is why Eastern Eye decided to look across the Atlantic Ocean and
speak to a singer who seems destined for international stardom.

(Full article PDF available on request) - Asjad Nazir

Chhabra: A Monster Hit

There was a time when Canada was only famous for maple syrup,
terrible weather, ice hockey and a giant waterfall.

Then something happened and the country started to give the world
really great artists at regular intervals, ranging from bhangra prince
Jazzy B to pop goddess Celine Dion.

Another singer who is slowly making a name for herself is Canadian
diva Prita Chhabra. The singer has got herself noticed with perfectly
pitched pop tunes and now plans to take her music around the world.

That is why Eastern Eye decided to look across the Atlantic Ocean and
speak to a singer who seems destined for international stardom.

(Full article PDF available on request) - Asjad Nazir