Dr Maan at Albert Hall

Honoured with a doctorate in World Music, renowned Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan will fill London’s historic hall with Bhangra beats. Read on.

Punjab’s singer-actor-producer Gurdas Maan will be honoured with a doctorate in World Music by UK’s University of Wolverhampton on September 7, adding another feather to his 25-year career. “I’m elated, it’s not only an honour for me, but for the Punjabi community across the globe. Music has no boundaries and my music has a huge following abroad. I have been offered honorary citizenship by many state governors in the United States,” says Maan who is currently in the US on a 12-show concert tour.

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Next April, he will perform at The Royal Albert Hall in London that has staged leading artistes like Sir Cliff Richard, Pavarotti, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra. Maan who has performed at the city’s Wembley Arena and Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre in the past, is excited about taking center stage at this historic venue.

Ask him if he’ll be accompanied by a Bollywood entourage and he says, “I have always performed solo, I believe that’s what my fans enjoy. Besides UK, I will also be touring Canada in August 2011 and Australia later in the year.”

Why isn’t he singing for big ticket Bollywood movies that invariably have a Punjabi chartbuster? “The focus has always been the growth and promotion of Punjabi music,” he asserts. “But having said that, if something interesting comes my way, I will definitely look at it.” Though he does admit that there are many projects in the pipeline. “But due to my stage shows, albums and other commitments I’m unable to allocate time for them,” he sighs. “My new album,

Jogiya

, will be releasing by the end of the year.”