Bally Sagoo facts for kids

Baljit Singh "Bally" Sagoo is a well-known British-Indian music producer and DJ. He was born in Delhi, India, but grew up in Birmingham, England. Bally Sagoo started his exciting career in music and entertainment in 1989. He is famous for mixing different styles of music, especially Western dance and hip hop with traditional Indian sounds.

Early Life

Bally Sagoo spent his childhood in the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham. His father, Saminder Sagoo, was also involved in music. He even ran his own music shop in the 1970s.

As a teenager, Bally Sagoo loved listening to reggae, soul, and disco music. While he was in college, he started making his own mix-tapes for friends. He also worked as a DJ at local parties and events. These early creations were special because they blended Western dance and hip hop beats with Indian music.

Music Career

Starting Out (1989-1993)

In 1989, a UK music company called Oriental Star Agencies asked Bally Sagoo to remix a Punjabi song. The song was called "Hey Jamalo." This remix became very popular! After that, Bally Sagoo joined Oriental Star Agencies as their main music producer.

Through this work, he released his first album, Wham Bam. It was so successful that he made a second one, Wham Bam 2. Other albums from this time include Star Crazy. In 1991, he worked with the famous singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on an album called Magic Touch. Over 50,000 copies of Star Crazy were sold in the UK and other countries.

Breaking Through (1990s)

In 1994, Bally Sagoo signed a big deal with Sony Records. He produced an album called Bollywood Flashback. He made history by becoming the first Indian artist to have his music played on national radio in the UK. His song "Chura Liya" was played on BBC Radio 1. This song was a new version of an old song by Asha Bhosle.

In 1996, he released his first album with all new songs, Rising from the East. This album included popular tracks like "Dil Cheez" and "Tum Bin Jiya." He also created a music video for his remix of "Mera Laung Gawacha." This video was a big hit in the UK. Bally Sagoo even appeared on the famous TV show Top of the Pops.

He toured India with the pop superstar Michael Jackson. He also produced an album called Aby Baby with the legendary Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan. He was even invited to meet the Indian President, Shankar Dayal Sharma, in New Delhi.

New Ventures (2000s)

In 1999, Bally Sagoo started his own music company in the UK, called Ishq Records. His first album released on this label was Dub of Asia. Ishq Records also released other albums by Bally Sagoo, like Anything But Silent and Hanji. The company also helped new music artists share their talent.

In 2003, Bally Sagoo received a special award at the UK Asian Awards. The famous pop group Spice Girls gave him the first-ever trophy for Outstanding Achievement.

During this time, Bally Sagoo's music was featured in several popular movies. These included Bend It Like Beckham, Monsoon Wedding (2001), The Mistress of Spices, and It's a Wonderful Afterlife. In 2006, he also acted in and composed music for the Punjabi film Sajna ve Sajna. He appeared on TV shows in the 2010s, like the UK Lottery show and the reality show Bollywood Star.

Global Presence (2010s)

In 2012, Bally Sagoo opened a music studio in Mumbai, India. Now, he spends his time working between the UK and India. His company has an office in Brussels and another in Mumbai. They work on making movies, TV shows, promoting artists, and even creating lifestyle products.

Music and Films

Films Bally Sagoo Worked On

Bally Sagoo has contributed music to many films:

Albums by Bally Sagoo

Here are some of the albums Bally Sagoo has released:

Singles by Bally Sagoo

Here are some of the single songs Bally Sagoo has released:

See also

• List of British Sikhs