Bhai Anantvir Singh

Bhai Anantvir Singh is a renowned kirtan exponent, who has spent a lifetime taking the devotional music of his Punjabi heritage around the world. His powerful, passionate vocal style is founded on the musical practices of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (AKJ) - a Sikh tradition that emphasises the original words of the Guru Granth, sometimes using them as the basis for marathon all-night singing programmes.

Anantvir, who has now lived in Los Angeles as well as Amritsar, regularly tours India, Europe, North America, and beyond, performing in Gurdwaras and delivering free kirtan workshops throughout the global Sikh community. He soon plans to upload a free ‘Learn Kirtan’ series to YouTube - a platform where he has already achieved some stardom, with over 3 million hits on his live recording of Madhoo and many more via an appearance on Kirtan Studio.

Recently he has highlighted the exclusion of female performers in some corners of Kirtan on social media, and courted controversy from traditional elements of the AKJ. But he is undeterred, continuing to devote himself full-time to the music - in November 2019 alone his schedule spanned California, New Jersey, Mexico, and Malaysia, and more.

"Sikh men cannot be silent...our daughters are depending on us to speak up” (on gender injustice in music)"

Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical music to stir, thrill, and inspire. Explore our YouTube channel, or subscribe to the Darbar Concert Hall to watch extended festival performances, talk and documentaries in pristine HD and UHD quality.