Press
“On Chardi Kala, Singh has done that rarest of rare things as a musician—he has actually charted new ground, pushing the idea of South Asian fusion music down a new, previously unexplored side path.”
“The title refers to the Sikh principle of eternal optimism and that’s definitely what comes through across the span of his album. He taps into his formative years performing kirtan, but true to his all-embracing mindset, he packs a lot of other musical influences into his sound. The results are utterly irresistible.”
“This is Indian devotional music as Western pop with a trumpet as a driving force. To hear it is to realize there’s not much else like it anywhere. ”
“...steeped in Sikh devotional themes with an anthemic Punjabi sound.”
“Singh’s voice arrives, like the breaking of morning sunlight, a bursting open of joy. ”
“Sonny Singh delivers borderless Punjabi anthems of hope and love as he takes center stage on the debut solo album “Chardi Kala””
“Chardi Kala is vibrant, ebullient, and energized... Singh, punctuated poignantly by echoing guitar, humming bass and sighing harmonium, cries out a prayer for our ailing world.”
“Suffused with a melodic lyricism that makes you smile.”
WNYC, New Sounds Weekly Music Roundup - April 4, 2025
Khabar, Classical to Contemporary (cover story) - April 2025
Songlines, Album Review (4/5 stars) - November 1, 2024
JoySauce, Songs to End Summer with a Bang - August 29, 2024
WNYC, New Sounds Weekly Music Roundup - August 9, 2024
The Wild City, Sonny Singh Homages Sikh Langars With Cumbia-tinged Single 'Jaano Jot' - August 9, 2024
Rolling Stone India, Sonny Singh’s ‘Jaano Jot’ Video Shows the Radical Power of Langar - August 8, 2024
Brooklyn Star News, Sonny Singh: Sikh Sage Warrior - July 15, 2024
WNYC, New Sounds Gig Alert - May 8, 2024
KEXP Sound & Vision Podcast, “Palestine Amplified” - January 18, 2024
Golden Hour with Charlene Kaye, “Sonny Singh’s Infinite Optimism through Spirituality & Music” - December 2023
The Border Chronicle, “Redefining Belonging: Q&A with Sonny Singh” - April 6, 2023
The Rhythm of Rebellion, Podcast interview - March 30, 2023
Roots Music Report, Album Review (5/5 stars) - March 12, 2023
Recording Academy/GRAMMYs, Positive Vibes Only series performance - January 15, 2023
New York City Jazz Record, Festival of New Trumpet Music show review - October 2022
Hindustan Times, “Bonus tracks: Check out the voices of change in indie Punjabi music” - October 1, 2022
Higher Plain Music, Album Review - September 17, 2022
WNYC, New Sounds Gig Alert - September 8, 2022
Songlines, Album Review (5/5 stars) - June 17, 2022
JazzTimes, Album Review - June 15, 2022
Rolling Stone India, Album Review (3.5/4 stars) - June 2, 2022
PopMatters, “Sonny Singh Celebrates Sikh Spiritualism with Pop on ‘Chardi Kala’” - May 31, 2022
The Wild City, “Sonny Singh's 'Chardi Kala' Mixes Punjabi Folk, Jazz and Anthemic Rock” - May 30, 2022
KCRW, Today’s Top Tune - May 26, 2022
Jazziz, Travel Podcast with Sonny Singh - May 25, 2022
Bandcamp Daily, “Sonny Singh’s Solo Debut is Both Political and Personal” - May 23, 2022
KEXP, New Music Reviews + Top 10 on KEXP Charts - May 16, 2022
Mint Lounge, “Sonny Singh and the dissident diaspora” - May 15, 2022
Gothamist/WNYC, Weekend Arts Planner - May 14, 2022
15 Questions, “Interview with Sonny Singh: Spiritual Rebellion” - May 14, 2022
Religion News Service, “With new solo album, Sonny Singh comes full circle” - May 13, 2022
WNYC, New Sounds “Cross-Cultural Music” - May 11, 2022
Cast the Dice, “Sonny Singh announces debut solo album, Chardi Kala” - April 21, 2022
NPR Music, All Songs Considered New Mix - April 19, 2022
WNYC, Soundcheck Weekly Music Roundup - April 18, 2022
Rolling Stone India, “Sonny Singh Celebrates Vaisakhi and the Spirit of Community” - April 14, 2022
Brooklyn Vegan, Favorite Songs of the Week - April 14, 2022
Songlines, “Sonny Singh’s ‘Aisee Preer’” - April 14, 2022
Something Else, Album Review - March 24, 2022
WFYI Indianapolis, Cultural Manifesto - August 6, 2021
Collider Radio, Interview with Sonny Singh - August 4, 2021
WNYC, New Sounds Gig Alert - June 23, 2021
Firstpost, “In Sonny Singh's solo album, a juxtaposition of eternal optimism and speaking truth to power” - March 6, 2021
Rolling Stone India, “Sonny Singh’s Spirited New Video ‘Chardi Kala’ Connects Brooklyn and Patiala” - February 26, 2021
HuffPost, “Why This Sikh Musician Is Highlighting The Anti-CAA Protests In His Latest Music Video” - November 14, 2020
The Wild City, Releases of the Week - November 2, 2020
Rolling Stone India, “New York Trumpeter Sonny Singh’s Symbolic Video for ‘Mitar Pyare Nu’” - August 25, 2020
NPR Music, All Songs Considered New Mix - August 18, 2020