Contents
Mame Khan is a Rajasthani Folk Singer, who is famous for singing Rajasthani folk and Sufi Music.
Wiki/Biography
Mame Khan was born and raised in a small town named Satto near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. He belongs to the Manganiyar Community, who have been carrying the singing tradition since 15 generations. He learned to sing through listening to his father and family members.
Physical Appearance
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Family, Caste & Wife
Mame Khan is a Muslim, belonging to the 15th generation of the Manganiyar Community. His father was Late Ustad Rana Khan, who is also known for his voice worldwide.
Ustad Rana Khan
His uncle, Ustad Maule Khan, also taught him music along with his father.
Career
He began singing at a very young age, with his tribe giving performances in wedding, childbirth or various ceremonies. He has sung with his tribe members in more than 60 countries. Mame Khan first performance outside the country was in Central Park, New York. He got his first break with the song “Bawre” in the film “Luck By Chance (2009).”
He has also given his voice in “Aitbaar” from Nobody Killed Jessica (2011), “Chakora” from Mirzya (2016) and many more.
Awards
- GIMA Award for the Best Traditional Folk Singer
- Music Diamond Of Rajasthan
Favourite Things
- Singers: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Facts
- He was invited to sing at Ila Arun’s wedding. It was there when he got spotted by Shankar Mahadevan (Music Composer), who gave him his first break “Bawre” in the film Luck By Chance (2009).
- He was originally a Dholak Player.
- It was during his world tour in the year 1999 in Belgium when he left his Dholak in Belgium. When they returned to India, he could not perform for the whole week. It was then that his father suggested him to take singing.
- They follow the style called Jhagra, which features unique instruments such as ‘Kamaicha’ and ‘Khartal.’
- During his childhood days, he received many prizes in school for singing in National Festivals.
- He gained recognition through his appearance in Coke Studio alongside Amit Trivedi. He sang “Chaudhary.” The song is also featured in the Indian TV serial “Balika Vadhu.”
- He says “For us, music is like mathematics. It’s the calculations we keep in our mind when performing.”
- Although Manganiyar tradition forbids them to sing alone, Mame has earned his name as the Solo Voice in the Industry.
- He says that they as Manganiyar singers have a hard time earning fame in India than other parts of the world. Mame says that his forerunners already made their mark in the International scenario, while folk singers still not get their due credits in Film Industry.
- Mame loves to cook. His father taught him to sing and cook.
- He has once performed for former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi when he was 10 or 11, on the occasion of Independence Day.
- He often says that everything in his community is verbal. It is also the reason being some of their traditional melodies being lost with the passage of time. He wishes to keep a record of everything that they make so that the upcoming generation can learn and archive it in their music forever.
- His music embraces various Sufi poets including Mira Bai, Kabir, Lal Shahbâz Qalandar, Bulleh Shah and Baba Ghulam Farid and famous Bollywood songs in his own touch.
- One of Mame Khan’s famous song is “Kesariya Balam.”
- Roysten Abel produced a band called “Manganiyar Seduction” in 2006 with Mame being one of the singers. They have performed more than a hundred shows across the globe.
Manganiyar Seduction