History
Penn Masala, the world’s first and premier Hindi a cappella group, was formed in 1996 by a group of students at the University of Pennsylvania. After breakthrough performances at Bhangra Blowout in 1998 and SASA 1999, the group took the nation by storm and went on to perform for sold-out crowds in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Houston, and Philadelphia. Over the last decade, Penn Masala has spread the popularity of Hindi a cappella music abroad by performing in Toronto,London, and at the 2002 Star Screen Awards in Mumbai, where they had the honor of performing alongside the Indian sensation, Sunidhi Chauhan. In 2003, the group was invited to perform at the Zee Bollywood Awards in New York and was honored by receiving the Project IMPACT Award for Outstanding Contribution to the South Asian-American Community. Penn Masala completed its first tour of India in the January 2006 by performing for thousands in Mumbai and Kolkata. During this trip, the group was featured on the hit Zee TV Show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005 as well as on multiple TV and radio talk shows. In September 2007, the group had the opportunity to perform with legendary musician A.R. Rahman at The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. In 2009, the group performed at the White House for President Barack Obama’s Diwali celebration and signing of the AAPI Initiative. Attendees included President Obama, members of Congress, and distinguished community members.
Since 1996, Penn Masala has released seven albums, all of which have been well-received by fans of all ages. The group also released its first compilation CD, Out of Stock, of some of its most popular songs, two of which were featured on the soundtrack of the 2001 hit movie, American Desi. Currently, the group is promoting its seventh studio album, Panoramic, which was released in March 2011. The album features a mix of popular Hindi and English covers as well as two original tracks: Kaash and Is Pal Mein.
Timeline
1996
· Spring - Penn Masala (PM) is born. The starting five: Sumit, Kunal, Deep, Naveen and Himanshu.
· First performance – UPenn’s Diwali Show, fall 1996. The Song – “Gore Gore Mukhde Pe Kaala Kaala Chashma”
1997
· Spring – the repertoire triples with the addition of “Yeh Teri Aankhen Jhuki Jhuki” and “Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast”. The two songs were affectionately referred to as “Teriyaki and Cheese”
· Fall – PM added two songs that put us on the map: “ Chamak Challo” and “Bharat Humko Jaan Se Pyaara Hai,” a celebration of India’s 50th anniversary of independence
1998
· Spring – PM’s breakout performance at Bhangra Blowout. Word of a new sound spreads around the country…
· Fall – Two more pieces of what would become PM’s first album join the family – “Muqabla” and “Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen”
1999
· Spring - SASA 99, Chicago: PM, with our white shirts and khakis, takes off
· Heroes in Kurtas - PM’s first annual spring show at home at Penn
· Summer - Awaaz, the World’s first Hindi a cappella album, is released to rave reviews
· The England Tour - Masala hits the airwaves and performs across the UK
· PM’s video for Chamak Challo debuts in the Top 10 on Channel [V]
2000
· Spring – SASA 2000, Dallas, University of
· Curry and All that Jazz – the second spring show at Penn
· Masala flies to LA
· The Bollywood Music Awards, Nassau Coliseum, NYC – PM is seen on TV around the world
· Summer – PM goes back to the studio to start work on 11PM
· Fall - Boston, Virgina Tech, UNC
2001
· Spring - Toronto, Johns Hopkins
· The completion of 11PM. PM unveils a more mature sound
· Penn Masala is featured on the American Desi soundtrack.
· The home show at Penn sees Behind the Music, a parody of the VH1 series
· Fall – back to Boston, PM experiments with new sounds – the beginnings of Soundcheck
2002
· Spring – SASA 2002, Toronto
· Masala goes to India - 20 million viewers watch PM sing at the Star Screen awards, rubbing shoulders with Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Lata Mangeshkar
· Pittsburgh, UIUC, Georgetown, Northwestern
· PM’s home show at Penn - Once Upon a Time
· Fall - Houston, the return to UVA, Boston
· The Bollywood Music Awards, Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC
2003
· Spring – the release tour of Soundcheck, an album showcasing an innovative yet mature style
· Chicago, ATL, San Francisco, MIT
· The home show – Penn Masala spoofs the Twilight Zone
· Fall – PM sells out NYC, sings to 7000+ in Cary, North Carolina and returns to the San Fran Bay Area
· Penn Masala receives the 2003 Project IMPACT Award for Outstanding Contribution to the South Asian Community
2004
· Spring - Albany, Virginia, Chicago,
· Masala begins work on Album 4 and a compilation album, Out of Stock
· Back at Penn – Penn Masala produces Godbapu for the home show, Two Thums Up: A Night at the Movies
· Fall - Atlanta, Delaware, New York City, Los Angeles
2005
· Spring – Pittsburgh, Chicago,
· PM releases its fourth album, The Brown Album, featuring new musical genres and their hit original, “Aankhon Mein Tu Hai”
· The home show – Patel’s Show, a spoof of Dave Chappelle’s hit comedy show Chappelle’s Show
· Fall – Boston, North Carolina, Penn State, Virginia
2006
· January – Penn Masala completes its first tour of India by performing live for thousands in Mumbai and Kolkata, as well as making appearances on Zee TV’s hit show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and other hit TV and radio talk shows.
· Performances in Houston and Princeton
· The home show – PM celebrates its tenth anniversary in style with Origins of Masala
· Fall – PM releases the Aicha single and begins wrapping up its fifth album
· Performances in Detroit, Pace, a collaboration show at Penn with Sparks Dance Company, and a special performance for Dr. Henry Kissinger at the University of Pennsylvania
2007
· Spring performances in New York City, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, Jacksonville, and the University of Florida
· PM releases their fifth studio album, Pehchaan, featuring several classic covers as well as two new originals, “Pehchaan” and “Main Tanha”
· The home show – PM puts on Saturday Night Live: Hosted by Penn Masala
· Penn Masala performs with A.R. Rahman at the Indian & American Achiever Awards, held at The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts
· Pehchaan is selected for Best of Collegiate A Cappella (BOCA) 2008, a collection of the best a cappella tracks in the country
· Fall – PM performs in Cleveland, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, and Los Angeles
2008
· January – Penn Masala releases its fifth album, Pehchaan, on iTunes
· Spring – PM performs in Boston, Richmond, Austin, and in Atlanta
· The home show – Penn Masala puts its own twist on MTV with MTV: Masala Television
· Fall – performances at Cornell, Cary, and Dallas, and a special performance for Anderson Cooper at Penn
· PM wraps up production on Album 6
2009
· Spring performances in Pittsburgh, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Washington, D.C. and Chicago
· PM’s home show - YouTube: The Search for Penn Masala
· PM releases On Detours, the sixth studio album, featuring a mix of popular Hindi and English covers and three original tracks: “Detours”, “Kal Ka Sapna”, and “Distant Places”
· Fall – Penn State, UT Austin, University of Maryland
· PM performs for President Barack Obama and other dignitaries
· Lovestoned / Ya Ali is selected for Best of Collegiate A Cappella (BOCA) 2010, a collection of the best a cappella tracks in the country
2010
· Winter – PM’s India tour at Hardrock Cafe New Delhi, Hardrock Cafe Mumbai, Trident Hotel Mumbai, Lumbini Park Hyderabad along with a number of media interactions with NDTV, CNBC TV 18, IBN, All India Radio, Miss Malini, and every major national newspaper
· PM’s home show - I Love the New Millennium
· Spring – Washington University, St. James Church in London, St. Paul’s School in Barnes, UK, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of California Berkeley
· Fall – Yale, Cornell, Andaaz Montreal, University of Connecticut
2011
· Spring performances in University of Michigan, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, University of Houston, Rutgers University
· PM performs for United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Penn’s campus
· PM’s home show - ESPM
· PM releases Panoramic, its seventh studio album, featuring two original tracks: “Kaash” and “Is Pal Mein”
