Ravi Bissambhar

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Ravi Bissambhar (born October 27, 1982) is a Trinidadian chutney musician.

Personal life

Ravi Bissambhar, born to a musical family in Sangre Grande, Trinidad and Tobago attended the Sangre Grande Hindu school, North Eastern College, University of the West Indies and is still currently pursuing higher levels of academic and musical knowledge. Ravi started his career singing at the age of 13 and ever since this young artiste has just kept on aspiring. At the age of 25 he was already the lead vocalist, music director,producer and arranger for his band Karma which was founded by him with his brother (Anil Bissambhar) and his sister (Nisha Bissambhar). He is also a top radio personality with Trinidad and Tobago’s leading East Indian radio station, 90.5fm.

         Ravi B's love for music and singing took him to several countries across the globe where he is on a mission to take chutney soca to places that is not familiar with this genre of music.
      Ravi B is considered one of the most talented and hard working artistes in his arena. He is one of the very few artistes from the caribbean that can perform and sing Chutney Soca, Bollywood playback, Soca, Reggae, Bhajans and Classical Indian singing. He is very particular about his friends and will go all out for his family. Ravi B is a Hindu born child and still practice his traditions.

Karma Band

He is the lead male vocalist, music director, producer and arranger for the Caribbean fused music band Karma. He is also a presenter with Trinidad and Tobago's East Indian radio station, 90.5fm. The Karma band is made up of Jeewanlal Bissambhar, Nisha Bissambhar, Ravi Bissambhar, Anil Bissambhar ,Hemraj Rattan, Daryl Valentine, Andy Muregan, Andell Jones, Ian Ochoa.

When Anil, Ravi, Nisha and Jeewanlal Bissambhar decided to re-venture into the Soca, Chutney Soca and Bollywood industry with their style and their musical influence, Karma was born. In existence for a period of only thirteen years, this team has fully become a household name and musical pioneers in Trinidad and Tobago.

Since its inauguration Karma has produced 12 albums, Evolution, A.B.C (another bad creation) party mix, Secret 48, Karma Mangalam, Destiny, Karmasutra, Destiny 2, Destiny 3, Karmasutra 2.0., Karmageddon, Secret 69 and Bread The Album. They have secured a place in the chutney and soca industry with hits such as Scorpion, Godonwa, Bison, Gul yuh start meh, Dularie, Jepsting, Rum is meh lover, KarmaSlam 1 to 5 , Drinka, Prescription, Bread, OverDoing it, Dulahin, Monday, GT and many more .

Karma is a group of young vibrant artistes and musicians that is really humble, down to earth and discipline. Their mission is to carry our prestige Trinbago culture to the highest and re-introducing our roots to the youth of our nation and the world. Presently they are supported by Digicel. Karma is a world renowned Caribbean fused band that is also capable of performing different genres of music like hip hop, edm, pop, dance and alternative and has represented Trinidad and Tobago several times and will continue to do so with the solid backing of their millions of fans.

Karma recently copped the Best Chutney Soca band of the year, Best Male ChutneySoca Artiste and ChutneySong of the year at the 2015 International Soca Awards in New York City.

Inspiration

Ravi Bissambhar claims to be inspired by international artists like Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam, Eminem and Machel Montano, but what inspires him the most is his parents, his brother Anil, sisters Nalini and Nisha, his love for music and most importantly God. Ravi has toured the Caribbean, U.S.A., Canada, Guyana, Europe and Suriname; representing Trinidad's culture, chutney and soca. He was nominated for Best Chutney Soca artiste at the Virgin Records Awards in March 2006. Bissambhar was also a finalist in the Mastana Bahar and Chutney Soca Monarch competition. He is making waves with his big hit songs, 'Gul yuh start meh’, Rum is meh lover and 'Teer cheer.' Other hit songs include Karma slam 1&2, Yeh kahan, Mom and Dad, Badi door (featuring General Imran) Seene meh dil, Ek tera saath, Karma Rompe, The End, Channa vey and his version of Mangalam Ganesham.^[2]

Achievements

Some of his greatest achievements includes being the first Chutney Soca artiste to cross a million views on YouTube with his ever popular track ‘Drinka’ and is still the first Chutney Soca artiste to trend on Twitter on the night of 2013 Groovy Soca Monarch when he performed his monster hit ‘Prescription’ which placed him fourth being defeated by the best of Soca, Machel Montano, Iwer George and Blaxxx. Ravi B is also the first artiste to cross 100000 fans on Facebook. He performed along side Nitin Mukesh in 1996, Shah Rukh Khan in 1999, formed Karma in 2003 together with his Father, Brother, and Sister (“Jeewanlal, Anil, and Nisha Bissambhar”), joined the 90.5 FM family in 2002, performed with Kumar Sanu at the 90.5 FM cook out competition in 2004, was chosen to open the Bollywood Music Awards2005, the Bollywood Movie Awards 2006, received Best Sounding Band at Unifest 2006 in Miami, having his own concert for Father’s day annually and singing with Babul Supriyo on the same stage at Zen Trinidad.

Ravi B has already produced 12 Albums which Includes Karma Evolution, A.B.C.party mix, Secret 48, Karma Mangalam, Destiny 1,2,3, Karmasutra, Karmasutra 2.0., Karmageddon, Secret 69 and Bread The Album. He is a really humble person and you can look forward to alot of success from Ravi B yet to come in the near future.

Ravi B was the only artiste chosen to perform at the launch of the ScotiaBank Toronto Carnival 2013 (Caribana), he was also featured on National TV on CP24 News!

In 2014, Ravi B collaborated with Machel Montano and MahaLaxmi Iyer on Ravi’s hit track Breakaway to become the biggest collaboration in Chutney and Soca. Ravi also collaborated with Kerwin Du Bois in 2015 on there monster track ‘Over Doing It’ Collaborated with Konshens in 2013, with Alison hinds and Nadia Batson in 2015 and with Kes in 2009 for the monster track ‘JepSting’

Awards

Karma recently copped the Best Chutney Soca band of the year, Best Male ChutneySoca Artiste and ChutneySong of the year at the 2015 International Soca Awards in New York City.

He was also voted the Best New Artiste in the year 2003 and he received the award for Best Bhajan album in 2005 following a numerous amount awards over the years, his recent being Chutney male Artiste of the year 2015, best ChutneySoca Song of 2015 and Chutney band of the year 2010 to 2015 at the International Soca Awards 2015 that took place in New York City. He is also presently nominated for Best Chutney Soca artiste at the International Reggae Awards 2015 in October. Ravi was also a finalist in the Mastana Bahar and Chutney Soca Monarch competition in 2010 becoming the youngest person to have ever won the CSM Title. He is also the current Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) 2015 and Traditional Chutney Soca Monarch(TCM) 2015, three titles that again makes him the youngest to hold three titles.

Albums and hit songs

• Another Bad Creation (2003)
• Secret 48 (2004)
• Karma Mangalam (Bhajan CD) (2005)
• Karma Sutra (2005)
• Destiny 1 (2005)

• Destiny 2 (2006)

Rum is Meh Lover

• Destiny 3 (2007)

Whine On Meh Ta La La La

• Karma Sutra 2.0 (2008)

Bison

Parbatee

• Karmageddon (2009)

Jep Sting Naina

Tell Where Yuh From

Tek Meh Gyul

Dularie Nanny

• Secret 69 (2013)

Gyal Wukkin

Prescription

Wine Up Your Body

Keep Working – Gregory Ayuen

Choli Ke Peeche – Nisha B & Ravi B

Karma Slam 4 – Ravi B

Jiya Re – Nilli B & Nisha B

Karma Heer – Nisha B & Ravi B

Sanam Teri Kasam – Ravi B & Anil Bheem

Friends With Benefits – Ravi B & Konshens

Gul Doh Bother Me – Ravi B

Bacchanal – Omadath Maharaj & Ravi B

Gul Doh Bother Me – Ravi B

Lawa – Ravi B & Iwer George

Sindoor Lagawe – Nisha B

Tassa – Gregory Ayuen

License To Wine – Ravi B

Collaborations

• "Jep Sting Naina"
• "Bhaigan & Aloo" – Lalchan Babwa(Hunter), Ravi Bissambhar, Anil Bheem, Neeshan Prabhoo, Drupatee Ramgoonai, Andy Singh
• "Tek Me Gyal" – Ravi Bissambhar, ft Neeshan Prabhoo
• "De Hammer" – Ravi Bissambhar ft. S.W. Storm
• "Ah Drinka" – Ravi Bissambhar
• "Vanni" – Ravi Bissambhar & Shiva Lakhan
• "Player" – Ravi Bissamber
• "Cya Cum" – Ravi Bissambhar
• "Sumatee" – Ravi Bissambhar & Terry Gajraj
• "Ah Rose" – Ravi Bisshambhar
• "Single" – Ravi Bissambhar & Rick Ramoutar
• "She Horning Meh" – Ravi Bissambhar
• "Doh Wah Me Go" – Ravi Bissambhar
• "De Limer, Drinka & Barman" – Ravi Bissambhar, Dollyboy & Rikki Jai
• "Lawa" – Ravi Bissambhar & Iwer George
• "Doh Go Away" – Ravi Bissambhar & Rick Ramoutar
• "Prescription" – Ravi Bissambhar
• "Bacchanal" – Ravi Bissambhar & Omardath Maharaj
• "Friends With Benefits" – Ravi Bissambhar & Konshens
• "All Out Of Rum" – Ravi Bissambhar, Hunter, Rikki Jai & Soca Elvis
• "Gyal Wukkin" – Ravi Bissambhar

References