Our Shared Devotional Journey

Bhai Yadvinder Singh Ji grew up in Selangor, Malaysia, within a Sikh family whose ancestral roots had been established in Malaysia for generations. From his early youth, he was drawn to the sacred cadence of Gurbani kirtan, regularly performing alongside his brother Baldev Singh in gurdwaras across towns in Malaysia. His musical foundation was cultivated through rigorous classical discipline under Ustad Jaswant Singh Klar, an esteemed mentor affiliated with the Singapore Khalsa Association music tradition.

During pilgrimage tours organized through his family's business in Malaysia, Bhai Yadvinder Singh developed enduring ties with India—visiting sacred historical shrines and pursuing dedicated musical study. These journeys deepened his command over traditional raag forms, harmonium accompaniment, and the spiritual sanctity of Sikh devotional melody.

Following his relocation to Auckland, New Zealand, Bhai Yadvinder Singh became an anchor of devotional kirtan within the local Sikh community. For years, he performed kirtan every Sunday at Gurdwara Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji on Kolmar Road in Papatoetoe. His gentle, meditative singing style also led to invitations from international sangat, including the Sikh Youth Australia Summer Camp in Sydney in 2013, where senior kirtanis commended his sweet, devotional delivery.

When his daughter Amrita was seven years old, he placed the harmonium before her, teaching her the fundamental surs and welcoming her to sing beside him in the gurdwara. Recognizing her exceptional vocal potential, he enrolled her at age eleven under Professor Shukdev Madhur for intensive classical training, while continuing to serve as her primary mentor, accompanist, and vocal director.

A consummate sound engineer, Bhai Yadvinder Singh established Lion Beats Studio in Mt Roskill, Auckland, where he produces, mixes, and masters devotional albums, meditative simran tracks, and live recordings for visiting ragi jathas. On stage and in the studio, his steady acoustic harmonium and intuitive sound direction provide the grounding foundation for Amrita's soulful vocal delivery.

Amrita Kaur was born in the United Kingdom and spent her early childhood in Malaysia, the ancestral homeland of her parents, before the family settled in Auckland, New Zealand, when she was seven years old. That same year marked the beginning of her musical journey, as her father, Bhai Yadvinder Singh, sat her beside the harmonium and guided her first devotional notes.

Every Sunday, father and daughter offered kirtan seva at Gurdwara Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji on Kolmar Road in Papatoetoe. This regular immersion in the presence of the sangat built both spiritual humility and early musical poise. At age eleven, her father placed her under the tutelage of Professor Shukdev Madhur—a revered disciple of Pandit Baldev Raj Verma and founder of the Sargam School of Indian Music in Auckland. Through years of intensive classical riyaaz, Amrita mastered khayal, intricate taankari, and the nuanced grammar of Indian classical raags.

Alongside her musical dedication, Amrita pursued rigorous academic scholarship at the University of Auckland, graduating with a Master of Architecture degree. Her postgraduate thesis, 'Ragamala – A Garland of Architecture and Music,' investigated the synesthetic and physical relationships between Indian classical raags and architectural acoustics. She continues to work full-time in the building industry while maintaining her musical calling.

In January 2023, Amrita and her father traveled to Pakistan for a historic kirtan tour across historical gurdwaras in Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Daharki, Lahore, Karachi, and Hyderabad. At the conclusion of the tour, Amrita headlined the Virsa Heritage Revived series at Haveli Barood Khana in Lahore, becoming the first Sikh artist to perform a solo devotional recital in that historic setting.

In July 2026, the duo completed a landmark tour of the United Kingdom, headlining London's 3,000-seat Royal Festival Hall (Southbank Centre) and Birmingham Town Hall. While Amrita also maintains a separate artistic platform for classical ghazals and Sufi poetry, her devotion to Gurbani kirtan beside her father remains the core foundation of her artistic life.