Banghra

Hailing from Madrid, the Spanish dance-pop act Banghra drew its name from a traditional Punjabi dance and consisted of Victoria Gomez, Lidia Guevara, and Javi Mota, all of whom worked as dance and fitness instructors as well as vocalists. Driven by a wish to spark a nationwide belly-dance trend, the three sought to issue a multimedia package that fused music, movement, and workout routines, thereby extending the pleasures of the style to people of any age or sex. That intention led to the 2007 appearance of the CD/DVD set La Danza del Vientre, which contained fifteen tracks sung in English and Spanish plus a visual component offering step-by-step guidance on basic belly-dance technique. The campaign opened with the buoyant lead single and video “My Own Way,” whose modern urban soundscape intertwined with sensual melodies. Those qualities carried the album onto Spain’s Top 40 chart inside its first two weeks, then into the Top Ten, where it entered at number seven and later reached number four. The outcome greatly exceeded the forecasts of both the group and its label, the Universal subsidiary Vale Music. In 2008 Banghra followed with the album …a Bailar!, which featured the singles “Una Especie en Extincion” and “Unidos.” The project proved to be the trio’s final release, however, as the members disbanded to launch separate careers.