>Hiddenstranger at 08:02, 6 June 2021

2021-06-06T08:02:37Z

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{{BLP sources|date=August 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist 
| name = Diamond Duggal
| image = Djswami.jpg
| caption = Diamond Duggal
| image_size =
| background =
| alias = DJ Swami
| origin = [[Birmingham]], England
| occupation = [[Record producer]], [[songwriter]], [[musician]], [[DJ]]
| genre = [[Electronic music|Electronic]], [[Pop music|pop]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]], [[Bhangra (music)|bhangra]], [[World music|world]]
| years_active = 1990–present
| label = [http://www.desirock.com DesiRock Entertainment], [[Virgin EMI Records|Virgin EMI]], [[Sony Music]]|
| associated_acts =
| website = [http://www.diamondduggal.com Diamond Duggal] [http://www.djswami.com DJ Swami]
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}

'''Diamond Duggal''' also known as '''DJ Swami''' is a British-Indian record producer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has produced a diversity of award-winning global artists, including [[Shania Twain]], [[Pras Michel]], [[Apache Indian]], [[Maxi Priest]], [[Stereo Nation]], [[Zoheb Hassan]] and [[Viktor Kiraly]] as well as remixing artists including [[Erasure]], [[The Beat (British band)|The Beat]] and [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]. He has also performed and toured as lead guitarist with [[Boyzone]] and [[Robbie Williams]]. Diamond is also co-founder of production duo '''Simon and Diamond''' with his brother Simon Duggal. As DJ Swami, he performs and records electronic, Indian Punjabi Bhangra and South Asian music both as a solo artist and as band leader of UK electronic world music acts [[Swami (band)|Swami]] and PunjabTronix. DJ Swami also tours and performs in collaboration with [[Deep Forest]].

Diamond received an [[Ivor Novello Awards]] songwriter nomination for the song Arranged Marriage<ref>[https://ivorsacademy.com/nominee/arranged-marriage/]</ref> and his songwriting and production contributed to the [[Mercury Prize]] nomination<ref>[https://www.gigwise.com/features/3385773/every-single-mercury-winner-nominee-from-the-prizes-history]</ref> for the album No Reservations by [[Apache Indian]]. Diamond also produced and played alongside mentor [[Mutt Lange]] on the [[Shania Twain]] double [[Grammy Award]]-nominated<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/shania-twain/7643]</ref> album ''[[Up! (album)|Up!]]''

As DJ Swami, he has won Best Producer 2005<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wass-up.com/ukama2005.php|title=Artists unite to celebrate British Asian Music|accessdate=24 August 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110150402/http://wass-up.com/ukama2005.php|archivedate=10 January 2011}}</ref> and Best Producer 2008<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.desiblitz.com/content/the-uk-asian-music-awards-2008|title=The UK Asian Music Awards 2008|website=Desiblitz.com|accessdate=24 August 2010|date=March 8, 2008|author=}}</ref> at the [[UK Asian Music Awards]]. He also won the award for Best Mixed Album at the [[South African Music Awards]] 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/channel/Music/FeaturesInterviews/2010-SAMA-Winners-20100414-2|title=2010 SAMA Winners|website=News24.com|accessdate=24 July 2020}}</ref>

His most successful solo [[Swami (band)|Swami]] album to date was 2004's ''[[DesiRock]]'', the title track from which has been used in a variety of films, TV shows and video games.

==Biography==
Born Diamond Jyoti Duggal, he grew up in the [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]] district of Birmingham, England in a melting pot of second-generation Indian and Jamaican [[multi-culturalism]]. By the age of 12, he was already playing guitar in local reggae and rock bands. While learning the craft of music through listening to records by [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Ravi Shankar]], [[Kraftwerk]], [[Laxmikant Pyarelal]] and local Birmingham artists [[Steel Pulse]] and [[UB40]], Diamond witnessed his first glance of a new musical hybrid and what was ultimately to become his life's passion.

In 1991, as production duo Simon and Diamond, the brothers launched the groundbreaking production fusion sound of dancehall reggae and bhangra with the artist Apache Indian. The project received huge public and media interest due to its cultural diversity and was making huge waves in the UK, USA, Canada and India. This marked a new milestone in British Asian popular music, soon followed by a record deal with Island Records and a publishing deal with Sony Music in 1992. The Apache Indian debut album 'No Reservations' became a huge international success.

In 1997, Diamond started the group [[Swami (band)|Swami]] with drummer and brother Simon, vocalist Taz Singh and Indian percussionist Kam Bura. The band performed a number of local and European shows before releasing their debut album ''Desi Nu Skool Beatz'' on their SubDub Records label in 1999. The album was given an international release in 2000 on Nation Records (Beggars Banquet). The guitar surfing electronic title track "Mehbooba" went on to feature in the Olsen Twins Warner Brothers movie [[New York Minute (film)|New York Minute]] (2003).

Diamond took to the studio in 2002 to work with [[Shania Twain]] on her follow-up album to ''[[Come On Over (Shania Twain album)|Come On Over]]'' entitled ''[[Up! (album)|Up!]]''. The album was produced by a totally international team co-ordinated between producer Mutt Lange, Simon and Diamond. Shania Twain's ''Up!'' topped the American Billboard for six weeks in late 2002 with multi-platinum sales exceeding 15 million and received two Grammy nominations in 2004.

Swami's follow-up album was ''[[So Who Am I]]'' on SonyBMG in 2005. The title track "DesiRock" embraced clubs the world over with DJ Swami's unique left field electronic beats and anthemic bhangra melodies and reached even wider audiences in the EA Games FIFA World Cup 2006 video game as well as the UK movie [[Mischief Night]] (2006).

In 2005, Diamond won "Best Producer" at the [[UK Asian Music Awards]].

In June 2007, Diamond (as DJ Swami) was listed in the official Guardian Glastonbury Festival Guide as one of the Top 5 acts to see at Glastonbury 2007 alongside [[Amy Winehouse]] and the [[Arctic Monkeys]].

In January 2008, Swami's album ''Equalize'' was voted album of the year by DesiHits.com. The album features mainstream collaborations from the US, South Africa, France, England and India.

In March 2008, as DJ Swami, he won "Best Producer" at the UK Asian Music Awards for a second time.

In August 2008, Swami's "Hey Hey" music video received its Canadian premiere at Toronto's FILMI South Asian Film Festival.

In April 2010, Diamond won [[South African Music Awards|SAMA]] Best Mix Engineer at the South Africa Music Awards.
In 2013, Diamond produced the single 'Fire' for artist [[Viktor Kiraly]] reaching the number 1 chart position in Hungary's MAHASZ Top 40.

In 2014, Diamond produced the second single 'Running Out Of Time' for Viktor Kiraly featuring [[Run DMC]] reaching the number 1 chart position in Hungary's VIVA chart.

In 2015, Diamond completed production for [[Zoheb Hassan]] album Signature<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1442966/zoheb-hassan-release-new-album-signature|title=Zoheb Hassan to release new album ‘Signature’|date=23 June 2017|newspaper=[[The Express Tribune]]|accessdate=24 July 2020}}</ref> featuring the legendary vocals of his sister [[Nazia Hassan]].

In 2017, DJ Swami produced and toured the UK with new electronic meets Punjabi folk project PunjabTronix, as part of the ReImagine India cultural exchange programme.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/reimagine-india|title=Reimagine India | Arts Council England|website=Artscouncil.org.uk|accessdate=24 July 2020}}</ref>

In 2019, DJ Swami and Casey Rain commenced a weekly brand new radio show entitled 'The Phaseshift' on [[Dash Radio]] and Rukus Avenue Radio.

==Production discography==
===1990===
* Doggy – "Psyche" (single/ Rham Records)
* Demonik – "Labyrinthe" (single/ Rham Records)

===1991===
* The Badman – "Magic Style/Shape Dancing" (single and remix/ CityBeat)
* The Badman Presents N.D.X. – "Come With Me/Higher than Heaven" (single and remix/ CityBeat)
* Aretha Daye – "No More (Making Love)" (single)

===1992/1993===
* [[Apache Indian]] – ''[[No Reservations (Apache Indian album)|No Reservations]]'' (album/ Island Records)
* [[Apache Indian]] – "Arranged Marriage" (single and remix/ Island Records)
* [[Apache Indian]] – "[[Chok There]]" (single and remix/ Island Records)
* Louie Rankin – "Typewriter" (remix/ Ruffness)
* Johnny Zee – "Cum Be My Lover" (remix)
* Dillinger – "Cokane in My Brain" (remix/ Island Records)

===1994/1995===
* Erasure – "Run to the Sun" (remix/ Mute)
* The Beat – "Mirror in the Bathroom" (remix/ London Records)
* Raise – "I Got It" (single and remix/ SubDub)

===1997/1998===
* Stereo Nation – "I’ve Been Waiting" (single)
* Stereo Nation – ''Jambo'' (album)

===1999===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''Desi Nu Skool Beatz'' (album/ Nation Records)
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "Transmission" (single)
* [[Taz (singer)|Taz]] – ''Nasha'' (album/ SubDub)
* [[DJ Swami]] - ''Sub Culture Vol. 1'' (album/ SubDub)

===2000/2001===
* [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]] – ''Redefined'' (remix album/ OSA)
* [[DJ Swami]] - ''Pure Garage Volume 2'' (album/ Roma II)
* [[DJ Swami]] - ''Sub Culture Vol. 2'' (album/ Roma II)

===2002===
* [[Shania Twain]] – ''[[Up! (album)|Up!]]'' (album/ Mercury)
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''BhangraDotCom'' (album/ Nation Records)
* [[DJ Swami]] - ''Pure Garage Volume 4'' (album/ Roma II)

===2004===
* [[Pras]] – "Light My Fire" (remix)
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''[[DesiRock]]'' (album)

===2005===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''[[So Who Am I]]'' (album/ Sony BMG)
* [[Apache Indian]] – ''Time for Change'' (album/ Revolver)

===2007===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''[[Equalize]]'' (album/ EMI Virgin)

===2008===
* Tigerstyle – "Balle Shava" (remix)
* [[Delhi 2 Dublin]] – "Dil Nachde" (remix)

===2009===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''Electro Jugni/She’s Mine EP''
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''[[53431]]'' (album/ EMI Virgin)
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "Sugarless" (single and remix)
* Ishmael – ''Over the Edge'' (album/ Ghetto Ruff)
* [[Meja]] – "Regrets" (remix/ Sony)

===2010===
* [[Meja]] – "Chasing Butterflies" (remix/ Sony)
* [[Delhi 2 Dublin]] – ''Planet Electric'' (album mixing)

===2011===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''Upgrade'' (album recording)
* [[Deep Forest]] – "Deep Swami" recording/ remixes

===2012===
* [[Fell On Deaf Ears]] – ''Are You Getting Enough?'' (album mixing)
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – ''Upgrade'' (album mixing)

===2013===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "Back It Up" (single)
* [[Viktor Kiraly]] – "Fire" (single)
* [[Pop Chaot]] – album tracks

===2014===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "Do It Again" (single)
* [[Viktor Kiraly]] – "Running Out of Time" (single)
* [[Viktor Kiraly]] – "Work" (album track)
* [[Zoheb Hassan]] – "Signature" (album)

===2015===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "We Are" (single)
* [[Viktor Kiraly]] – "Exhale" (single)
* [[Zoheb Hassan]] – "Always on My Mind" (single)
* [[Meja]] – "Yellow Ribbon" (remix)

===2016===
* [[Unnati]] - "Teri Yaad Aati Hain" ([[Buddha Bar]] Ultimate Experience)

===2017===
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "UPGRADE" (album)
* [[Swami (band)|Swami]] – "SIDETRKD" (album)

===2018===
* [[PunjabTronix]] – "PunjabTronix" (EP/ Asian Arts Agency)

===2019===
* [[DJ Swami]] – "Hybrids" (EP/ DesiRock Ent.)
* [[DJ Swami]] – "Hybrids 2" (EP/ DesiRock Ent.)
* [[DJ Swami]] – "8020" (EP/ DesiRock Ent.)
* [[DJ Swami]] – "PunjabTronix Remixes" (EP/ DesiRock Ent.)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.diamondduggal.com Diamond Duggal website]
*[http://www.djswami.com DJ Swami website]
*[http://www.simonanddiamond.co.uk Simon and Diamond website]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/events/unitour07/galleries/2463/1/#gallery2463 Swami performing at BBC Asian Network Uni Tour 07]
*[http://www.desitunes4u.com/Interview_DJ_Swami.htm An interview] and [http://www.desitunes4u.com/Interview_DJ_Swami_Part_2.htm another] with DJ Swami
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111113163513/http://www.happyindia.de/interview-swami-engl.php Another interview] [https://web.archive.org/web/20111113163508/http://www.happyindia.de/interview-swami-deu.php and the German translation] with Diamond

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duggal, Diamond}}
[[Category:English record producers]]
[[Category:English DJs]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:English Sikhs]]
[[Category:Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:People from Handsworth, West Midlands]]

Diamond Duggal - Revision history

>Hiddenstranger at 08:02, 6 June 2021