A young avid New Yorker who grew up amongst a musical family manifested the power in him and took it upon himself to hone his craft. Ben Parag is a singer who has been mesmerizing local audiences for many years. So when he took part in the popular talent show call Dil Hai Hindustani, he had a large fan base which grew even larger. Even if one didn’t have the required channel that the talent show aired on but is a member of Facebook, you would have seen his performances via multiples videos. Because of his great talent and dedication to this art form, love and support for Ben began to grow rapidly.
We all couldn’t contain ourselves when super stars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Vidya Balan were a fundamental part of the singing competition and also fell for Ben’s voice. Judges Karan Johar, Badshah, Shekhar Ravjiani, Shalmali Kholgade have all fallen in love with this talented artist from New York. Having his Guru ji’s Kinnar and Payal Seen gracing the big stage where he had been performing week after week was very special. It was so heartwarming to witness him bow to their feet. Let’s talk about Ben’s adorable parents; each time the camera panned on their faces I could see both excitement and anticipation. Ahhh! The love and support of a parent is priceless.
The excitement rose when our Benny made it into the finals. We saw him grow as an artist and performer. However Ben was eliminated after reaching the top 8 Acts, because of a lack of votes. But this star, our star had already found a place in many hearts. We all know how phenomenal he is. He made us feel proud as West Indians and happy to have a Guyanese National performing in a mega platform.
His God father, Pundit Ganesh knew he deserved a royal welcome back home. With a great team they managed to orchestrate an incredible parade and free concert. The parade proceeded with a horse and carriage. Ben was accompanied by his parents and guru ji’s. Supporters gathered on 124 Street Liberty Avenue and walked down to 133 Street. I must say the venue had a real concert feel to it. Platinum celebrations did a great job. Pictures posted included performances by Ben’s bother Bobby, International dancer Zaman who danced to a medley and the event was hosted by Kishore. The audience sang along; as Ben performed it was lovely to see both his guru ji’s conduct as he performed. Ben was accompanied by Joey on the keyboards and on the drums.
When the concert ended there was a meet and greet for his fans to finally be up close with Ben. Enjoy the pics