Penn Masala is a group of college students from the University of Pennsylvania who sing a medley of popular Hindi songs and hit English music, backing up their lead singers by creating all of the instrumental components with their voices.

They have gained immense popularity and fame since their founding in 1996, singing to sold-out audiences all over the nation and touring across countries such as the United Kingdom and India. “In the beginning, we were little more than random noises coming from the stage,” one of the singers reminisced. Now, they are an icon of desi pop culture and the Indian-American experience. Since their early days, Penn Masala has perfected much more than its music; they have mastered the art of entertaining. They thrill audiences with their jokes, antics, and even dancing, from bhangra to the moonwalk — without missing a note.

The group has produced three complete albums (titled “Awaaz,” “11 PM,” and “Soundcheck”), as well as a full-length music video to the song “Chhamak Challo” (which was in the top 10 on Channel V when it debuted in 1999). They also sang the soundtrack of the hit movie “American Desi.” Penn Masala even recorded the first-ever fully original Hindi a capella song, “Desi Ladki,” written and composed by one of the founding members of the group. “We’ve broken the boundaries between western and non-western music,” they boast. Attend their April concert to find out if you agree.