The Story of Trinkhor

In the year 1980, when I produced the first album called „Nangma“ in Bonn with the music group Nangma from Switzerland, it was the first time that I tried myself as a songwriter. I attempted to combine traditional Tibetan music with Western pop music.

My very first fan at that time was my elder daughter Youlha as a baby. She had no choice than to hear my songs, when I brought her to bed. „Tibetan pop music“ was more or less not existent at that time. The Tibetan youth used to hear either Western pop or Hindi songs. There was no alternative. Our ambition was to create a Tibetan pop scene, which would allow the Tibetan youth to express their feelings at least in their native language. Among the first 4 songs that I wrote at that time, the title song „Phagi Gangri Karpo“ became a hit, and it was even musically covered by the famous Tibetan singer Dupe from Amdo. This time also marks the first ever music-contact between Tibetans in Tibet and the Tibetans in exile.

From the first cassette in 1985 to the last recordings in 2014, numerous artists appeared on the Trinkhor Albums. Namely Nelung Tsering Topden and his son Yeshe. Youlha, Riga and Serlha Tawo. Gregor Verhufen, Dawa Lhamo, Tenzin Wangmo and Tenzin Lhamo.