The occasion was of course the 2010 Asian Music Awards at the Royal Festival Hall, broadcast on March 17 on BBC1 television.

Jay Sean

Jay Sean, 26, born in Hounslow in the UK but now spending most of his time in the States, won all four titles for which he was nominated including best male performer and best album.

Rivals for the best male title were Imran Khan, Jaz Dhami and Mumzy Stranger and Dhami and Khan featured strongly in a slickly produced and varied show featuring dancers and multimedia backdrops.

Dhami opened proceedings in a striking white suit but later Khan went one better by singing with what the audience gradually realized was a live snake draped around his shoulders! “You have to do something different to stand out in the industry and I did it,” Khan told the BBC.

Other headliners were Malkit Singh and, a welcome surprise, the Sugababes, along with Punjabi DJ stars RDB (pictured in Miami, lucky boys) who blend western genres with traditional Punjabi beats and vocals.

RDB in Miami

RDB showcased all their Bollywood anthems from Singh is Kinng to their grand finale Om Mangalam from Khambahkht Ishq.

They also gave the audience an exclusive preview of ‘Khuda’, a track from their forthcoming album, ‘Worldwide,’ described as a romantic ballad with a baseline twist.

The full list of this year’s winners reads:

Best Album - Jay Sean, All Or Nothing. Other Nominees - Des-C, First Flight; Imran Khan, Unforgettable; Jaz Dhami ,JD; Sukshinder Shinda, Collaborations 2.

Best Female Act – Amar. Other Nominees - Hard Kaur, Karen David, Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes), Sophia Choudhury.

Best Male Act – Jay Sean. Other Nominees - Imran Khan, Jaz Dhami, Mumzy Stranger, Navin Kundra.

Best Alternative Act – Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes). Other Nominees – Engine Earz, Navin Kundra, Niraj Chag, Shiva Soundsystem.

Best Club DJ – DJ H. Other Nominees - DJ Kayper, DJ Vix, Jags Klimax, Panjabi MC.

Best Newcomer – JK. Other Nominees - Young Archie Assignment, Aron B.

Best Producer - Sukshinder Shinda. Other Nominees - Aman Hayer, Rishi Rich.

Best International Act – Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Other Nominees -Kaka Bhaniawala, Miss Pooja, Outlandish, Roach Killa.

Best Desi Act – Des-C, Imran Khan. Other Nominees - Jaz Dhami, Malkit Singh, Sukshinder Shinda.

Best Urban Act - Jay Sean. Other Nominees - AG Dolla, Mumzy Stranger, Sef Naqui, ZeeKay.

Best Radio Show – Nihal – Radio 1. Other Nominees - Friction with Bobby Friction – BBC Asian Network; Mr Kay – Buzz Asia; Neev – Kiss 100;  Asian Network Chart with Noreen – BBC Asian Network.

Best Video – Jay Sean, Down. Other Nominees - Imran Khan, Amplifier; Mumzy Stranger, Showgirl; Sef feat D-Boy & Des C, Need A Hero (Remix); Sukshinder Shinda, Ghum Suhm.

Best International Album - Miss Pooja, Romantic Jatt. Other Nominees – Outlandish, Sound Of A Rebel; Adnan Sami, Ek Ladki Deewani Si; Bohemia, Da Rap Star; Jaswinder Daghamia,Yaar Nai Labhde.

Outstanding Achievement – Biddu.

Commitment to Scene – Talvin Singh.

Jay Sean, pictured with one of his four awards, revealed in a BBC interview that he was working with one of the R&B and soul??? greats, who had agreed to guest on his next single.

“I’ve recently done a collaboration with Mary J Blige,” he said. “It was incredible and we are shooting the video in London on Friday.”

BBC Asian Network Logo

Is the BBC using its Asian Network and 6Music stations as opening pawns in a cunning game of chess with critics who would like to see the corporation slashed to a size that would, among other things, minimise its alleged encroachment into commercial broadcasting areas?

The idea has been posted in a number of places since Tuesday’s announcement of proposed closures of the stations, as part of a strategic review of BBC services which would also see big reductions in its websites and teen services.

And in an online report yesterday, as Asian entertainers rallied round the station, the BBC itself reported outsider suspicions that the Asian Network and 6Music might have been carefully chosen for the three-month public consultation that lies ahead.

Jonathan Freedland of the Guardian newspaper is quoted as writing that the axing of 6Music and the Asian Network “looks so dumb, you almost suspect it’s a ruse”.

“If it’s not a stunt it’s hard to explain why the BBC would cut two networks that all but embody the corporation’s mission,” he said.

The BBC’s responsibilities for nurturing niche interests in broadcasting that are not supported elsewhere have been frequently raised by its defenders since Tuesday.

Among those rallying to the Asian Network flag is singer Jay Sean who wants the closure suggestion dropped.

The BBC said the British-born star described the station as an early champion of his music, helping him to achievements that include a US Number One hit in 2009.

On Twitter he said: “I can’t believe they are trying to shut it down. This is crazy. We (Asians) have no mainstream platforms as it is.”

Scottish music producers Tigerstyle – made up of brothers Pops and Raj – said the Asian Network was a prime source for people who wanted to hear their music.

Pops said none of the UK commercial stations played music from British-Asian talent.

“British-born artists like us are going to find it very difficult to survive. We’ve been discussing whether it is even going to be possible to keep going as musicians.”

Elsewhere on the BBC site he declared: “It’s going to kill the Asian music industry. If the station closes, artists like us won’t survive.”

Bhangra singers Jassi Sidhu and Jaz Dhami echoed Pops’ view. Sidhu said: “If they get rid of Asian Network it will be the final nail in the UK bhangra coffin.”

Sunny Hundal, editor of Asians in Media, is reported as saying on his blog: “Axing Asian Network would kill off vital media space for a lot of British Asian content and culture (documentaries, fusion music) which does not get represented on commercial alternatives.”

“It is within the BBC’s remit to represent and give a platform to minority interests that need a mainstream platform to develop and grow.”

Giving space to the debate, the BBC profiled the Asian Network as follows:

“The Asian Network features music including bhangra and hip hop and British Asian news including entertainment, Bollywood and sport.

The radio station also features the soap opera Silver Street, which was earmarked for closure last year and will air for the final time later this month.

Its parent station is Radio One and its presenters include Adil Ray and Sonia Deol. Ray recently starred in Bellamy’s People on BBC Two with Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse.

The BBC says the Asian Network has failed to build on its early growth and has lost 20 per cent of its listeners in the past three years (declining from 500.000 to 360,000 listeners)

The corporation says the station’s current scale appears insufficient to justify the level of BBC investment.

But the British Phonographic Society (BPI) and the AMI have written to director general Mark Thompson criticising the closure of both the Asian Network and 6 Music.

The letter stated that: “The Asian Network provides an important channel for exposure for Asian music in the UK, which does not gain exposure on many major commercial stations.”

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What do you think of the Asian Network?
Are you a regular listener?
Which shows do you like?
Or do you think it could do a better job?
Would you like to see it explore other areas of Asian culture, arts or news?

If you were once a listener, but are no longer – why did you stop listening?  Let us know how you feel about the closure proposal by leaving your comments below…