B.C. artists taking centre stage as Punjabi music takes off

Ikwinder Singh is too young to remember the last time Punjabi music was on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream in Canada.

Over the past few years, a new generation of Punjabi performers has emerged from Canada with a unique fusion of cross-cultural influences that could’ve only come from this country. Karan Aujla, whose track “Softly” certified the British Columbia-raised singer as a hitmaker last year, will compete with rapper Shubh, a Brampton, Ont.-based artist known for his streaming hits “One Love” and “Cheques.” The fan choice award is handed out at the end of Sunday’s CBC Junos broadcast.

In February, Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Canada Hot 100 chart nearly two years after his shooting death in India. His single “Drippy” became the latest in a run of Punjabi-Canadian chart hits. It took the work of people like Jazzy B, a Surrey, B.C.-based performer who found success in the mid-2000s, to fuse electronic and hip-hop elements in a new way that inspired a generation.“He shifted the scene. But after him, it just went back to folk.”

Around the same time, an influx of young students was moving from India, which the Victoria-based producer said offered him further motivation. By the time COVID-19 restrictions were easing, those streaming numbers were proving themselves in concert ticket sales. Dhillon’s Out of This World Tour kicked off in late 2022, drawing crowds to the 19,000-seat Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

While Warner has thrown themselves into the mix full force, Universal Music Canada and Sony Music Canada have yet to announce any significant investment in the genre or its performers.“Some people in the industry have taken notice, but I think there’s some are still trying to turn a blind eye,” he said.

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