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

The 23-year-old producer was only a baby when rapper Jay-Z joined British-Indian artist Panjabi MC on 2003害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淏eware the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke).害羞草研究所� The track drew attention for its distinctive combination of bhangra music and a killer hip-hop bassline, inching up the music charts and offering Indian listeners hope that a new scene was emerging globally.

And then pop radio moved on to the next big sound.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one of those things no one was ready for,害羞草研究所� supposes the Toronto-raised music creator, known as Ikky.

He suggests that North American record executives of that era may have been caught off-guard by the song害羞草研究所檚 success and that not enough Punjabi artists were primed for crossover careers.

Singh doesn害羞草研究所檛 waste much time wondering what could害羞草研究所檝e been. He害羞草研究所檚 confident that today the story is different.

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害羞草研究所檝e only come from this country.

The Punjabi wave, as some call it, is a blend of the Indo-Aryan language with elements of global hip-hop, R&B and trap music. In Canada, its popularity is led by an array of names including AP Dhillon, Karan Aujla, Gurinder Gill and producer Ikky.

These artists, helped by a tight-knit community of music professionals, have scaled India and Canada害羞草研究所檚 charts, launched major tours and left some in the industry wondering if Punjabi music is on the cusp of its breakout moment akin to what 害羞草研究所淕angnam Style害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淒espacito害羞草研究所� did for Korean and Spanish-language pop music.

This weekend, two rising stars of the Punjabi-Canadian music scene head to Halifax for the Juno Awards, where they vie for the fan choice prize alongside pop害羞草研究所檚 biggest names, including the Weeknd and Tate McRae.

Karan Aujla, whose track 害羞草研究所淪oftly害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淥ne Love害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淐heques.害羞草研究所� The fan choice award is handed out at the end of Sunday害羞草研究所檚 CBC Junos broadcast.

This is a pivotal moment for the Punjabi genre, which has never been represented in the marquee Junos category, which aims to capture the zeitgeist. Aujla holds a second Juno nod for breakthrough artist this year.

All of this comes as the genre害羞草研究所檚 profile continues to rise in Canada.

One of the most symbolic moments happened during last year害羞草研究所檚 Junos in Edmonton, where AP Dhillon made history as the first Punjabi music act on the broadcast.

The Victoria-based indie rapper害羞草研究所檚 flashy delivery of his single 害羞草研究所淪ummer High害羞草研究所� was designed to usher in a new era for the genre. But it was upstaged by a topless protester who crashed his introduction by Avril Lavigne. Despite the unexpected turn of events, Dhillon害羞草研究所檚 presence signalled how quickly the scene was being taken seriously.

Then last summer, Warner Music Canada announced a partnership with its India division to launch 91 North Records. The Canadian label was designed to foster a generation of local South Asian artists and better link two sides of the world. The label害羞草研究所檚 first release 害羞草研究所淢aking Memories,害羞草研究所� a collaboration between Aujla and Ikky, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart.

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 害羞草研究所淒rippy害羞草研究所� became the latest in a run of Punjabi-Canadian chart hits.

Outside the country, the Punjabi music industry has taken notice. Next month, India-based performer Diljit Dosanjh launches an arena and stadium tour that rolls through five Canadian cities, starting in Vancouver and ending in Toronto.

害羞草研究所淭his is just the tip of the iceberg,害羞草研究所� said Toronto rapper AR Paisley, who appears on 害羞草研究所淒rippy.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲ith what害羞草研究所檚 happening, we害羞草研究所檙e going to see a lot of young and talented artists on the come up.害羞草研究所�

Music producer Gagundeep Singh Randhawa said it takes looking back a couple decades to understand how Punjabi-Canadian music reached its current status.

For the longest time, Punjabi artists relied on folk music instruments 害羞草研究所� such as the tablas and tumbis 害羞草研究所� for their sound. He said that meant even rap songs such as 害羞草研究所淏eware the Boys害羞草研究所� sounded like traditional music, which often relegated them to Indian weddings and other cultural spaces.

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.

害羞草研究所淗e brought a different flavour,害羞草研究所� said Randhawa, who works under the name Gminxr (pronounced G-minor).

害羞草研究所淗e shifted the scene. But after him, it just went back to folk.害羞草研究所�

Nearly a decade passed before Punjabi music was reinvigorated. He credits Moose Wala害羞草研究所檚 early work for launching the current wave with its blend of the Punjabi language and trap music.

Moose Wala害羞草研究所檚 career got underway around 2017 while he was an international student living in Brampton, Ont., and his reputation spread through online forums.

Randhawa said the rapper害羞草研究所檚 music opened his ears to how Punjabi songs could break barriers and find broader audiences.

Around the same time, an influx of young students was moving from India, which the Victoria-based producer said offered him further motivation.

害羞草研究所淐oming from this small city, where it害羞草研究所檚 predominantly white, and all of a sudden seeing Indian people everywhere, it was a big change,害羞草研究所� Randhawa added.

Meanwhile, other changes were taking place in how people consumed music. More Punjabi music fans were gravitating to paid subscription services instead of solely YouTube, where the genre first thrived.

In response, the streaming platforms began to support more Punjabi-Canadian artists, placing their new songs in prime real estate. Spotify began positioning Dhillon and others on its New Music Friday Canada playlist, exposing their sound to listeners who never heard Punjabi music.

By the time COVID-19 restrictions were easing, those streaming numbers were proving themselves in concert ticket sales. Dhillon害羞草研究所檚 Out of This World Tour kicked off in late 2022, drawing crowds to the 19,000-seat Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

Live Nation promoter Baldeep Randhawa said he害羞草研究所檚 confident Punjabi music can draw far bigger numbers in the coming years. To make that happen, people like him are working to secure the right artists for the biggest venues, offering them technical support that puts them on a level with global stars.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e giving them the same opportunities that someone like Drake would (have),害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e able to play these professional venues (and) do it with a vision they like and want. When the audience is coming to these shows they害羞草研究所檙e leaving in awe of the level of production.害羞草研究所�

The Live Nation promoter has already witnessed the positive impact of these massive concerts on the local Punjabi-Canadian community.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 watching so many people come into these rooms for the first time,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淎nd I remember hearing a kid say 害羞草研究所業 can害羞草研究所檛 believe someone with a turban is playing this stage.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

What Canada害羞草研究所檚 Punjabi music wave still needs to thrive is more domestic support from the major record labels, say many who watch the scene.

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.

Paisley is confident it害羞草研究所檚 only a matter of time.

害羞草研究所淪ome people in the industry have taken notice, but I think there害羞草研究所檚 some (who) are still trying to turn a blind eye,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to take more of an in-your-face moment. We害羞草研究所檝e had a couple, but maybe it害羞草研究所檚 going to take a couple more.害羞草研究所�

One of those moments may have happened earlier this month at a concert in Mumbai. Pop superstar Ed Sheeran shocked his fans by bringing out Indian star Diljit Dosanjh 害羞草研究所� the artist who害羞草研究所檚 touring Canada this spring.

Together, they sang Dosanjh害羞草研究所檚 hit 害羞草研究所淟over害羞草研究所� with Sheeran chiming in to perform the chorus in Punjabi. It was a moment that earned positive attention on social media and suggested that Sheeran has his eye on the burgeoning corner of music.

Paisley said collaborations like these will be key to the Punjabi wave害羞草研究所檚 crossover success. He would like to hear more songs between the genre害羞草研究所檚 stars and big names in Latin and hip-hop music, as long as they feel authentic.

害羞草研究所淚 think we害羞草研究所檙e stronger together than we are apart,害羞草研究所� he added.

Producer Ikky agrees. He recently released 害羞草研究所淚kky害羞草研究所檚 House,害羞草研究所� an EP that plays around with genre conventions and introduces the Punjabi language into the pop sphere with help from Punjabi and English artists.

His production work aims to blend his perspective growing up in Canada with positive cultural values established in Punjabi music. It害羞草研究所檚 a concept he害羞草研究所檚 still working on, and something he believes will take time for the rest of the world to catch up to.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e still in a very early stage of global domination,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淔irst to India, we had to prove Canada is the home of Punjabi music. Now that we害羞草研究所檝e succeeded, we have to prove to Canada that this is Canadian music.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎fter that, we害羞草研究所檝e got to tell the world.害羞草研究所�

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