Music megastar Diljit Dosanjh is taking the stage and making history in Canada and around the world
Music superstar Diljit Dosanjh is set to make history today, and it has a lot to do with his Canadian fanbase.
Dosanjh will be the first Punjabi artist to headline at BC Place in Vancouver — one of the biggest stadiums in the country — as he kicks off his DIL-LUMINATI North American Tour.
The event is expected to make history as the largest Punjabi show outside of India.
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The actor and musician shared some thoughts about his career, success and what’s to come with Daily Hive.
From Punjab to global stardom
The past few years have been massive for Dosanjh.
He credits a lot of his success to his support in Canada.
The artist told Daily Hive via email that the True North has become a “home away from home” for him.
“I love the people, culture, and overall vibe that I feel every time I find myself there,” he said.
“I was amazed to discover such a strong fanbase and sense of community here during my 2022 tour.”
Dosanjh’s 2022 “Born to Shine” tour also kicked off in Vancouver to a sold-out crowd at Rogers Arena, with stops across Canada in Winnipeg, Toronto, and several US cities.
But since then, Dosanjh’s stardom has exploded.
While he had already made his mark as a movie and music star in Punjabi and Bollywood cinema, Dosanjh really stepped onto the global stage at Coachella in 2023.
He was the first person of Sikh-Punjabi origin to perform at a legendary music festival which takes place annually in Palm Springs.
His performance left fans extremely emotional and proud.
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He’s also collaborated with huge names in music like Sia and Ed Sheeran, who brought Dosanjh up on stage during a recent performance in Mumbai.
Besides his personal success, Dosanjh has paved the way for the global popularization of Punjabi music, with artists like Karan Aujla and AP Dhillion following in his footsteps and playing to sold-out crowds around the world.
“I like to carry my culture with me”
While Dosanjh is no stranger to melding his sounds with hip-hop, rap, and pop, he said his strongest musical influence will always be the traditional folk music of Punjab.
“My strongest influence is Punjabi folk music, which I listened to as a child in my hometown. My all-time favourite Punjabi folk artists are Kuldeep Manak and Chamkila,” he explained.
He had the opportunity to play Chamkila, the legendary Punjabi folk singer who was shot and killed in 1988, in a film about his life that was released on Netflix earlier this month.
“I like to carry my culture with me through my artistic pursuits and share more of the music that made me who I am with my international fans.”
Aside from his artistic pursuits, Dosanjh is also making business moves. He’s appeared in ads for Coca-Cola and North American Indian dairy and food brand Nanak Foods.
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Most recently, he teamed up with Simplii Financial, a Canadian direct bank and the digital banking division of CIBC, as their first-ever brand ambassador for a new campaign.
“Simplii encourages people to live in the moment, and we share a passion for inspiring and supporting new Canadians, so when they reached out, it was an obvious choice for me. I think it’s a big deal for newcomers and international students to see themselves reflected in Canadian brands, and I’m happy to play a part in that,” he said.
Reflecting on the past few years, Dosanjh expressed his gratitude to his biggest supporters: the fans.
“There are so many things that have happened in the past few years that feel truly extraordinary to me,” he remarked.
“I’m living in the now and always looking forward to what’s next and, right now, next up is coming back to Canada.”
With files from Daniel Chai
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