TALWIINDER'S METEORIC RISE IS ALL ABOUT THE SLOW BURN

Often pouring several years (and ears) into a single tune, Punjabi music's fastest-rising star is a supernova in the making

- SHAMANI JOSHI

There's a reason Talwiinder chose the name Misfit for his debut album. It's not just a title, it's a personality trait-one that the Punjabi singer wears as loudly and proudly as the ghoulish face paint that's become his second skin and signature armor.

Peel back the layers of paint and ambition, and you'll find an introspective boy from Tarn Taran, Punjab, who grew up immersed in the sounds of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Gurdas Maan-studying every note and nuance like a blueprint. Born Talwinder Singh Sidhu, the San Francisco-based Punjabi lyrical powerhouse is known for his velvety croon, emotive vocals, and mesmerizing rhythms. His tracks tell tales of desire and yearning, often cross-pollinating across genres like R&B, synth pop, drill, and lo-fi, though his voice fits just as easily in a Punjabi folk tune.

Even when nearly every track he stamps his name onto—from his first song “Unforgettable” to his recent release, “Haseen”—comfortably crosses the million-stream mark, he is in no rush to conform to traditional standards of success. And while he’s already claimed his spot as one of Punjabi music’s fastest-rising stars, it’s not an ascent he wants to make alone.