THE NEW POP ICON

From electrifying global stages to breaking linguistic barriers and redefining Punjabi pride, Diljit Dosanjh proved that true artistry transcends borders and genres

- Suhani Singh

Everybody wanted a piece of Diljit Dosanjh in 2024. The Ambanis did, for their son Anant's big prewedding bash in Vantara, where the Punjabi singer followed Rihanna's act and still had the who's who of India jumping on their feet. The filmmakers of Kalki 2898 AD, Figra, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Baby John did. As all had a Diljit single on their soundtracks. And then there were thousands who came to see him perform live during his 'Dil-Luminati' tour-both in India and abroad.

Beyond the energetic atmosphere he creates in these evenings, Diljit's biggest success lies in how far he has taken Punjabi pop within India. Concerts in cities like Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Guwahati show that he's the rare north Indian artiste whose music transcends linguistic barriers, with even non-Punjabis singing along, word for word. And he has this ability to strike a chord with audiences anywhere in India, even while conversing in a mix of Punjabi and Hindi. That's the reason why, by the end of Dil-Luminati's successful run, his chant "Main Hoon Punjab" (I am Punjab) had become a powerful declaration as much as a sartorial statement.