Punjabi music sans guns, violence and sexism: Welcome to the new age

It is nearly midnight when Talwiinder takes the stage for his first gig at a glitzy night club, Episodes by Kala Ghoda, in Chandigarh. You’re selling yourself, not the music,” he says a day later, at the terraced roof of his hotel. Talwiinder, who has hits like ‘Gaah’, ‘Gallan Char’ and ‘Dil Te Dimag’ under his belt, is among artists who are defining new-age Punjabi music, which expands on global music but whose lyrics are rooted in the linguistic heritage of Punjab. New York-based music producer DJ Rekha Malhotra, who launched Basement Bhangra in New York in 1997, says, “In the UK, during the peak of UK Bhangra, there were many labels like Oriental Star Agency, Moviebox, Nachural Records, and Multitone. Top 5 on Spotify Most-listened-to Punjabi singers Sidhu Moose Wala AP Dhillon Karan Aujla Harrdy Sandhu Arjan Dhillon Most-listened-to Punjabi songs No love, by Shubh 295, by Sidhu Moosewala Excuses, by AP Dhillon The Last Ride, by Sidhu Moosewala We Rollin, by Shubh Most-streamed musicians in India Arijit Singh Sidhu Moosewala Anirudh Ravichander Pritam Shreya Ghoshal “Punjabi is now amongst the top five languages streamed in India.