Anticipating a monumental night for Punjabi music at an upcoming Toronto concert

CITYnews halifax / By Sumeet Dhami, OMNI News

The stage is set for a historic musical event as global superstar Diljit Dosanjh prepares to perform at the Rogers Centre this Saturday, July 13, marking the end of a massive North American tour. Shattering records with some of the largest Punjabi music concerts ever held outside of India, Dosanjh’s Toronto grand finale is set to celebrate the evolution and acceptance of Punjabi music in Canada.

Dosanjh, praised for his charismatic stage presence, electrifying performances, and string of international hits, is expected to deliver a show that will resonate deeply with fans. His tour has sold out stadiums across North America, highlighting the growing influence and popularity of Punjabi music far beyond its traditional roots. Dosanjh’s tour kicked off in Vancouver to a crowd of more than 54,000 people, with stops in Calgary, Winnipeg, and Los Angeles to name a few. He also made a mid-tour stop on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on June 18, becoming what’s believed to be the first artist to sing in Punjabi on the Tonight Show stage.

Over the past few years, Punjabi music has seen a meteoric rise, driven by a combination of innovative new sounds and an international appetite. In OMNI Television’s special program, “Melas to Mainstream: Punjabi Music’s Boom in Canada,” artists and industry insiders shared how the genre has transformed from traditional bhangra and folk music, into a new, fresh, and unique sound where Punjabi lyrics blend with hip-hop beats.

This extraordinary boom in the music industry is led by many Canadian-Punjabi artists including Karan Aujla, AP Dhillon, Shubh, and Sukha. The numbers underscore this cultural shift as British Columbia’s Karan Aujla made history in March by becoming the first Punjabi artist to win the Juno Fan Choice Award. Aujla boasts three billion views on YouTube and over one billion audio streams. The Canadian music industry has seen an increase in the consumption of Punjabi music over the past few years, with streaming platforms reporting exponential growth in Punjabi playlists.

But the rise of this music is not just about entertainment, it signifies broader cultural acceptance and recognition. When artists like Dosanjh and Aujla grace mainstream stages with Jimmy Fallon or the Juno Awards, it sends a powerful message of inclusion and belonging. A moment of pride for the community on the world stage.

As Punjabi music continues to rise, artists such as Dosanjh and Aujla are paving the way for future generations, inspiring young musicians and expanding the genre’s global reach. The success of Dosanjh’s tour reflects the genre’s growing influence on a cultural shift in the music industry.

If you’re looking to score a pair of tickets to see history being made for yourself, OMNI Television is thrilled to announce a special giveaway for a chance to see Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati concert in Toronto this Saturday, July 13. For full details, contest rules, and to enter, head to www.omnitv.ca/diljit.

You can catch encore presentations of OMNI Television’s special program, “Melas to Mainstream: Punjabi Music’s Boom in Canada,” on OMNI 2. To watch in Punjabi, tune in on Friday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, July 13, at 6:30 p.m. or Sunday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m.