Throughout the historic Dil-Luminati tour, Diljit Dosanjh often proudly repeated a phrase on stage: “Punjabi aa gaye oye” – “The Punjabis have arrived!”
The slogan recognized not only the strides made by Diljit, but also the doors his phenomenal success opened for Punjabi music and culture. Diljit's tour took the musician and film star to eight US and five Canadian cities, making it the largest North American tour by a Punjabi music artist in history, with 215,000 attendees and more than $27 million in grosses, according to Live Nation. With 54,000 fans in attendance, his show in Vancouver was the biggest concert ever by a Punjabi artist.
On stage, dressed in Punjabi attire, Diljit was charming and confident, with every smile and twirl of his mustache sending the crowd into a wave of applause and cheers. It was a moment not only for him, but for the entire community that had brought him there. “Congratulations to all of you,” he said, gesturing to the crowd. “I didn't create it – you created it. I would be nothing without all of you.”
Lane Dorsey
When the tour arrived in Toronto, Diljit met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Stopped by the Rogers Center to wish @diljitdosanjh good luck before his show,” Trudeau tweeted. “Canada is a wonderful country – a country where a guy from Punjab can make history and sell out stadiums. Diversity is not our only strength. It's a super power.”
Diljit has dreamed of it ever since he took his first international flight to play his first concert outside India in 2005. “When I got to Canada, that's when I saw the stadiums for the first time,” he says. Seeing these sports venues and hearing that they hosted concerts by the biggest artists in the world, he set a goal: “That's when I decided that one day I would perform in a stadium. I just knew it.”
Diljit's 2024 tour marked a breakthrough. In 2023, he became the first act to perform at Coachella entirely in Punjabi, paving the way for artists such as Punjabi Canadian star AP Dhillon, who played the festival this year. Diljit also became the first Punjabi actor to play a major American talk show when he appeared The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June, where the host introduced him as “the greatest Punjabi artiste on the planet”.
Lane Dorsey
Canada has established itself as the leading market beyond South Asia for Punjabi music — a phenomenon coined the “Punjabi Wave” by Billboard Canada — and Diljit has been a mainstay in the country Bulletin board diagrams. He was the first Punjabi act with three titles on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, while hits like “Hass Hass,” featuring Sia, appeared on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100. He also recently worked with Ed Sheeran (with whom he collaborated twice on stage , in both English and Punjabi), Pitbull, NLE Choppa and Saweetie and his song “Palpita”, featuring Colombian star Camilo, featured lyrics in Spanish and Punjabi.
For Diljit, spoken language is no barrier when it comes to the popularity of his music. “Music is a universal language,” he says. “Music belongs to everyone. It resonates with anyone and everyone. Music knows no borders.”
Born Daljit Singh and brought up in the village of Dosanjh Kalan, he moved to Punjab's largest city, Ludhiana, when he was 11 years old. He started his career playing tabla in a local gurdwara. in 2003, he debuted with the song “Ishq Da Uda Ada” (rough translation: “The ABCs of Love”).
During his first international tour in Canada, he released his 2005 album, Smileand began to score regional successes. In 2011, Diljit made his acting debut in the action film The Lion of Punjabwhich laid the foundation for his acclaimed career in Punjabi and Hindi cinema. Now, he has starred in many of the highest grossing Punjabi films of all time, including Vancouver Jatt & Juliet trilogy.
Lane Dorsey
As seen in the crowd demographics at Diljit's concerts, his appeal cuts across generations. His down-to-earth personality and respect for history make him a fan favorite of all ages. “In our culture, we cannot give anything to the older generation. We can only take their blessings,” he says. “That's what I'm trying to do: keep getting their blessings.”
He offers the next generation the same respect he gives the elders, trying to welcome young listeners and include them in his concerts. “Whenever I meet young children wearing my stage attire, it always leaves a lasting impression. It becomes an unforgettable moment for me,” says Diljit. “I would like them to dream big. All I want to say is dream big and never give up.”
All this is part of Diljit's larger mission. “My aim is to spread Punjabi music all over the world,” he says. “Punjabi culture is very rich and I want everyone to experience it.”
