Four singing sensations from the Punjabi music industry are sure taking rapid strides towards stardom

Gurjant Pannu

In the Punjabi music industry, a star is born each day; such is the competition. Here are four of them, who have tasted success quite early in their careers. We ask what music means to them, their plans ahead and what difference they want to bring through their music & more.

Bull’s eye

With his first song Game, which was released last month by Sidhu Moosewala’s new label 5911 Records, Sukhman Singh Kahlon aka Shooter Kahlon has garnered 48 million views so far! The song’s video has a rustic feel to it and shows Kahlon as a daily-wager going out for construction work. It also features Sidhu Moosewala.

Not many are aware that Kahlon’s name was suggested by Sidhu Moosewala himself. Not affected by the rage he has become in Punjab within a month’s time, Shooter says, “I believe in Waheguru and whatever I have written so far, I credit him the most for I was able to write about things that I have never experienced also! I am glad that people could relate with the song and the video could resonate with the emotions that any struggling person feels on a daily basis. That it has become a motivational number for some makes me happy.”

Shayar’s swag

Making a name for himself through his shayari and songs on social media is Robyn Sandhu, a 22-year-old from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan. He has been living in Canada since the last three years and hopes to carve out a niche for himself. Sandhu says, “I started posting my poetry on Facebook and Instagram, and after getting a good response I forayed into singing and rap.” His shayari Gall 47 Di, which was released on YouTube two months ago, is a unique blend of poetry and music along with storytelling. He wants to highlight issues through his songs even as he talks of depression in J Ro Pya.

The intelligent singer

Tann Badwal, 26, who is an IIT Kharagpur pass-out and works as a consultant in Portugal, released his first song, Ki Haal Bewafa Tera, in February, 2019. He has been writing and composing songs since the last eight years right from his college days. Badwal, who is a native of Mehatpur village in Nawanshahr, came to Portugal in 2017 after getting a campus placement. “I have always been fascinated by music and listened to legends such as Ghulam Ali. I got formal training in tabla and learnt music production in Chandigarh,” he says.

On a solo journey

Supreet Singh Suri, alias Sur, has started his career recently with the song Asar, which was released last month. British-born Sur came to India in 2015 to make a career in the music industry after being the lead singer of a band called Swami, which produced Punjabi experimental music.

“It’s incredibly difficult to break into the Punjabi music industry, which is dominated by big names. Being from the UK, people were eager to meet me, but nothing materialised and I didn’t want to sing songs written or composed by others. I don’t want to rush,” he says.