Canada's leading university to offer a course on global popstar Diljeet Dosanjh
At a time when global popstar Diljeet Dosanjh has stirred a political debate and is being trolled for working with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in his upcoming film Sardaar Ji 3 in the wake of India-Pakistan tensions, Toronto Metropolitan University, one of the top public universities in Canada has decided to start a course on the artiste, making him perhaps the first Punjabi musician to be studied academically. The course will begin in the Fall of 2026.
Dosanjh joins the ranks of global icons like The Beatles, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, among others, who have the rare honour of their music and its cultural impact being studied by students. The course, a milestone for an Indian artiste, acknowledges not just the musician's popularity the world over, which in recent times has been marked by his sold out Dil-Luminati tour, performance at a major festival like Coachella and his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, will also look at conversations around art and identity besides decoding how regional musicians are shaping the global narrative.
Charlie Wall-Andrews, Assistant Professor at The Creative School at TMU, in a conversation with Billboard Canada, said that Dosanjh's journey 'embodies the intersection of culture, identity, and global music entrepreneurship' and 'his rise illustrates the cultural influence and economic potential of Punjabi music on the world stage'. 'By examining his impact, students will explore how regional sounds shape global pop culture, mobilise diasporic communities, and contribute to sustainable creative economies rooted in authenticity,' he added.
In his conversation with A Panay Panos, Recording Academy President, at The Billboard Summit over the last weekend, Dosanjh spoke about the cultural shift that is now happening where one can find success with music that's not in English. 'The first week at Coachella was challenging, but by the second week, the security guards were saying that they didn't want to miss the performance… (Being a ) global artiste is great, but I want my people to experience their own culture, their own music… those little kids to see someone from their culture on that stage so that they don't think any dream is a big dream,' said Dosanjh, who has collaborated with other global popstars such as Ed Sheeran, Shakira and Sia.
Dosanjh also spoke of music's power to unite at a time when the world is ravaged by war. 'Countries are at war with each other, and we don't have control over these things, but music is a way to unite nations,' said Dosanjh.
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