Latest news with #ChaniNattan
CBC
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
What makes Surrey, B.C., a 'global epicentre' for South Asian music?
Social Sharing When the 2025 Juno Award nominations were announced last month, there was a clear theme: South Asian music and artists are rising up across Canada, and particularly in B.C. AP Dhillon, who lives on Vancouver Island, as well as Karan Aujla, Jazzy B, Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga, all four of whom are linked to Surrey, B.C., are up for South Asian Music Recording of the Year. It's Surrey that's particularly notable when it comes to the genre. Rolling Stone magazine in 2023 called the rise of South Asian music in Canada the "Punjabi Wave," and noted how many of those popular artists hail from B.C. — mentioning Aujla's Surrey connections specifically. Juno Awards president Allan Reid has described Surrey as the "epicentre" of South Asian music, on a global scale. Why Surrey? For the past several years, 5X Fest, celebrating South Asian music and art, has been held throughout Metro Vancouver. Executive director Harpo Mander said that's largely due to immigration. "A lot of international students coming from the Punjab region of India chose this as a destination or got admission in schools here," she said. "A lot of them were back in India writing, performing." She said there are people who aren't necessarily based in Surrey, but go there to make music with artists in the community. "Now a lot of those people are making a global impact because they were really talented and they kind of came together with other talented people." WATCH | Chani Nattan speaks to growing movement of Punjabi music: These artists are elevating Punjabi music with worldwide hits from Surrey, B.C. 14 days ago Duration 3:31 According to Statistics Canada, in 2021 there were about 212,000 people of South Asian descent living in Surrey — almost 38 per cent of the city's population. Harj Nagra, who has been making Punjabi music for about 12 years, said having a large South Asian population has certainly been beneficial for local artists, but added that social media has helped spread the word about the genre worldwide. "I think like [previously], I would say there was different demographics of people that were listening, so not so much of the younger crowd," he said. "More and more people are more involved in Punjabi music and they're listening to it. They'll see someone post a video reel [on Instagram] and they wanna listen to it, they wanna make a TikTok." Surrey-based songwriter Chani Nattan, who is nominated for a Juno Award for COOLIN, said Surrey is engrained in who he is, partly because of the pride locals take in him and other Surrey artists. "Surrey is like the backbone of my life," he said. "I've seen a lot of artists come up from their hometowns, they don't receive as much love. Being part of this community from here, I feel like they've really embraced me." WATCH | South Asian representation at the Junos: B.C.'s South Asian musicians nab multiple Juno Award nominations 2 days ago Duration 5:58 B.C.'s growing South Asian music scene takes the spotlight at this year's Juno Awards, with numerous artists from Surrey and the Fraser Valley getting nominated. As Sohrab Sandhu reports, the city is fast emerging as a major hub for the South Asian music industry. Growing up, Nattan thought he'd have to relocate to the U.K. to get the support he needed to have a career in music, but more and more producers, photographers, videographers and studios have popped up in Surrey, making it easy to find people to collaborate with. "Now I feel like that whole hub is in Canada and a lot of it is in Surrey." Mander hopes it stays that way. She's inspired by the way Latin music, a regional genre, became mainstream, and stayed there. "It's very normal to listen to like a Latin song or a Latin artist on the radio," she said. "I think that's what we're hoping for, is that Punjabi music is not just a moment in time, but something that sticks around for a very long time from here on."
CBC
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
South Asian music will gets its due at Junos this weekend, reflecting rising popularity in Canada
Yanchan Rajmohan, known professionally as Yanchan Produced, is on cloud nine. "It feels like a dream come true," he said in an interview with CBC News about his recent Juno nomination. While an awards nod is a big deal to most artists, to Yanchan, this recognition has an added aspect. He is nominated for South Asian music recording of the year, a new category for the 2025 Juno Awards, which take place on Sunday. "I've watched the Junos every year, and to finally have a category that represents South Asian artists and to be a part of this for the first time ... it just feels like hope to me," he said. That recognition comes amid the music's growing popularity — especially in Canada. SiriusXM recently announced a new South Asian music channel, citing the "massive growth of South Asian music in Canada." WATCH | Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga on new South Asian music award: These artists are elevating Punjabi music with worldwide hits from Surrey, B.C. 13 days ago Duration 3:31 In 2023, Warner Music's Canadian and Indian divisions jointly founded 91 North Records, a label meant to support and capitalize on the rise of South Asian artists. It's since gone on to sign South Asian powerhouses like Jonita Gandhi and Chani Nattan — both of whom are nominated for Junos this year. And just last year, Indian musician Diljit Dosanjh took to the stage in front of 54,000 people at Vancouver's BC Place — the largest-ever Punjabi concert outside of India, according to Billboard Canada. It was a followup to a 2022 sold-out show at the city's Rogers Arena that some B.C. industry members pointed to as a seminal moment for South Asian music in the country. That influence appears often on the Junos shortlist. There, artists Karan Aujla, Sukha, AP Dhillon and AR Paisley show up everywhere from fan choice and single, to album and breakthrough artist of the year. But it is in the new category — created, the Junos explained in an announcement, for a country that's become the "epicentre of South Asian music globally" — that the collection of talent is impossible to miss. Yanchan said their success can continue to create more change. "I'm hoping that I can open the doors," he said. "Then behind me is a whole army of other talented musicians, who can follow their own path and, you know, add their own impact to the industry." Music journalist Jeevan Sangha said this change has been a long time coming. That's especially true in her province of British Columbia, where the awards are set to take place and where AP Dhillon, Karan Aujla and fellow South Asian nominee Jazzy B call home. "I'm from Surrey, so if you walk the streets of Surrey, you're going to hear Punjabi music in the streets. It's very normal," she said. "I just think that now, more and more people are getting exposed to it through programming like the Junos, where they get to see it at an award show in a different light." There are a number of possible reasons for its growth. According to Statistics Canada, the South Asian population in Canada nearly quadrupled between 1996 and 2021. In the 2021 census, more than 2.3 million Canadians reported South Asian ethnicity, with large numbers in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario, where they represent 7.1, 9.6 and 10.8 per cent of the population, respectively. 'Language isn't necessarily a barrier,' says journalist Sangha doesn't attribute the rise in the music's popularity just to people of South Asian background. She said the music has gained a foothold throughout the country, possibly bolstered by the advent of streaming. It's an effect observed elsewhere: According to a 2023 year-end report by American music analyst company Luminate Data, nearly 40 per cent of American music listeners reported listening to songs in a non-English language. It was part of a larger trend: Between 2021 and 2022, Luminate reported, there was an 85 per cent increase of songs in the top streaming tracks that originated outside of the United States. That far-reaching sensibility, Sangha said, could be bolstering interest in South Asian music. "I would totally say language isn't necessarily a barrier," she said of American and Canadian listeners considering Punjabi music. "It might even be a hook." Still, while the new category at the Junos is a good first step, Sangha said, she has reservations. "My concern ... is this kind of turning into a bucket where we can put South Asian artists and not have them recognized in mainstream categories," she said. "I'm hoping that this is one step towards not needing a South Asian category at all and just seeing, you know, South Asian artists and artists from all across the world being recognized alongside artists that maybe are more familiar to Canadians on the radio." Given the fact that South Asian artists are spread throughout the nominations list, Sangha said, that's at least not the case this year. For Toronto's Jonita Gandhi, who is also nominated in the new category and is slated to perform at the awards, the inclusion is nothing but good news. Growing up in Mississauga, Ont., she said, she was often bullied for her appearance. After getting into music, for which she credits streaming for creating a broad audience, it led to a self-acceptance and self-confidence that she said felt impossible as a child. But having a category like this would have helped her get there much faster, Gandhi said. "I definitely would have loved to see more people like me when I was younger to kind of look up to and be like, 'Hey, it's all right — it's OK to be brown," she said. "It's OK to be Punjabi and be different basically in a lot of different ways.'"
CBC
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Surrey gets a taste of the Juno Awards with free music festival
Social Sharing The Juno Awards may still be weeks away, but Surrey is getting an early taste of the excitement with a free, massive music festival this weekend. The Let's Hear It B.C. Junos Plaza Party will take place at Surrey Civic Plaza on Saturday, with more than 30 artists across six stages from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. This festival is part of a provincewide tour leading up to the 2025 Juno Awards, set to be held at Vancouver's Rogers Arena on March 30. Organizers say the goal is to spread the Juno vibes beyond the city's downtown core. WATCH: Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga made history with their Juno Award nomination: Chani Nattan started his career by making religious music, now he and Inderpal Moga are collaborating with the artist that they looked up to growing up 3 days ago Duration 0:55 First-time Juno nominee Chani Nattan started his career by making religious music, and now he and Inderpal Moga are collaborating with Jazzy B, the Punjabi Canadian artist they looked up to growing up. "We want to make sure that the spirit of the award goes to far more places," said Neesha Hothi, director of marketing and communications for the Vancouver Juno Host Committee. "And Surrey is one of those stops." The festival's lineup includes 2025 Juno nominees Tyler Joe Miller, Chani Nattan, and Inderpal Moga, as well as Punjabi music icon Sarbjit Cheema. Hothi says Surrey's musicians are making their mark in Canadian music. "[The city] is booming with artistry right now, especially from the South Asian music scene," she said. "It is the epicentre of that diaspora's music scene right now, and we really want to celebrate that." Local Bhangra superstar Jazzy B was nominated for COOLIN with Nattan and Moga for the inaugural South Asian Music Recording of the Year Award. Country singer Miller, a Surrey native, will also perform at the festival. His album Going Home is nominated for Country Album of the Year at the Junos, marking this his second consecutive nomination. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke called the festival a fitting celebration of the city's diverse music scene. "[It] is the perfect way to celebrate the incredible talent being recognized at the 2025 Juno Awards—right here in the heart of Surrey," Locke said in a statement. "With over 30 artists representing our diverse cultural community, this festival will be a day to remember and showcase the incredible talent that Surrey has to offer." Other performers at the event will include Shawnee Kish, Brass Camel, Luca Fogale, Fionn, Empanadas Ilegales, and Ginalina, spanning genres from country and pop to folk and Punjabi music. It will also feature an open jam session, a 5X Art Party with South Asian DJs, family-friendly activities, food trucks, and a beer garden. Organizers say all performance areas are covered or indoors, ensuring the event will go on rain or shine. Hothi says the festival is all about making the Junos accessible to fans across the province. "We know that the Junos can only happen in one spot," she said. "But that doesn't mean that B.C. isn't entirely full of incredible music, musicians, and fans." Other Let's Hear It B.C.
CBC
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
These artists are elevating Punjabi music with world-wide hits from Surrey B.C.
Surrey songwriter Chani Nattan and vocalist Inderpal Moga share the moments leading up to their first Juno nomination. Both artists will be performing on March 15 for the Junos Plaza Party and at the Junos on March 30 at Rogers Arena.
