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Punjabi Star Shubh Becomes Second Indian Artist On Billboard Canada Cover After Diljit Dosanjh
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Shubh becomes the second Indian artist on Billboard Canada's cover, launching a North American arena tour and redefining global success for Punjabi music.
In a landmark moment for global music, India-born, Brampton-based Punjabi singer Shubh has etched his name into history by becoming only the second Indian—and second Punjabi—artist to appear on the solo cover of Billboard Canada, following superstar Diljit Dosanjh. More than just a personal milestone, this moment marks a cultural inflection point for Punjabi music, reflecting its explosive global growth and rising influence across mainstream music spaces.
Coinciding with this milestone is the announcement of Shubh's debut North American tour—an audacious arena-scale event that kicks off August 22 at Oakland Arena and continues through Vancouver, Toronto, and New Jersey. The Toronto stop, scheduled at Scotiabank Arena on September 5, places Shubh on a stage once graced by icons like Eminem. That he's chosen arenas for his very first North American tour speaks volumes about both his confidence and the demand for his music on a global scale.
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Shubh's rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Without the backing of a record label, and with zero money spent on advertising or promotions, he has amassed over 3 billion streams across platforms. In his own words, shared during his Billboard Canada interview, 'I didn't think I would ever chart." His manager, Shivam Malhotra of Malsons Media, confirmed that his entire journey has been organic, rooted in authenticity and word-of-mouth growth: 'Shubh has never spent a dollar on ads or marketing. Everything has grown organically."
Earlier this year, his second studio album Sicario, a 10-track project showcasing his lyrical dexterity and genre-blending finesse, debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and has garnered over 250 million streams so far. With a mix of hard-hitting tracks like 'Buckle Up" and 'Reckless" and melodic anthems like 'Aura" and 'Fell For You," the album cemented his versatility. Riding on that success, Shubh released the single 'Supreme," which further demonstrated his streaming dominance. The song debuted on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 and climbed to the No. 1 spot on Apple Music in both India and Canada. It also hit No. 3 on Spotify India and currently averages over a million streams per day on Spotify alone.
What truly defines Shubh, however, is not just commercial success but a relentless dedication to his craft. A self-described perfectionist, he writes all his lyrics by hand in notebooks he treats like diaries. 'My aim wasn't attention, it was precision," he says. That mantra is reflected in the painstaking care he puts into every track. He sometimes spends months on a single song, testing its resonance by listening to it hundreds of times. 'If I'm not tired of it after 200 plays, then I know it's ready," he shares. His 2022 hit 'Baller" underwent 29 different mixes before he reluctantly released it—still not completely satisfied. According to his manager, his songs average eight streams per user on Spotify, a testament to their staying power.
Despite the spotlight, Shubh remains grounded and introspective. His first-ever live concert was a sold-out show at Indigo at the O2 in London in 2023, and he still remembers the nerves. 'My voice was shaking," he recalls. 'I was very hyped up, but it also humbled me down." That humility continues to define his musical journey. He eschewed visual branding in his early releases, keeping his identity partially hidden to let the music speak first. Songs like 'We Rollin," released without a full music video or face reveal, exploded organically and established his global fanbase.
Shubh's sonic palette is wide-ranging and fearless. Drawing from his love for Bob Marley, he released the reggae-influenced 'One Love," which has now surpassed 400 million streams on Spotify. He plans to experiment with rock next, stating, 'I think I'll try rock in the next two to three months." His live shows are entirely performed with a band—no backing tracks. 'I don't believe in doing minus," he asserts, reinforcing his commitment to authenticity and artistry.
Even as he sings exclusively in Punjabi, Shubh's music explores universal themes—migration, longing, identity, perseverance. 'I write about what it feels like to leave home, move to a new country, and figure things out alone," he says. For him, music is about connection beyond language. 'People feel the vibe," he believes. His engagement with fans goes beyond passive appreciation. 'For me, my fans are like family," he says. 'I reply to them online. I see everything." That direct connection, paired with his unfiltered approach to growth, has built an intensely loyal and diverse global following.
Shubh's journey began like many immigrant stories—he arrived in Canada in 2014 as an international student to study mechanical engineering at Sheridan College. Music at that time was simply a private refuge. That changed in 2021 when he released 'We Rollin," which unexpectedly went viral and opened doors he hadn't imagined. 'That first song made me realize something special was happening," he reflects.
The future holds even bigger ambitions. Though a 2023 tour in India was canceled due to political controversy surrounding a misinterpreted social media post, Shubh has turned that setback into motivation. He's now planning large-scale shows with intricate staging and world-class production design. 'I'm building something really special," he says. 'It's never been done before in our scene." His dream is to perform in stadiums and 'pack entire cities."
More than just a rising star, Shubh is a symbol of what's possible in the independent music space. 'If I can buy a beat for $80 and get 300 million streams out of it, I believe anyone can do it," he says. His message to aspiring artists is simple: 'Keep trying, keep hustling, be consistent. If you bring honesty to your work, anything is possible."
With a pen in his hand, Punjabi on his lips, and the world as his audience, Shubh's Billboard Canada cover isn't just a personal triumph—it's a cultural milestone for an entire generation of artists redefining what global success looks like.
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