Bhalwaan

Punjabi pop star Bhalwaan sees himself as much a songwriter as a singer. The Canada-based vocalist, lyricist and composer—who hails from the Doaba region—began writing lyrics in his early teens, inspired by his mother, a Punjabi-language teacher and author. With influences that include singers such as Kaler Kanth and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, whose music he heard his father and uncle play while growing up, Bhalwaan already had a few songs in the bag when he moved to Canada towards the end of the 2010s. There, he met producer Signature by SB, with whom he formed a longstanding partnership that became a hit-making collaboration, generating smashes such as the catchy kiss-off “Gal Kurey” (2020) and the Priceless EP trilogy, which have drawn listeners for their impactful vocals and vivid lyricism. Words—and tunes—come easily to Bhalwaan, who released over 30 singles, half a dozen EPs and a pair of albums in the first six years of his career.