Punjabi artist Karan Aujla made history with a victory at the 2024 Juno Awards on Sunday night, winning the TikTok Juno Fan Choice Award.
In an unprecedented moment in Canadian music, a Punjabi artist made history with a victory at the 2024 Juno Awards.
Karan Aujla won the 2024 TikTok Juno Fan Choice Award, breaking boundaries for a community not traditionally recognized in this space.
“Punjabi music is the future”, Aujla promised.
In 2023, two of Aujla singles, “52 Bars” and “Take It Easy”, made the top 10 most-watched YouTube videos list in Canada, a testament to his widespread popularity and influence. His songs have transcended linguistic and cultural barriers to become anthems of a generation.
Those anthems were loud and clear on Sunday night as Aujla, and producer Ikky, performed their singles “Admirin’ You” and “Softly”. After Tesher and AP Dhillon, Aujla has become the third musician to sing in Punjabi on the prestigious Junos stage.
Canada is experiencing its own Punjabi music renaissance with its new sound deeply rooted in Canada. The genre has transformed from traditional bhangra and folk music, into a new, fresh and unique sound where Punjabi lyrics blend with hip-hop beats, allowing artists to reach new heights.
This year, in addition to Aujla’s victory, the Juno Awards also gave a nod to another rising star within the Punjabi music scene, Shubh.
The singer, who has over 74 million YouTube views on his single “Still Rollin”, also received two nominations, further highlighting the growing influence of Punjabi music on a national stage.
Aujla’s win at the Juno Awards symbolizes a triumph, not only for the Punjabi music genre, but for cultural diversity and representation in the Canadian music industry.
