Loud and proud: Inside NZ's infectious Punjabi music scene

Punjabi pop and hip hop are gaining momentum in New Zealand, with a new generation of artists fusing global beats with South Asian heritage to connect with increasingly diverse audiences.

High-energy beats, bilingual lyrics and references to cities, cars and designer labels have become hallmarks of this fast-growing genre.

However, the movement means more than just music - it also inspires visibility, representation and finding a cultural voice.

The genre's momentum has been boosted globally by Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, who in 2023 became the first Punjabi artist to perform at Coachella.

In May, Dosanjh made his Met Gala debut dressed in regal attire inspired by a 20th-century Indian maharaja, signalling just how far Punjabi music has travelled beyond its traditional spaces.

The growing recognition has inspired a new generation of Punjabi musicians in New Zealand.

Today, young artists, many born or raised in New Zealand, have been mixing hip hop, bhangra, Punjabi rap and reggae with Punjabi lyrics and beats, creating a fresh hybrid sound that reflects their bicultural lives.

Auckland musician Lovepreet Brar, better known as Love Brar, is among the most recognisable names on the local scene.

With more than 74 million views on YouTube and over 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Brar has carved out a space in New Zealand's evolving Punjabi music community.

Brar moved from Punjab to New Zealand in 2010 as an international student.

However, his journey has not been without setbacks.

In 2018, he was sentenced to 11 months of home detention after being convicted over a driver's licence bribery scandal while working for the Automobile Association.

"I can say that was the biggest mistake of my life," Brar said. "I've paid the price and I've moved on."

The incident damaged his reputation, particularly within New Zealand's tight-knit Punjabi community.

"People judge you, and there's nothing you can do about that," he said. "But some of the seniors in the community understood me and supported me."

Since then, Brar has slowly rebuilt his career. His 2023 single Putt Begaane has racked up more than 30 million views on YouTube.

Brar's not alone.

A growing number of artists have been exploring Punjabi music, making space for it in New Zealand.

"I was a courier driver delivering parcels and one day I saw musical instruments in a house I delivered to," said Yogesh Rai, better known as Yogi.

"I started chatting with the owner, and he asked me to come record a few songs - and I did. And here we are."

Originally from Punjab, Rai moved to New Zealand 12 years ago.

He has since released several songs and recently received NZ On Air Pan-Asian music funding for his upcoming single Billiyian Akhiyan.

The $11,000 grant included support for recording, video content and promotion.

"I've always been writing songs but never released any because I never saw the industry big enough for someone like me to build a career on," Rai said.

His music caught the attention of Big Shot Vibes, a New Zealand-based label and film production house, during a house party.

"They gave me a platform. I re-recorded and released my songs - and, to my surprise, the response was great," he said.

"At Big Shot Vibes, we're all about amplifying voices that don't always get the mic. It's time for more producers and platforms to do the same," said Priya Bhardwaj, Big Shot Vibes' business manager.

"If we truly want a music landscape that reflects the world we live in, we need to make room for new perspectives," she said.

However, Rai said the industry was still fragmented.

"People are scattered and nobody knows nobody," he said.

Rai said there was plenty of room for the scene to grow, with artists aiming at the local market as well as the global Punjabi diaspora, including audiences in India.

Bobby Singh, who released his first track last year, agreed the local scene remained underdeveloped.

"I was born in Haryana, India, but we moved here when I was 6," he said. "I used to sing religious songs at the gurdwara - that's what got me into singing."

Singh said it was difficult to find producers in New Zealand who understood the Punjabi sound.

"It's really difficult to find good music producers who could help you understand the Punjabi scene," he said. "I'm currently working with producers in the UK and Italy."

He hoped the local industry matured enough for musicians to record and produce professionally in New Zealand.

Monetising music was another major hurdle.

"No one's really making a lot of money out of this," Singh said. "It takes a lot of time, and you need to spend big."

Brar echoed that concern.

"The more you spend, the more quality you get in music and videos and, of course, more views," he said. "But singers in New Zealand have to spend money from their own pocket, and that's stopping many from getting their music out. Finding a producer is still hard."

Kashish Sharma, an Auckland-based vocalist and producer who works primarily in Punjabi and Hindi music, also started out with limited resources.

"It was a bit of a struggle to find music producers in Auckland, so I started learning production myself," Sharma said.

"I began with a basic setup in 2018. Now I'm a fully-fledged producer, handling everything from recording to mastering and distribution."

Sharma, who releases music under the name Kashi, saw potential in the local scene.

"Punjabi music has grown worldwide hugely in the last few years, and I think it motivates young artists to start something of their own," he said.

"The community here is big - and I've seen Punjabi musicians come from overseas and fill seats in arenas. So, yeah, there's definitely interest and the community is getting bigger."

According to the 2023 Census, the Indian community is now New Zealand's third-largest ethnic group, with 292,092 people - around 5.8 percent of the population - claiming Indian heritage.

Nearly 16.4 percent of that group speaks Punjabi, now the fastest-growing language in New Zealand. Between 2018 and 2023, the number of Punjabi speakers rose 45.1 percent, with 49,656 people reporting it as a language spoken at home.

Despite that growth, Sharma said the music scene remained small.

"There are not many projects, so I can't make this a full-time job," he said, noting he also works as a project manager.

"But it works for me because I make my own music."

Others said community support was essential if the scene was to thrive.

"The community here loves to bring artists from overseas, spending so much money," Rai said. "On the other hand, they could also support the artists who are already here."

Singh agreed.

"There's a lot of talent here," he said. "People here make a whole lot better music than whoever it is but, yeah, New Zealand needs to support that a bit more."