At a time when Punjabi beats are all the rage around the world and rightly so, two Surrey artists are rewriting what it means to be global, brown, and unapologetically Punjabi. One’s a turbaned powerhouse whose soulful voice commands both trap and tradition. The other? A lyrical magician whose words jive perfectly between ancestral pride and genre-bending swagger. Meet Inderpal Moga and Chani Nattan—Surrey’s own duo who are not only riding the Punjabi music wave, they’re helping shape its tide.
Rooted in Language, Riding on Vibes
Before they were lighting up international charts, both Inderpal Moga and Chani Nattan were just two kids from Punjabi households—raised on history, hustle, and hits.
“My first language at home was Punjabi,” says Chani, who was born and raised in Surrey to immigrant parents who arrived in Canada in the ‘80s. “I was blessed to have Punjabi as my mother tongue. English came later — I really only started speaking it once I went to school.” But while most of his classmates were spinning mainstream pop, Chani was dialed into something else entirely. “The UK was dropping bangers,” he laughs. “RDB, B21, Panjabi MC, Tru Skool—it was a full-on Punjabi music era there. Even though we were in Canada, we were soaking up those vibes like it was our own. I grew up burning CDs, and eventually, when I got out of high school, I started writing music.”
Initially, he wrote songs because it was something that came naturally to him. It was only after high school, he started taking it seriously, “I realized it was more than just a shauk,” he shares. “I had always been writing. I still remember - Grade 8, I submitted a poem for a speech competition. It got picked, but I pulled it out because I was scared my friends would make fun of me.”
Chani was fortunate to have Music Producer Intense show him the ropes growing up. “He was a friend of my older brother, and I would hang out at his studio, learning from him and the artists he worked with.” What really validated his passion for songwriting was when Diljit Dosanjh collaborated with Chani to create the hit song ‘Umbrella’: “I was able to write for someone whom I admired. It made me feel I was doing something right.”
Chani started his career writing songs about the Sikh faith and the struggles the community faced. “Growing up, my dad often invited Sikh Kavishris home, and I took a liking to it,” he says. “I always wanted to give back to the community, so I wrote religious music, commemorating the history of my ancestors and faith.” He continued creating soulful tracks for two years and then transitioned to commercial music in 2019.
Inderpal’s journey to music began halfway across the world in Punjab, where he sang Kavishris and performed at school events and religious gatherings from an early age. When he moved to Canada’s Surrey 7 years ago, he brought that fire with him: “I came to Canada to make music and showcase my talent to everyone.”
Balancing a job with his passion, he squeezed in studio time on his off hours, chasing a dream with no guarantees. “I recorded a song and sent it to 500 artists,” Inderpal laughs. “Just cold messaging anyone who might listen. I was trying to get noticed. All any artist wants is a little love back.” Only one person answered. That person was Chani.
Inderpal and Chani – In Sync
Chani had recently written a song that fit a modern style trap beat, and was on the hunt for a singer who would do it justice. “When I first heard Inderpal, I thought his voice was something different,” he tells DARPAN. “Inderpal could really adapt to different beats. Trap, bhangra, R&B—he caught beats fast, and that’s what I really liked.”
“I was blessed that Chani was the one who noticed my song,” beams Chani. “It does not feel like work when I’m around him, it feels like I’m making music with my brother. After listening to Inderpal’s first song, the duo decided to meet at a studio: “And the first time we met, we recorded ‘Rockstar.’ Just like that.”
What began as a professional link-up quickly transformed into something deeper. “We’re in sync now,” Chani says. “If I write something, he already knows how it’ll sound. I don’t have to say much. We think the same. It’s all about the music we are creating together.” Their musical relationship clicked because it was grounded in something authentic: a shared love for Punjabi culture, a hunger to express it, and a brotherhood that feels less like a working relationship and more like destiny.
From Studios to Packed Stadiums
Their turning point? A track called DAKU—the moody, high-octane anthem that catapulted them into global recognition.
“When we dropped it, we didn’t think anything of it,” Chani recalls. “We created the track, shot the video, and put it out—like we always do. A year and a half later, it just blew up.” Blew up is putting it lightly. 1 billion streams on Spotify in India, over 200 million YouTube views, and a wave of new fans from every corner of the world. The track’s success was just the beginning for the winning duo. They continue to give the industry some major hits—8 ASLE, Facetime, Noormahal, Kharku Life, and so much more are lined up for the future. And they don’t plan to stop anytime soon!
There’s something about Surrey
Something’s brewing in Surrey, and it’s not just chaa! From AP Dhillon to Gminxr, Intense, and legends like Jazzy B, Surrey has quietly transformed into a Punjabi music capital.
“There’s something in the water,” Chani jokes. “The city has given us so much love, freedom, and resources, and we try to give it back—that’s why we reference Surrey in our music so much. It gave us our vibe. It gave us our voice.” It also gave them each other. “There are so many studios now, so many outlets, so many ways to express yourself,” Inderpal says. “It wasn’t like this when we first got here. Now there’s a whole ecosystem.”
JUNO Awards and Jazzy B Collab
In 2025, the unthinkable happened: Inderpal Moga and Chani Nattan were nominated for a JUNO Award in the South Asian Music Recording of the Year category. “I was in disbelief,” Chani says. “I grew up listening to these artists. And now my name, and Inderpal’s name, is on the same list and we get to share the same room as them. It was surreal.”
What made it even more special? The JUNO performance with Jazzy B on ‘COOLIN’—the song they collaborated on. “We were pulling out of the Gurdwara when we got the call,” Chani recalls. “The whole family was in the car. The call was on speaker. Everyone went crazy when they told us we were to perform.”
Collaborating with Jazzy B was a dream come true for both of them. “I grew up listening to his songs, and my own music was inspired by his tracks. I was in the same room with him, writing for him and vibing as we created magic,” Chani recalls. “Jazzy paaji takes his art seriously and is super supportive of young talent,” he continues with Inderpal chiming in, “Shooting the music video in Birmingham was a dream for Jazzy B as well. He always wanted to go back to the hood, and he did it, with us.”
Creating magic with artists like Jazzy B and Diljeet Dosanjh helped Inderpal and Chani make Punjabi hip hop a genre of its own. Both Punjabi music and hip hop come from a background of struggle, pride, and celebration. Chani agrees: “That’s why our songs feel so real—they’re based on real-life experiences. They are so relatable because they are written for people like you and me.”
Representation with Real Roots
For both artists, visibility is as important as the music itself.
“There weren’t a lot of sardars with turbans and beards in the industry when I was growing up,” Chani says. “I only had Fateh to look up to. Now you’ve got me, Inderpal, Sukha, Wazir Patar, Sardar Khehra—it’s a different era.” And it’s not just about showing up. It’s about being proud while doing it. “I kept my image,” he says. “And I’m glad I did. Because now the next generation sees us — and
feels proud too.”
The Rise of a Global Sound
With the launch of 91 North Records—a joint initiative by Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India—Punjabi artists are now being backed at the highest levels of the music industry.
“Every major label is looking at Punjabi music,” Chani notes. “Universal, Sony, Warner—they’re all taking it seriously now. Punjabi music is in boardrooms. It’s in ad campaigns. It’s in spaces where we were never seen before.” From Coachella to the Met Gala, from Bollywood takeovers to Hollywood soundtracks — the genre is not just crossing borders, it’s kicking down doors.
A Nice Day in the Pind... and Beyond
Their latest milestone? The release of their debut album, Nice Day in the Pind—a vibrant, genre-bending record that fuses nostalgic feels with next-gen production.
“It’s our most personal work yet,” Chani says. “And now we’re prepping to release a new single—something totally different. Imagine an R&B-Punjabi-Qawwali fusion. That’s what’s coming.” The excitement is contagious because with Chani and Inderpal, you never know what the next drop might sound like. Only that it’ll be unapologetically Punjabi. Unmistakably Surrey. And undoubtedly global.
From kavishris to Coachella, from burnt CDs to billion-stream bangers, this is more than just music. It’s history in the making.
