By Lucy Fitzgerald 
Hi! How does “Rodeo,” your new single, reflect your journey from Brampton to becoming a global artist?
A: A Punjabi/English collaboration is about as Brampton as it gets. It’s a melting pot of immigrant cultures, especially Indian, and more specifically Punjabi. I’m Indian, but not Punjabi, so I handled the English part while Roze brough the Punjabi melodies. Indian music is trending globally right now, so it really is the perfect time to add to the growing wave.
What inspired the title “Rodeo,” and how does it connect with the themes in your upcoming album ‘Motherland’?
A: It’s actually a funny story. Rodeo is based on Rodeo Drive, but we pronounce it like a cowboy rodeo. The reason is because Indian people learn English in a more standardized way, so they would know the cowboy rodeo word before knowing Rodeo Drive, and pronounce both the same. It’s a playful title about taking your girl to Rodeo Drive, cruising under the palm trees of California. It connects to the album through themes of love, while also connecting based on the South Asian themes that weave the project together.
Can you discuss how your role as a community leader in Brampton influenced the sound or message of “Rodeo”?
A: I take part in the community so I see the realities. I see the demographics of Brampton, and the music that gets played driving around the city. Rodeo will perfectly fit in the soundtrack of a Brampton summer.
“Rodeo” features production by Nick Ianno and Felix Khan; what unique elements did they bring to the track?
A: Nick & Felix handled the recording, mixing & mastering. They’re professionals who make my life easy when it comes to the recording process. Nick also offered advice on how I should do my verse when we were recording. I was going a little too melodic and he helped me balance it out, to really give it that hip hop feel. Felix is South Asian himself, and has mixed big records for Punjabi artists like Deep Jandu, so he brought that experience to the record.
How does “Rodeo” represent the blend of South Asian music and hip-hop that you are known for?
A: It really showcases me as one of Brampton’s premier artists. It also shows my versatility and expands on my brand as a Canadian-Indian rapper mixing hip hop & South Asian culture, pushing the whole community forward.
What message do you hope fans take away from “Rodeo” and its place within the ‘Motherland’ album?
A: Motherland plays out like a hip hop Bollywood short film. There’s love, drama, a political message, and a couple of dance numbers. Rodeo is that feel good love song, the part of the movie where the couple has had that initial spark/meeting scene and is now getting to know each other.
How did your experiences from touring influence the writing and production of “Rodeo”?
A: Performing has definitely informed my music in terms of understanding the flow and structure of songs. When you perform a song live, you can get that real initial reaction, especially when people are hearing something for the first time. There are “moments” and “climaxes” in each song, and you want to balance these out to create the best sonic experience possible. We took that all into account for Rodeo, creating a fun love song that flows incredible throughout.
With “Rodeo,” how are you pushing the boundaries of traditional hip-hop?
A: Punjabi hip hop fusion music has been around for decades, but is really booming right now. I think mine and Roze’s unique sounds blending together over this poppy airy production is a song like none other that I’ve personally heard.
Listening to songs so you don’t have to! Just kidding :D, you totally should. Music blogger by day, nurse by night