Self-isolation: Latest Punjabi tracks to celebrate Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi 2020 is here but sadly this celebratory farming festival will need to be celebrated indoors this year. Don’t despair as long as you got family, food and music around the celebrations are complete! We have put together a Punjabi music playlist for readers to enjoy with their family in self-isolation. Compiling the best 30 of the Punjabi songs (non-Bollywood) released in the last one year by UK, US, Canadian and Indian Punjabi artists, this is the must listen to Punjabi music this Vaisakhi.

Jay Sean’s return is the big talk of the town with his collaboration with Guru Randhawa on Surma Surma. The man still has the edge and this song has something about it that works.

It has been a great couple years for Mickey Singh and he features prominently on our playlist with a few songs to his credit. His collaboration with Arjun on Tingo is quite a tune. Add Closer with Dilpreet Dhillon, Ptola with Pam Sengh and his solo Summer Luv to the mix and there is enough Punjabi-English groove to enjoy here.

Jasmine Sandlas is the best female Punjabi artist on the block and her collaboration with Manni Sandhu on Panjeba is a current favourite in all Punjabi parties. Her latest release Guglu Muglu has a strong American Hip-Hop vibe to it pumping through the speakers everywhere.

Her sister Rosleen Sandlas is making her debut with Botal Vargi this year. Her vocals are still not there where Jasmine is but going by this single she is going to evolve and perhaps be the next big Punjabi female vocalist on the block.

He has been around for a while but his latest Bollywood expeditions has taken him to the next level. Harrdy Sandhu is one artist making it big on the Punjabi mainstream. His new single Jee Karr Daa has the romantic Spanish beach vibes for the summer while Dance Like has a bit of cheese with a lot more of Spanish guitar driving the melody of this song.

Mumbai artist Qaran’s collaboration with Dutch superstar DJ R3hab gave us Ki Kehna this year that is one big tune to watch out. The vibe is very strong and an easy one to groove to.

UK boy Zack Knight delivers something totally different with Angel and has a sound totally unique to him. No wonder this boy is making it big across borders with his music.

Maninder Buttar’s song Ik Tera has the smoothness of butter to it! A simple but an easy number to bob and sing along to, this song is a great listen. Hi collaboration with superstar singer Neha Kakkar on Sorry Song is yet another smooth number but an easy melody and beautifully smooth vocals from both singers.

Canadian singer The PropheC has loads of potential to make it big around the world. His single Kitho has a unique sound to it blending in a number of genres. His groovy number Yaara Tu is the best example of his calibre as he collaborates with Ezu.

Simar Kaur is making it big right now with Stranger featuring the biggest commercial Punjabi act in the world Diljit Dosanjh. There is a bit of cuteness to this song that works.

The rockstar of Punjabi music Jazzy B’s latest release All Eyez on Me featuring Roach Killa is not one of his best works but it surely is one with a big bass beat and a big personality.

Pav Dharia from Australia is yet another international Punjabi boy who knows his music really well. His song Billo with Luton rapper Raxstar is one to checkout. The RnB melody is very groovy. While his collaboration with Punjab’s massive Garry Sandhu on Pabb Hauli is a massive tune. The dance-ability of the composition is real and very international.

G Sidhu, J. Statik and Fateh’s song Punjabi Munde is a big one! The Hip-Hop sound is bold and the lyrics are even bolder on this one. The personality that this song represents surely works for all the Punjabi Munde to groove to this Vaisakhi.

Instead of international rappers, Deep Jandu decides to bring in the Mumbai rap scene into Punjabi music with this innovative song called Bombay to Punjab. Divine is just amazing and he can blend in Mumbai Hindi rap into any style and this song is a great example of his talent.

Going back to authentic Punjabi music with Red Eyes by Karan Aujla and Gurlez Akhtar is a retro style Punjabi number with nice folk vibes to it. Wedding Song by Sharry Mann is another folkish Punjabi number but a little more urban vibes to it but an easy one to do some gidda to.

The folk style vocal is best delivered by GKhan and Khan Saab collaboration on Jee Karda. Their vocals are just brilliant on this song and the dhol beat on the song is something without which Vaisakhi celebrations would be incomplete.

Jass Manak’s Lehanga is a terrific Bhangra number and its remix by DJ NYK ads an extra layer of fun to this song. The vocals, melody and arrangement are just perfect on this song making this a must song to dance to this Vaisakhi.

Mann Di Nahi featuring London boy Manni Sandhu and Navaan Sandhu is fresh out of the studio and has a good vocal and lyrics by the Sandhu duo set to an urban vibe.

The soft urban melody is blended in brilliantly with cool Punjabi lyrics by Param Singh and Kamal Khalon on Gal Sunle. There is a soft touch to this song that makes it very breezy and romantic with a fun touch to it. This is definitely a big one to hit the Punjabi scene.

Finally a Punjabi playlist would be incomplete by the superstar of deep beat Hip-Hop Punjabi music – Sidhu Moose Wala. His 2020 new singles Old Skool and Tibbeyan Da Putt are already topping iTunes charts thanks to how effortlessly he combines Hip-Hop beats with traditional folk vocals and meaningful lyrics that deliver a message. His gangster style is not the typical Vaisakhi celebratory music but he brings something different to the table that cannot be ignored.

Happy Vaisakhi everyone!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.