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Diljit Dosanjh photographed by Lane Dorsey on July 15 in Toronto. Styling by Alecia Brissett.
Chart Beat
Diljit Dosanjh Makes History As ‘Aura’ Becomes His Fourth Entry on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart
The global Punjabi star’s new project debuts in the top 40, while his single “Senorita” also hits the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.
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Diljit Dosanjh does it again.
The globally renowned Punjabi singer has hit the Billboard Canadian Albums chart with his latest album, Aura, via Warner Music. The album enters the chart dated Nov. 1 at No. 39.
Aura is Dosanjh’s 15th studio album. The 10-track album brings together some of his most frequent collaborators, including producers Intense, Preet Hundal, MixSingh, Avvy Sra and Sunny Malton.
Opening track, “Senorita,” starts with classical guitar playing in the background, as trap beats fade in and out of the song, while Dosanjh sings about a mystery woman, comparing her skin to cappuccino. Producer MixSingh lets the guitar play on its own after each hook, keeping the listener engaged. That song debuts on this week’s Billboard Canadian Hot 100 at No. 96.
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Aura’s release follows a major year for Dosanjh. Dil-Luminati shows in Vancouver and Toronto were the biggest Punjabi concerts ever outside of India. The tour was also the highest-grossing Punjabi tour ever in North America. His Aura tour is already breaking ground, with Diljit recently becoming the first Indian artist to sell out a stadium in Sydney, Australia.
Last year, he appeared in a special print edition of Billboard Canada devoted entirely to him and on the cover of Billboard's Global No. 1 series, where he spoke about bridging Punjabi culture with global pop and redefining the image of Indian artists on the world stage.
In June, appeared in his first English-language interview with Panos A. Panay, president of the Grammys, at the Billboard Summit at NXNE, pinpointing his rise across borders: “Music is the way to unite across nations,” he shared.
Canada has solidified its position as a prime market beyond South Asia for Punjabi music — and Dosanjh has had immense success on the country’s Billboard charts. He was the first Punjabi artist with three titles to chart on the Canadian Albums list, and Aura marks his fourth. With his influence growing, he will continue to make history.
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This week, there's one big Canadian entry on the albums chart, from Vancouver rapper bbno$. His self-titled album, bbno$, debuts at No. 33.
His ninth studio album — released Oct. 17 via Broke Records/CMG — highlights a collection of 21 eclectic tracks.
The humour-filled artist weaves through different genres on the project that elevate his energetic rap style — from dance-heavy records like the Sammy Virji co-produced “Yezzir,” to the soft, mellow serenade “Main Squeeze.” Additionally, the project features “Check,” one of the rapper’s most enduring tracks. It spent 20 weeks on the Canadian Hot 100 and peaked at No. 62.
bbno$ is already his highest-charting album, following 2021’s Eat Ya Veggies and 2019’s I Don’t Care At All, which peaked at No. 36 and No. 88, respectively.
Billboard Canada caught up with him at Osheaga this summer as part of our Billboard Backstage series, where he described his pre-show ritual and how his shows are evolving.
Next year, he’ll embark on a North American tour, stopping at the newly renamed RBC Amphitheatre in Toronto.
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On the Canadian Hot 100, another emerging Canadian artist has broken through.
Haiti-born, Montreal-based pop singer Tedy debuts with “I Hope” at No. 99. It’s already become a surprise Billboard Canada Airplay chart hit, ranking on the AC, CHR/Top 40, Hot AC and most recently All-Format charts. The track is the first taste of an upcoming album, set to be released in late 2025 on Sony Music Canada.
“I Hope” tells the story of a complicated situationship that unravels into heartbreak. It’s a fresh, anthemic ballad that showcases his signature raw, emotionally charged storytelling and soaring vocals. The tension in the song is clear in both the lyrics and the emotionally charged performance and production.
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“It’s a diary,” says Tedy. “That’s what my music is. If you want to keep up with me, just listen. You’ll hear exactly where I was and where I am now. With 'I Hope,' I was trying to balance actually having a personal life for the first time ever. There’s power in being real and admitting when you’re not being seen.”
At the top of the charts, Taylor Swift is dominating. After assuming her position in Canada, the American pop star’s The Life of a Showgirl sits at No. 1 for the third week in a row on Canadian Albums. The album's lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” follows the same trajectory on the Canadian Hot 100.
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