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Chart Beat

Karan Aujla & DIVINE Debut in Top 25 on Billboard Canadian Albums Chart

B.C.-based Punjabi artist Karan Aujla and Indian rapper DIVINE land the No. 22 spot on this week's Canadian Albums chart with their new collaborative release, 'Street Dreams.' On the Canadian Hot 100, Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em" ascends to No. 1, while Canadian pop artist Preston Pablo makes a debut.

DIVINE (L) and Karan Aujla

DIVINE (L) and Karan Aujla

@anmollium / Anmol Raina

B.C.-based Punjabi artist Karan Aujla and Indian rapper DIVINE are making moves together on Billboard's Canadian Albums chart this week, with their collaborative project, Street Dreams, debuting in the No. 22 spot.

The seven-track album, released Feb. 16, blends harder hip-hop and smooth R&B pop, the latter shining through especially on the Jonita Gandhi-assisted "Yaad." It's not Aujla's highest spot on the Albums chart — he reached No. 5 in 2023 with Making Memories, his collaboration with Canadian Punjabi artist Ikky — but it gives him some momentum going into his upcoming performance at the Juno Awards on Mar. 24, where he's nominated for TikTok Juno fan choice and breakthrough artist.


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Also on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, Canadians are making a strong showing this week. Several songs are re-entering the chart: Josh Ross' "Ain't Doin Jack" returns at No. 85, Alexander Stewart's "I Wish You Cheated" is back at No. 92, and rising country artist Owen Riegling's "Old Dirt Roads" re-enters at No. 99.

Pop artist Preston Pablo's single "Dance Alone" is already making a splash on Canadian radio, and now it's gathered enough steam to debut on the Hot 100 two months after its release.

And Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em," last week's No. 11, has ascended to No. 1 this week. Billboard Canada spoke to Nathan Ferraro, co-writer and producer of the single, about how his Canadian songwriting team (including artists bülow and Lowell) came together to work with artists like Charli XCX and Queen Bey herself.

Check out the full Canadian Hot 100 here and the Canadian Albums chart here.

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Canada Music Fund to Receive $67 Million Boost as Part of $600 Million CanCon​ Investment in 2026 Federal Budget
Photo by Fath on Unsplash
Business News

Canada Music Fund to Receive $67 Million Boost as Part of $600 Million CanCon​ Investment in 2026 Federal Budget

The Carney government has outlined the details of its $600 investment to the cultural sector, which includes $67 million allocated to the music industry. The funds will be distributed to the Fund's five recipients, including FACTOR and Musicaction.

The Canada Music Fund is getting a new boost from the federal government.

At last night's ADISQ Gala in Montreal (Nov. 8), the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Marc Miller, announced that the federal government will invest $67 million to the Canada Music Fund, as part of the government's promised $600 million investment into the cultural sector. The sum was first announced in June to provide "immediate relief" to the country's audio and audiovisual sector and confirmed for 2026-27 in the latest federal budget, which was tabled last week. Over the weekend, Ottawa gave a long-awaited breakdown of how the funds will be allocated.

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