Karan Aujla Becomes the First Punjabi Artist Featured In Apple Music's Up Next Program

Karan Aujla is continuing to break new ground this year.

The Punjabi-Canadian musician became the first artist of Punjabi descent to win the Juno Fan Choice Award in March, and now he's the first Punjabi musician featured as part of Apple Music's global Up Next initiative.

The program highlights emerging stars, devoting Apple Music's editorial resources to uplifting featured artists through original short films, interviews with Apple Music radio hosts and more. Aujla's short film finds him venturing into his favourite spots in Vancouver, like barbershop Eddy's, and reflecting on his musical ambitions.

"I feel like my music helped a lot of people that don't know my language,” he says in the film. "There don't have to be barriers around it, like ‘Oh, this is this is a Punjabi song. I can’t listen to this.' I don't think that's right. I listen to Spanish music all the time. I don't know a word of Spanish."

He hopes that Punjabi music will have its own "Despacito," moment, he says, referring to the Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee song's international impact, as the Punjabi Wave continues to rapidly grow in markets outside of India.

The Up Next feature emphasizes Aujla's emerging icon status. Aujla got his start as a lyricist in Vancouver, working with Punjabi artists like Diljit Dosanjh, but has made his own name as a performer and releasing artist, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart last year with Making Memories, his collaborative album with producer Ikky.

Aujla is also sharing an Apple Music edition of his latest EP Four Me, as he prepares to kick off his first Canadian tour this summer, which will take him to three arenas around the country. The four-song EP follows last year's Four You collaborative EP with Ikky.

Aujla is the latest Canadian artist to step into the spotlight of Apple's Up Next program, following musicians like Orville Peck, Jessie Reyez, Daniel Caesar and Tate McRae.

Check out Aujla's Up Next film below.