PARTNER CONTENT
For Punjabi rapper and singer Shubh, music didn’t begin in the studio or on stage – it started at home.
“My father used to sing at family functions, and I grew up watching him,” Shubh recalls. “My elder brother has always worked hard in the same industry and supported me throughout.” He names both of them as his idols and inspirations as two pillars who helped shape his early ideas of persistence, creative expression and success.
Lately, success has not been in short supply for Shubh. Earlier this year, his single "Supreme” broke into the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart, and last month, he announced a brand-new North American arena tour – his biggest tour to date. And now Shubh is the face of Amazon Music’s newest playlist “The Port,” which aims to elevate Shubh’s musical community.
Drawing influences from popular Punjabi music – not to mention hip-hop, pop and R&B – “The Port” is curated by Amazon Music and captures a movement that started in South Asia, took flight in Canada, and is being discovered by the rest of the world. Shubh is featured as the cover of this week’s playlist and spotlight’s Shubh’s roots, influences and more.
Shubh dives into those influences in a new “What Made Me” video created to accompany his feature on “The Port” playlist. In an exclusive interview, the artist reflects the people and memories that continue to fuel his career. From his father’s impromptu performances at family functions to years spent quietly filling up notebooks with lyrics, Shubh shares the building blocks of a journey that’s taken him from local influence to international acclaim.
But Shubh’s story is also one of self-discovery. Long before becoming a viral hitmaker, he was writing verses in private. “Before becoming a singer, I was a lyricist,” he explains. “I’ve been writing lyrics for the last 12-13 years. I never thought of becoming a singer. So yes, my pen and my notebook have been with me from the start.”
We see a rare side of the high-octane artist we see in his popular music videos – one that’s introspective and grounded, offering a glimpse into the early, often unseen parts of the process.
Shubh’s feature on “The Port” follows NXNE, the iconic Toronto music festival that spotlights emerging talent from around the globe. Amazon Music was an official partner of the festival this year, reinforcing its commitment to championing diverse voices and storytelling across borders.
“The Port” is just the latest piece of Amazon Music’s commitment to the South Asian community in Canada. Over the past two years, the streaming service has spotlighted artists like Jonita Gandhi, Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga as Artists to Watch. Ahead of the JUNO Awards, Amazon Music hosted a songwriting camp for South Asian artists that included artists like Rashmeet Kaur, Yanchan, GMINXR and A4. And earlier this month Amazon Music sponsored DESIFEST, Canada’s premier South Asian music festival in the heart of downtown Toronto.
Listen to the playlist here:
Shubh photographed by Lane Dorsey in Toronto in 2025. Styling by Aliecia Brissett
