Yanchan Rajmohan, professionally known as Yanchan Produced, is celebrating a career milestone with his Juno nomination.
“It feels like a dream come true,” he told CBC News about being recognized in the new South Asian music recording of the year category at the 2025 Juno Awards, set for Sunday.
For Yanchan, this nomination represents more than just an accolade—it marks a shift in the Canadian music industry. “I’ve watched the Junos every year, and to finally have a category that represents South Asian artists and to be a part of this for the first time … it just feels like hope to me,” he said.
The recognition comes as South Asian music experiences a surge in popularity, particularly in Canada. SiriusXM recently launched a South Asian music channel, highlighting the genre’s “massive growth” in the country.
In 2023, Warner Music’s Canadian and Indian divisions introduced 91 North Records, a label supporting South Asian artists. The label has since signed notable names like Jonita Gandhi and Chani Nattan, both of whom are also Juno nominees.
South Asian music’s influence is increasingly evident in Canada. Last year, Indian star Diljit Dosanjh performed at Vancouver’s BC Place in front of 54,000 fans—the largest Punjabi concert outside India, according to Billboard Canada.
This growing impact is reflected in the Junos’ nominations list, where artists like Karan Aujla, Sukha, AP Dhillon, and AR Paisley have secured spots across categories, including fan choice, single, album, and breakthrough artist of the year.
The introduction of the South Asian music recording category, which the Junos call a response to Canada becoming the “epicentre of South Asian music globally,” has amplified recognition for these artists.
Yanchan hopes the moment paves the way for future talent. “I’m hoping that I can open the doors,” he said. “Then behind me is a whole army of other talented musicians, who can follow their own path and, you know, add their own impact to the industry.”
Music journalist Jeevan Sangha believes this shift has been long overdue, particularly in British Columbia, home to many South Asian artists. “I’m from Surrey, so if you walk the streets of Surrey, you’re going to hear Punjabi music in the streets. It’s very normal,” she said. “I just think that now, more and more people are getting exposed to it through programming like the Junos.”
The genre’s rise is not just fueled by Canada’s large South Asian population, which quadrupled between 1996 and 2021, but also by streaming services broadening its reach. According to Luminate Data, nearly 40% of American music listeners reported listening to non-English songs in 2023, a trend that has contributed to South Asian music’s increasing prominence.
“Language isn’t necessarily a barrier,” Sangha said, suggesting that Punjabi music’s appeal extends beyond South Asian communities. “It might even be a hook.”
Still, she has concerns about South Asian artists being siloed into a separate category rather than competing in mainstream ones. “My concern … is this kind of turning into a bucket where we can put South Asian artists and not have them recognized in mainstream categories,” she said. “I’m hoping that this is one step towards not needing a South Asian category at all and just seeing South Asian artists recognized alongside other major artists.”
Jonita Gandhi, a fellow nominee, sees the new category as a source of inspiration for future generations. “I definitely would have loved to see more people like me when I was younger to kind of look up to and be like, ‘Hey, it’s all right—it’s OK to be brown,'” she said. “It’s OK to be Punjabi and be different in a lot of different ways.”
Source: Swifteradio.com
