Singer-songwriter, composer and producer Gur Sidhu has made an indelible mark on Punjabi music with solo material and collaborations that reflect resolve, bravado and self-empowerment. Sidhu started out after moving to Canada, with songs like “8 Parche” with singer Baani Sandhu that showcased Punjabi roots in a buoyant, modern sonic setting. He quickly developed a gritty hip-hop-leaning sound—Jassa Dhillon’s 2019 song “Pyar Bolda” being an early breakthrough. Sidhu rounded up more friends for statement-making albums like Nothing Like Before in 2021 and ANYWAY with Cheema Y in 2023. From the late Sidhu Moose Wala to Amrit Maan and Jasmine Sandlas (“Bamb Aagya”), there’s a distinctive imprint of rap, Punjabi folk and pop in Sidhu’s approach to making music that generates cross-generational appeal.