Welcome back to another musically charged newsletter. Today we’re discussing a forgotten brown munda — Gurinder Gill. Then, did your favorite Hindi songs disappear from Spotify? We’ve got some answers. Lastly, the electronic duo MEMBA is exploring Indian folk sounds and we’re here for it.

— Rosh

Where TF Did Gurinder Gill Go?

You’ve heard Gurinder Gill, even if you haven’t heard of Gurinder Gill. The forgotten brown munda is the other half of mega-Punjabi star AP Dhillon, yet there’s a large disparity between the two when it comes to fame. What did AP Dhillon do to stand out? Or rather, what did Gurinder Gill not do?

The 26 year old Canadian’s career launched in 2020, following a stream of hit singles produced in collaboration with Run-Up Records labelmates AP Dhillon, Shinda Kahlon, and Gminxr. Gill and Dhillon’s early single, “Majhail,” topped the UK Asian and Punjabi charts, but that was only the beginning.

Dhillon and Gill’s highest performing tracks, “Brown Munde,” “Excuses,” and “Insane,” have a combined 635M+ Spotify streams and belong to the both of them, yet they’re widely referred to as “AP’s songs.” When the hit EP “Hidden Gems” dropped, the world blasted “AP’s new album,” despite Gill, Kahlon, and Gminxr all being equally credited. This phenomenon is strange, especially when considering how Gill’s verses are typically the most popular parts of these tracks.

AP Dhillon most recently made history by being the first Punjabi artist to perform at Canada’s JUNO Awards, but where was Gill? It’s disappointing but not surprising. Gill was also conspicuously absent for the majority of their 2022 “Out of This World” tour. He cited visa issues as the reason, but fans were quick to point out that he was last seen around the time of the tour with blonde hair at Cool Kicks in LA.

AP Dhillon’s career would objectively not be reaching the heights it has if Gurinder Gill weren’t there. However, Gill was there, and Dhillon’s mass popularity in comparison to Gill remains largely unexplained. Is it looks? Talent? Better marketing? Or, in a potential pursuit of solo careers, maybe Gill’s strategy was just a tragedy.

Your Desi Spotify Playlist Just Got Shorter

What happened?
Thousands of Indian songs have disappeared from Spotify overnight. Entire albums from Zee Music, T-Series and Eros Now Music are no longer available.

Why is this happening?
Many are speculating this is because of a licensing dispute between the streaming giant and Indian music companies.

Watch our TikTok below for more details.

@popshift

Could this be a rights issue? Are u going to miss these songs? 🥹🧐 #Spotify #Bollywood #zeemusic #breakingnews #bajiraomastani #kalank #mus... See more

MEMBA Leans Back Into Indian Roots

MEMBA’s introduction to this world came as organically as the sounds they produce. The iconic musical duo of Ishaan Chaudhary and Will Curry met coincidentally on an archaeology dig in the Indian forests. Five years later, they’re performing their revolutionary and experiential tracks across the world.

Their most streamed single – “For Aisha” – was a tribute to Chaudhary’s late sister, whose battle with SCID and Pulmonary Fibrosis was depicted in the 2019 motion picture “The Sky is Pink.” Despite the all star cast of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, and Rohit Saraf, who played Chaudhary, the movie is best remembered today for its powerful closing track.

With vocals from Chaudhary’s wife and frequent collaborator, EVAN GIIA, alongside the Nooran Sisters, the song has been lauded for its emotional theme and infectious blend of electronic beats with Urdu lyrics. “For Aisha,” which has over 54M streams, captured the hearts of audiences in the East and West alike.

Now MEMBA is leaning back into Chaudhary’s Indian roots. Their latest single, “JIYO,” samples an ancient Rajasthani folk song, “Savariyo Ghat Mayi.” They’ll be performing it, alongside the rest of their upcoming EP, “UNI(*)N,” on tour this year. Until then, listen to it on our POPSHIFT HOLI official recap below.

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Help us expand our newsletter! We’re looking for writers and new music to share.

Other Notable News

• Kamal released a new track White Wine.

• Talwiinder released a new track Khayaal.

• Natasha Noorani released a new track Matlabi.

• Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding is being adapted into a musical.

• Raaginder produced a new track, Challa, with Gurdas Maan and Diljit Dosanjh.

• Babbulicious is performing live in NYC on March 31.

Listen to the PopShift Playlist on Spotify.

Written by Saumya Monga and Roshni Rekha
Edited by Raghu Alla and Roshni Rekha