Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh sold out and lit the entire Rogers Centre with his contagious spiritual energy at his Dil-luminati concert over the weekend.
Two hours before the concert, the downtown core was packed with groups of friends in black dresses like many of the lead models featured in Dosanjh’s music videos. Others were wearing shirts with the singer’s face on it.
The beginning of the show began with a paath, a daily Sikh prayer. The audience was directed to the stage as the singer’s voice echoed in a projected video.
“In fact, this journey itself is the destination and all the characters you meet on the journey are played with the same energy. Every event that happens in your life is for your preparation,” Dosanjh spoke in Punjabi.
When the screen shut off, Bhangra dancers emerged marching in black across the stage.
Dosanjh rose in slo-mo from the bottom onto a platform and pushed his hand upwards to the intro of “Born to Shine,” featured on his most popular album G.O.A.T.
Dosanjh has been on the grind since 2008 in the entertainment industry. National stardom entered Dosanjh’s life after acting in “Udta Punjab,” a Bollywood movie about the drug problem among India’s youth.
Since then, he’s released 140 songs and now has over 18 million monthly listeners on Spotify from all over the world.
It’s not a surprise the concert’s production level was staged like a movie that Dosanjh himself was directing – full of costume changes and non-stop high energy.
Dosanjh showcased much of his recent album Ghost, which in itself is an album about understanding the purpose of human existence and speaking to the “Creator.”
He also played fan favourites from his other albums, including “Lover,” “Naina,” “Hass Hass,” “Do You Know,” “Lemonade,” and “Khutti.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also came to witness history in the making and clapped along with Dosanjh’s bhangra team.
His voice projected so intensely that it seemed like he was singing out to the entire city of Toronto.
“Punjab is here!,” thousands in the audience chanted after each song.
There was smoke, fire, confetti, and even balloons. The audience literally volleyed the oversized red and white balloons from section to section.
The stadium lit up with everyones’ bright bracelets changing neon colours to the beats of the songs while lime green lights in the shape of DNA helices danced across the back of the venue.
Dosanjh’s humility showed on stage when he held the hands up of two little kids in Indian police uniforms that he brought up on stage.
“So many international students from Punjab come here. These kids are the future,” Dosanjh yelled out in pride with his hands clasped together in prayer.
I could see how special it was to see young kids on stage, especially as I looked next to my 14-year-old cousin whose eyes were wide in admiration.
Dosanjh also addressed the audience in between songs and thanked them for being there at the completely sold out show.
To end the performance, the superstar kneeled on the stage and bowed his head, a customary act of gratitude upon entering the gurdwara, a Sikh spiritual place of worship. The audience then meditated with Dosanjh on his latest single “Main hoon Punjab,” meaning I am Punjab, which is the main track for the movie Amar Singh Chamkila.
