If you’ve been anywhere near Punjabi music over the last few years, you’ve already heard Ikky’s work. The Toronto-born producer, Ikwinder Singh, has been behind some of the records that pushed the sound well beyond its core audience — from Shubh’s “Baller” to his long-running collaboration with Karan Aujla across Making Memories and P-Pop Culture, along with crossover records like “Tell Me” with OneRepublic.
What’s changed over time isn’t just the scale, but where the music is landing. His records are now moving between Punjabi audiences and global pop spaces without feeling like they’ve been reworked to fit either. That comes from how he’s built his sound — rooted in Punjabi music, but shaped by growing up in Toronto, where those influences naturally overlap.
Alongside producing, he’s also building through 4N Records and expanding into projects like Punjabi Takeover Radio on Apple Music, putting more focus on how artists are developed and heard early on. With billions of streams behind him and major recognition, including a JUNO win alongside Aujla for P-Pop Culture, he’s now in a position where he’s not just contributing to the moment — he’s helping define where it goes next.
You’ve worked on records that have travelled far beyond their initial audience. When you’re producing, what tells you a track has that kind of reach?
When the melody and the music come together quickly. There’s something about simplicity. When it feels effortless, it’s a good sign that a track can travel and be perceived as more complex than it ever was in the studio.
Your sound often sits between Punjabi music and global production styles. How do you approach that balance without losing what makes the record feel rooted?
I grew up primarily listening to Punjabi music, so that’s always been my natural foundation. At the same time, being in Toronto surrounded by global pop influences, the overlap came to be organically. I’m not trying to sound like I’ve taken up roots, but sometimes it just happens. I’ve never really questioned whether something needs to be more or less rooted.
You’ve collaborated with artists at very different stages. Does your approach in the studio change depending on who you’re working with?
It does, but more in a “what do you need from me?” way. I’m there to serve the song first, and I try to find my role within that to help make the best record possible. Check the ego at the door and honour the song above all else.
As a producer, you’re shaping not just individual songs but how artists are heard. How do you think about that responsibility when building a record?
It’s a huge responsibility. I don’t think I have one specific sound or genre, so the stylistic direction, what sounds are used, in what era, for what artist, is what becomes really important. I always challenge myself to make each project feel distinct, because that’s what ultimately gives the music its fingerprint.
With 4N Records, you’re now involved in developing artists as well. What are you focusing on early when you’re building something from scratch?
Work ethic. Talent only takes you so far. The work has to be done, especially the unglamorous, put-your-head-down kind. Along with that, it’s about whether an artist can absorb what we bring to the table and come back with something even better. That’s the dealbreaker.
Punjabi music is reaching bigger audiences globally right now. What do you think will define which artists from this space sustain that momentum?
Identity! You can be talented, but still not recognizable. The music, lyrics, and tone, it all contributes to that identity. Anyone who’s dialed in on their concept, lyrics, attitude, sound, and performance has a real shot at longevity.
What are your thoughts on the future of music in Canada?
There’s still so much left to be discovered. The generation of Drake and The Weeknd helped bridge a lot of gaps for artists like us. I’m excited to see what happens when the next generation builds on that and mixes today’s sound with whatever comes next.
