Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India have teamed up to drop a fresh collab called 91 NORTH RECORDS, all about lifting up artists with South Asian vibes. Leading the charge is the super-talented Ikky, who’s bringing his creative genius to the table as the main force behind this venture.
Ikky’s already made some big waves in the music game, scoring over two billion streams worldwide with bangers like Shubh’s “Baller,” Diljit Dosanjh’s “Chauffeur,” and Sidhu Moose Wala’s “Bambiha Bole.” In 2021, he kicked off his own label, 4N Records, in cahoots with Warner Music and Coalition Music.
First up on 91 NORTH RECORDS’ roster are the Punjabi stars, Karan Aujla and Jonita Gandhi, holding it down in Canada. These two talents are gonna team up with Ikky and A&R Director, Charlie B, to cook up some fire tracks.
Karan just dropped his latest album, “Making Memories,” and he’s been a major player in the scene for the past five years. Ever since his first big hit, “Don’t Worry,” in 2018, he’s racked up almost three billion YouTube views, over one billion audio streams, and eight million followers across his socials.
Now, let’s talk about the name and logo. 91 NORTH RECORDS reps both countries, giving a shoutout to India’s country code and Canada’s spot on the map. The logo?
Well, it’s inspired by India’s national flower, the lotus.
The label kicked things off with a lit launch event at Warner Music Canada’s spot in Toronto on Tuesday, August 22.
Ikky, the Creative Director, dropped some knowledge, saying, “I’ve always been fascinated by blending Indian and Western sounds into game-changing, innovative music. 91 NORTH RECORDS is all about lifting up artists making this fusion happen. Punjabi and South Asian music is already making waves worldwide, and I can’t wait to team up with the next-gen talents, amplifying their vibes. Trust, this ain’t just an experiment; it’s the future.”
Jay Mehta, the big cheese at Warner Music India, added, “We’re super pumped about 91 NORTH RECORDS. This move celebrates the sounds of artists reppin’ South Asian heritage and brings two fan bases together to put this music on the global stage. It’s gonna change the game for artists, hooking them up with A&R, marketing, and epic collabs.”
Kristen Burke, the boss at Warner Music Canada, chimed in, “91 NORTH RECORDS is all about celebrating and boosting Indian culture. There’s a whole new wave of talented artists repping their South Asian roots, and we want to make sure they’re shining bright on the world stage. This new move lets artists be their authentic selves, and our global reach will help them showcase their culture worldwide.”
Alfonso Perez-Soto, the head honcho for Emerging Markets at Warner Music, wrapped it up, “Punjabi music is leveling up, thanks to the love from multicultural Canada, it’s going from a regional thing to a global powerhouse. It’s all thanks to legends like Ikky and the vision from Jay, Kristen, and the teams at WM India and WM Canada. 91 NORTH RECORDS is the bridge between East and West, bringing talent, cultures, and ideas together, solidifying a movement that’s here to stay. At Warner Music, we’ll keep supporting initiatives like this for the love of music, artists, and fans.”
And don’t sleep on the numbers – there are around 2.6 million South Asian heritage folks in Canada, and a new wave of artists from these communities are blowing up both in the country and across the globe. Plus, there’s a strong musical link between the South Asian crew in Canada and their homies back in the subcontinent. In 2022, three out of the Top 10 tracks in India were dropped by Punjabi-Canadian artists, according to IFPI stats. 🔥🎵✨
