Peony Hirwani

London, Southern Asia

Senior Editor at Rolling Stone India

26, Senior Editor @RollingStoneIN. Send me tips on [email protected]. Dedicated follower of rap and hip hop music. Sausage dog mom.

Articles

Intense Releases New Track ‘Ruthless’ With Diljit Dosanjh

2 days ago | ca.billboard.com | Peony Hirwani

CountryThis year’s showcase finalists includes singers from across the country. Annika Catharina and Amanda Couture hail from out west, while Sean Michael Ryan resides in New Brunswick. The other five artists, including School House and Jade Hilton, are scattered across Ontario. Boots and Hearts' showcase has become a rite of passage for many Canadian country artists who have since gone on to big things.
Toronto Metropolitan University to Offer Course on Diljit Dosanjh

6 days ago | ca.billboard.com | Peony Hirwani

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) will make history in Fall 2026 with the launch of a new course dedicated to Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. Offered through The Creative School at TMU, the course will be the first of its kind in Canada to focus on a Punjabi artist. The announcement was made at the Billboard Summit at NXNE in Toronto, an event that brought together key voices from across the music and media industries.
A Take on How Far Indian Music Has Come

1 week ago | rollingstoneindia.com | Peony Hirwani

There are a few moments you don’t forget as a music journalist. The thud of a bassline rolling across a festival field just before the headliner walks on. The mic check at a grimy basement gig where only 12 people have shown up—but every one of them knows the lyrics. The silence of a studio at 3 a.m., broken by a singer capturing a verse that wasn’t even in the demo. But the one sound I keep coming back to—especially on World Music Day—is the sound of India figuring itself out.
Shubh Speaks: The First Interview with Punjabi Music’s Fastest Rising Star

1 week ago | billboard.com | Peony Hirwani |Richard Trapunski

Shubh’s rise has happened faster than he could have ever expected.
Is India’s Music Scene Inclusive Enough? | Rolling Stone India

1 week ago | rollingstoneindia.com | Peony Hirwani

Traveling on this music road isn’t the same for everyone. The journey feels different depending on who you are and where you come from. India is home to many languages, and while Hindi and English dominate the mainstream (largely thanks to Bollywood and the influence of global pop culture), music in local languages is steadily gaining ground.
Shubh Speaks: The First Interview with Punjabi Music's Fastest Rising Star

1 week ago | ca.billboard.com | Peony Hirwani |Richard Trapunski

Shubh’s rise has happened faster than he could have ever expected. In a quiet moment, Shubh softly remarks in Punjabi, “I didn’t think I would ever chart.”He's done more than that. The 27-year-old Brampton, Ontario-based Punjabi artist has become one of the most talked-about names in global music, amassing over 3 billion total streams across platforms, a fiercely loyal fanbase and a debut North American arena tour on the horizon, including arena dates in Oakland, Vancouver and Toronto.
International Manager Spotlight: Right Hand Co. on Managing Khalid, Building Artists and Giving Back

1 week ago | ca.billboard.com | Peony Hirwani |Richard Trapunski

When Khalid released his debut album American Teen in 2017, he quickly became a voice of a generation – relatable, heartfelt and effortlessly cool. But behind the music, the sold-out tours and the Grammy nominations is a team that’s just as committed to vision and consistency as the artist himself.
Recording Academy President Panos A. Panay on Canada, Diljit Dosanjh and the Grammys’ Global Future

2 weeks ago | ca.billboard.com | Richard Trapunski |Peony Hirwani

The music landscape is changing quickly, and Panos A. Panay, the President of the Recording Academy and the Grammys, is right in the middle of it. This week (June 11), Panay interviewed Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh as part of the Billboard Summit at NXNE. For him, it represented a global shift in music where sounds carrying different cultures and languages are pushing against the "Anglo-American" mainstream.
Power players 2025 on Billboard Canada's site

2 weeks ago | ca.billboard.com | Richard Trapunski |Rosie Long Decter |Peony Hirwani |Stefano Rebuli

As top execs at Live Nation Canada, Erik Hoffman, Riley O’Connor and Melissa Bubb-Clarke are orchestrating one of the most ambitious stretches in the company's history. Together, the trio claim the No. 1 spot on Billboard Canada Power Players 2025. Already the biggest players in the Canadian music business, Live Nation is just getting bigger – and they’re on track for a record-breaking summer.
Review: BUDX NBA House Mumbai

2 weeks ago | rollingstoneindia.com | Peony Hirwani

BUDX NBA House made a strong first impression in Mumbai this weekend, bringing together a high-octane mix of hoops, hip-hop, and hype fashion at the Dome, SVP Stadium. Timed with the 2025 NBA Finals, the two-day event had all the right ingredients to be a blockbuster: global NBA champions like Hall of Famer Gary Payton and Derek Fisher, a celebrity-stacked 3v3 game with the likes of Badshah, Disha Patani, Rannvijay Singha, and Varun Sood playing, and a stellar live music lineup.