#278 TURNing it up with Fateh

We sit down with Fateh to trace how Canadian Punjabi and South Asian music grows from a few scattered gatekeepers into a real national scene. We also unpack why he writes for connection over clout and how “Jadu” came together through real friendship with Mickey Singh. 

• The early days of making Punjabi music in Canada and why artists once had to look abroad 
• Brampton as a hub alongside rising scenes in Calgary and Vancouver 
• Building touring infrastructure across Canada and wanting to reach more provinces 
• Creative mindset of writing from the heart instead of chasing crowd formulas 
• Why fan stories matter more than views and follower counts 
• The story behind  the “Jadu” collaboration with Mickey Singh 
• Hopes to return to Edmonton and connect with Alberta audiences 

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Transcript

Welcome And Calgary Context

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Everyone who's tuning in, this is the Universal Radio Network. It's Sappreed, and we are talking to Fateh today. So stay right here for a conversation. Please note this is a pre-recorded conversation. We recorded this in Calgary when he was there a few weeks ago, performing at the charity ball and attending the flame South Asia night. So here is Fate on turn 97.9 FM. Alright, Fate, first question for you is you have been one of the OGs in the Canadian South Asian music scene. How does it feel seeing the trajectory and how it's growing currently?

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Amazing. Literally, I was talking to Deep about it yesterday. I'm like, from where um like the Punjabi music scene went in Canada and especially in Brampton to where it is now, it's night and day. Like when we were in Brampton 2008, 2009, you had to go to UK, you had to go to Gender to go make music, not even become a star to make music. And now um Brampton's become a hub. Uh Calgary has so many artists, Vancouver has so many artists, and it's just amazing to see. And then you know, we've created an infrastructure here where we're doing shows across the country. I hope we can continue doing like Nova Scotia and you know Saskatchewan. And I want it to get bigger and bigger, but um it's dope. It's a blessing that you know it's in our backyards. Um, it's a blessing that Canadian talent is getting highlighted. Juno's just finally highlighting us, so yeah, it's crazy. And I've seen the trajectory of it from that little planet records uh by Dixie Gordona, that was that are kind of like um what's a black hole where you could get into that and then they'll take you to another universe? That was the only spot I think in Canada at that time I remember. Like if you could get on those doors, you might meet Jazzy B. So going from that to now we have so many artists across the country, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 1:45

And what do you hope to see in the upcoming years? Not just for the Canadian music, South Asian music scene, but for Fate as well. What can we expect in the upcoming years?

Writing From The Heart

SPEAKER_01 1:52

Just more music, um, just more me. I feel like, you know, I just released my seventh album, it's called uh Don't Forget the Call. And I feel like every album I keep leveling up, and you know, um being in the industry for like 10 years, being a professional artist for 10 years, like that's kind of rare to feel fulfilled and feel like, oh, I'm still getting better, I'm still learning things. Um, so I just want to continue growing, continue making more music, challenging myself in different ways, whether it's vocally or lyrically. Um, continue pushing the boundaries. And if you listen to my discography, I'm like a very versatile artist. Like, I want to keep pushing those genres as well.

SPEAKER_00 2:27

And how do you balance that creativity between writing and performing?

Making “Jadu” With Mickey Singh

SPEAKER_01 2:31

I don't think it's a I don't think it needs a balance. I think uh, you know, when I write, I write, and I don't really think about the performance aspect. There was a time where I was like, oh, like you gotta make songs to for the crowd, but I don't think that's that's what you should should do. I think when it comes from your heart, it connects to people's hearts, and then the show is where it becomes it comes to life. Um you know, on Instagram and everything like that, these are just numbers, you know, 10,000 views, 20,000 readings. It doesn't mean anything. But sometimes when just one person comes up to me and says, Your song touched me in this way, or um, you know, it made me happy or it made me smile, or me and my parents had a moment, like that means so much to me. And um, yeah, I know that wasn't your question, but you know, that's the performance aspect, that's the writing aspect, and that's the in tune in touch with your fans' aspect too.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

You just mentioned your latest album, yeah. That's been getting a lot of love. Oh, yeah. I will say Jadu, that track has been fire, it's been topping the charts for us, I will say, in Alberta for sure. What was the collaboration like working with Mickey Singh?

SPEAKER_01 3:29

Amazing. I think like it's so me and Mickey working on my first album, and then we hadn't worked since then. And I'm seventh album in, and I was teething with the idea this might be my last album, might not be. We'll we'll see what happens. Um, but me and Mickey reconnected as friends first before the song. This wasn't a yo, Mickey and Nijo my album. This was a let's connect as friends. Mickey came to Toronto a few times, happened very, very organically. We hung out, um, we got to know each other again because you know, with COVID and everything, and he lives in the States, like it's been a while, right? And now we're as we're uh I don't want to say elderly, but as we're more kind of grown into adulthood, we were very young back then. Um, we have similar trials and tribulations that only we can understand as artists, things that we go through. So we connected on that level, and then that song came out. And I think that's why you it's so cohesive, if you think about it. Like we're singing together, it's him, it's me. It's very, very cohesive, and we did it all through we did it in person and through like Zoom and all that stuff, and we got that done, and we did, I want to say four different versions, and that was the final version. Yeah, so you know, Mickey's a perfectionist. I learned so much. He executive produced my album because of that song, because then he wanted to hear what the rest of the album sounds like, and you know, he's he's a he's a gem of a person, and he's so talented. So shout out to Mickey.

Edmonton Plans And Wrap Up

SPEAKER_00 4:44

No, and you can totally tell it's such a perfect track, honestly. I love the track. And lastly, I have to ask when can we expect you in Edmonton?

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Whenever I was trying to make Edmonton happen tomorrow. Like, my manager's here with this whole time we're like we're in Calgary, Edmonton's a stone throw the way. We want to come. Last I think I was telling you I did Edmonton a decade ago. I think when Inch came out, we did Edmonton. So I've been dying to go to Edmonton. So, you know, I want to see West Edmonton Mall. Is that what it's called? West Edmonton Mall. I haven't seen West Edmonton Mall in a while, so yeah, I want to go. So whenever Edmonton wants me, I'll be there.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

Edmonton always wants you, so we're gonna make that happen. Of course.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Awesome. I'm telling you, we tried really hard to make it happen this time, but we'll happen in due time.