‘Diljit Dosanjh pays attention meticulously to every aspect of a show’, reveals pianist Clinton Charles | World Music Day Exclusive

Diljit Dosanjh with Clinton Charles

As Punjabi singing sensation Diljit Dosanjh continues to take his music to new heights and make India proud, Indian keyboardist and playback engineer Clinton Charles spills the beans on working with the ‘GOAT'. On World Music Day 2024, he exclusively speaks to mid-day.com about their gig at Coachella 2023, recent appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, and more.

Clinton first met Diljit in 2022 at rehearsals in Mumbai. He was called by his music producer to somewhat audition for the job of a playback engineer. He managed to get hired for the Born To Shine World Tour and has never looked back since. Sharing his work process with the ‘Hass Hass' singer, he shares, "I'm in charge of running his shows through Ableton Live software. Work with Diljit is at the highest level as he pays attention meticulously to every aspect of the show. He truly pushes me to my limits which has helped me grow immensely and boost my confidence on the biggest stages across the world in the most high-pressure and stressful work situations. I'm grateful to him for always giving me the opportunity to prove my capabilities, pushing me out of my comfort zone, and helping me expand my horizon as a musician."

Diljit scripted history with his performance at Coachella, recalling their time at the music festival Clinton reveals, "It was an important milestone for all of us. Being amongst the first Indians to be on that stage was a surreal experience. For me, hearing Diljit say, ‘Punjabi aa gaye Coachella oye', made me swell with pride, and watching DJ Diplo and the entire audience from all over the world dance to his songs gave me goosebumps."

Diljit's recent appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon was an instant hit. Sharing an anecdote, Clinton says, "I was extremely excited to be on the sets. From watching it on TV to actually setting foot on that stage, it will always be one of the highlights of my career as a musician. Hearing the audience applaud and cheer for us during our performance gave me an adrenaline rush. These are historic moments for all of us, which we'll always cherish."

Speaking about a mandatory ritual before every performance, he avers, "Diljit always makes it a point to come on stage before the concert for a technical soundcheck with the band. We run through a few songs and briefly talk about the show songlist or if he wants to make any additions or modifications to the existing songs. He notes things and then executes it to perfection."

Clinton describes Diljit as extremely humble and fun to hang out with. "I'm fortunate to share a great bond with him both on stage and off stage. He is extremely passionate about his music and that is evident through his concerts which is a class apart from any other Indian show you will see. His hard work is unparalleled and he's a true visionary, a one-of-a-kind artist with the entire world as his stage. It only gets bigger and better from here on. Can't wait to see what's next in store for us!" he signs off.