Sonali Singh Reveals the Secret to Managing Diljit Dosanjh, a Global Star

Walking up to the 34th-floor apartment in one of Mumbai’s posh residential towers, Sonali Singh — Diljit Dosanjh’s manager for nearly a decade — announces proudly: “We sold out the shows in under 60 seconds,” referring to the India leg of Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati Tour, with 9 out of 10 cities completely selling out in seconds.

Settling into a sofa, Singh is still in work mode, casually telling someone on the phone that only a few seats are left for the Guwahati show. “Chali jayegi thodi der mein (the passes will sell out in some time),” she remarks calmly. As Singh hangs up, she chuckles softly, as if to subtly acknowledge the confidence she has earned through her years of hustle.

Singh’s journey with Dosanjh started over a decade ago, back when she was an “annoying marketing person” working on a multi-artist album called Bhangra Paa Mittra (2013), headlined by Dosanjh himself. The standout track, (Gaddafi Song) Bodyguard, was his. Singh had been sent to record what she recalls as “irritating promotional bytes,” yet, somehow, she got along with Dosanjh. What began as a professional interaction evolved into a deep friendship and, eventually, a successful partnership that has helped propel Dosanjh’s stardom.

Now, Singh is the powerhouse behind one of the most dynamic careers in the entertainment industry, the quiet force that lets Dosanjh continue to rise.

Edited excerpts from her conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India:

Diljit Dosanjh with Sonali Singh

How does it feel to play such a crucial role in shaping an artiste of his calibre?

I am able to do what I do only because I have an artiste like Diljit Dosanjh. I don't know what the equation would have been if it was someone else. When I reach out to a global network or any global company, and I have a brand like Diljit Dosanjh — who has been delivering for almost two decades — it is easier for me to convince those people or to make sense in those rooms.

All I can do is set things up. If I set up a grand stage and the artiste doesn’t deliver, how long will it last? It has all been made possible because of the work that Diljit has put in.

He was doing well anyway, so I have just framed the right setup around him. I would say every single bit of credit goes to him. I genuinely mean it.

But there is some value to giving yourself some credit…

(Laughs) I think I'm good with execution.

Does he come to you with an absurd idea? I remember during the Roar Tour (2019) there were these gigantic lions coming out of the stage…

I'll tell you what our equation is: he will come and tell me that he wants a lion — a giant, realistic lion. Now, how I make that happen is not his responsibility. He would always tell me, ‘This is my vision. This is what I want. This is the kind of show I want to do. This is the kind of production I want. These are the countries I want to go to.’ How all of that happens is my responsibility — and again, why am I able to do that? Because it's easier for me to convince partners to come on board when I have Diljit Dosanjh.

I've always been blessed. I always found the right people, the right teams, and the right companies to collaborate with, and he has such an incredible record that people trust what I say.

Just to give you an example: when we tour outside the country, insurance policies are a must. Every damn thing is insured. The premium that gets charged for a show where Diljit is performing, in comparison to any other international artist, is much lower. Insurance companies charge us a smaller premium because of Diljit’s credibility in the market.

Diljit Dosanjh with Sonali Singh

Tell us about breaking into Western markets. Can you walk us through the key moments that have helped Diljit transcend borders?

I'll give you a philosophical example: think of a tree's journey. You sow a seed, it grows bigger and bigger, and then, one day, mangoes start growing on it. How will you decide which moment in the tree's life caused the mangoes to grow on it? Not even a single moment in his life or in his journey is less important in bringing him to the level that he is at. It boils down to the everydayness of it. You work every day, and eventually, you see the fruits (of your labour). This is how your life is. Whatever is happening in your life is equally important in bringing you to this moment right now.

All the emails I sent late at night that didn’t get any responses also added up to us finding the right people. That’s what made Coachella happen (in 2023); that’s what made The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon happen (June 2024); that’s how we sold out stadiums — we don’t see the value of those things, but they also matter.

Take us behind the scenes of selling out stadiums. Right now, you’re selling out in seconds, but that’s not what it was like the first time you booked a big venue, right?

It comes down to the same philosophy that in order to reach The O2 Arena (in London), or the BC Place stadium (in Vancouver), or the Rogers Centre Stadium (in Toronto), we’ve had to learn from our smaller shows. We learnt from our mistakes. When we book the venue and deal with local promoters — commit something, deliver something else — we learn that this is not how we want our shows to be. The learnings come from those mistakes. Because if those mistakes hadn't happened, then this system wouldn't have been set up. If we hadn't been cheated by the promoters, we wouldn't have built our own team. If they [local promoters] hadn't ditched us at the last minute, we wouldn't have gone for a corporate set-up. All the mistakes and issues have actually led us to this journey now.

When we look at Diljit Dosanjh’s career from the outside, we see many high points. What, for you, has been the high point of this journey?

I'll tell you the moment that I’ll always remember. When we did the BC Place Stadium show (in April 2024), the audience started coming in 2-3 hours before it started. I usually do a tour of the stadium (before the show starts).

I’m not exaggerating; 60 to 70 people stopped me on the way and said ‘thank you’. They were so emotional. They had been bullied, made to feel like they didn’t belong in this country, always made to feel like outsiders. For all those people, this day, when about 55,000 to 60,000 people came together and celebrated their culture, celebrated their identity, they felt seen and accepted.

It was like a festival for all of them. They were in tears and were just thanking me and Diljit for doing what he is doing, for doing what I am doing. I was crying after meeting everyone. It will stay in my heart forever.

Congratulations on becoming Billboard Women in Music’s Global Manager of the Year! What does this recognition mean to you?

This is really a source of great happiness for me. This was the first time that an Indian manager was getting such global recognition. Because until now, no one had taken the manager profile seriously. This is important not just for me but also for my fellow managers in India. This is a sign that we can make a mark in global markets and create a space for ourselves and for our artists.