Simiran Kaur Dhadli Talks New Song ‘Dupatta Drill’

For Punjabi powerhouse singer Simiran Kaur Dhadli, her latest song “Dupatta Drill” is an “emotion.” She tells Rolling Stone India, “[It’s] a story of a rooted, yet fearless boss woman who takes pride in her culture but isn’t afraid to deal with life’s challenges head-on.”

The latest Haryanvi song from the Punjabi artist comes via Sony Music India and is coupled with a music video that showcases a female protagonist in rural Punjab showing local detractors who the boss is when they show up at her home to threaten her husband. With lyrics and composing work done by artist Rawme Hooda, the video also shows Dhadli in different avatars, from a villager adorned in black to an urban hustler in a pink power suit. “I’m sure that our song will make every woman proud,” Dhadli says.

Although not exactly a drill beat – which Dhadli has taken on before – the artist says she’s not about selecting the sonic elements based on genres or sub-genres. She says, “I just catch vibes. So if it feels like it would work, it works.”

Dhadli’s new song “Dupatta Drill” is her first solo release of the year, although she also collaborated with Punjabi artist Rashmeet Kaur on “Sherni” off the album KAURA which came out earlier in 2024. “I had to be a part of that album because I will always be the first one to empower other artists if I get the opportunity to. Rashmeet and I became friends while working on the track ‘Sherni,’ which added more comfort to our collaboration,” Dhadli recalls.

Previously, Dhadli has released hit songs like “Barood Wargi” (2021) and her own album The Woman King in 2023. Often bringing an acerbic and hard-hitting vocal style to her songs, the Punjabi artist drew ire online for her 2021 song “Lahu Di Awaaz,” which was called out for putting down other women. Dhadli looks back at the release as her “personal favorite song,” because it “caught the attention of audiences and started a dialog.”

She adds, “The lyrics were being discussed – praised and criticized – in India and across the world. The moment brought a lot of exposure and enlightenment to my life, and career.” Rather than focus on the negative criticism that came from “Lahu Di Awaaz,” Dhadli says she chooses to “soak in all the appreciation and love” she received for the song. “If I feel strongly about something, I would proudly make a song like that again,” she says.

Dhadli went on to lend her vocals to the Tanishk Bagchi-composed song “Rok Leyy” for Bollywood movie Jugjugg Jeeyo in 2022. She’s certainly open to singing more film songs, but Dhadli says she takes a call based on he concept and emotion that it represents within a film. “For a purely Desi woman like me, in the end, it’s all about my roots, values and feelings,” she says. To that end, songs like “Faraar” from Punjabi film Maurh and “Rebel” from Chidiyan Da Chamba have been Dhadli’s way of reaching more audiences. She adds, “I provided theatrical rights of my vocals to the [2023] film Jodi. I sung two songs in that film alongside Diljit Dosanjh.”

Watch the video for “Dupatta Drill” below.