The annual 5X Fest is back in Surrey with a popular Block Party at Surrey Civic Plaza on Saturday, June 15, outside city hall.
The festival celebrates South Asian music and art at a few events organized by Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society (VIBC), from June 13 to 16.
Admission is free at the festival's flagship Block Party from 2 to 9 p.m., featuring music by Alberta-based hip-hop artist Prabh Singh, Toronto-area rappers Jassa Dhillon and AR Paisley, Surrey singer Raman Bains, DJ Shalv, Hark and others, with hosts Joty Kay and Kirpan Dhillon.
"It's a great festival," raved Paisley in a phone call. "I feel like the whole city comes together and there's a lot of positive energy from what I got last time. Like, going into 2024, this one might even be bigger and better, that's the energy I'm getting."
The Mississauga-raised Paisley is signed to 91 North Records, which supports artists of South Asian heritage in a joint venture launched last August by Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India. Also supported by the music company is Surrey-raised lyricist Chani Nattan, who in May released "Facetime" on streaming platforms.
"The West Coasts shows me a lot of love, actually," Paisley said. "I've performed there now, I'd say, four times and going on five, with the festival on June 15. I've actually done 5X, in 2022, and it was one of my first festivals, so it's cool to come back and do it again because I've had a lot of growth in these last two years, so it's like a full-circle moment."
91 North Records is co-sponsoring an "Afterparty" after the Block Party from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m., according to details on showpass.com/o/5x-fest, where tickets are sold for $103. 5X Fest also features an Art Party at Beaumont Studios in Vancouver, and also a Selfcare Sunday event June 16.
Founded in 2004, VIBC celebrates its 20th anniversary at 5X Fest with "initiatives to further support progressive South Asian artistic expression."
At BC Place Stadium in Vancouver a few weeks ago, Paisley witnessed the sold-out Diljit Dosanjh concert, a landmark event for the growing scene in Canada.
"I think it's just a very exciting time," Paisley said. "I feel like the industry has been growing a lot for a couple of years, even from 2022 and 2023, and this year is when people really saw exactly how big it's gonna be, because I still think it's gonna get bigger than where we are right now. It's a blessing to just be a part of it because I'm passionate about music in general, but then when it comes to like putting my culture on the forefront and mixing it with music, it's even more exciting, you know."
