Diljit Dosanjh Becomes First Indian Artist to Perform at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas
Punjabi music has arrived on Latin music’s biggest stage. Diljit Dosanjh became the first Indian artist ever to perform live at the Latin Grammy Awards, taking the stage at the 27th edition of the ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on November 12, alongside Puerto Rican reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee. The pair performed their Punjabi-Spanish collaboration Pokito, backed by bhangra and reggaeton dancers, in what was the song’s first live rendition — and a moment that drew loud cheers from a room full of Latin music’s biggest names.
Pokito was released on October 30 as part of Daddy Yankee’s 15-track album La Postal, with its music video directed by Stillz and shot in Puerto Rico. Diljit opens the track with Punjabi verses before Daddy Yankee takes over in Spanish, and the video plays with elements from both worlds — bhangra in a bodega, cricket meeting baseball. The performance in Las Vegas came as part of Daddy Yankee’s medley celebrating his career, and Diljit shared a clip of it on Instagram afterwards, writing: “PANJABI AA GAYE @latingrammys. Oye, dunia di har stage te Panjabi boli jau gi… Baba sukh rakhe. Shoutout to Big Brother @daddyyankee. Thank you for bringing two cultures together on one stage.”
A quieter moment backstage has travelled just as far as the performance itself. In a video doing the rounds online, Diljit is seen meeting Daddy Yankee’s mother, Rosa Rodriguez, and bending down to touch her feet as a mark of respect — a gesture rooted in Indian tradition that has drawn appreciation from fans on both sides of the collaboration. Daddy Yankee, speaking on the red carpet, called the pairing natural and said he had always believed Punjabi music and reggaeton were “like cousins”.
Here is the Filmverse take: this is the crossover that matters most for the diaspora, because it is not an Indian star guesting on a Western stage — it is Punjabi music being presented, in Punjabi, as an equal partner inside Latin music’s own flagship night. Diljit has already played Coachella and sold out arenas across North America, and the 2027 Coachella lineup announced this week lists him for April 9 and April 16. The Latin Grammys performance, though, is different: it puts a Punjabi verse at the centre of a ceremony watched across the Spanish-speaking world, and it does so alongside a reggaeton legend rather than as a novelty slot. We covered the opening night of his Aura India Tour here: https://filmverse.in/diljit-dosanjh-satluj-controversy-delhi-concert-dont-teach-punjabis-how-to-fight/
Sources: Filmfare, The Glam Feed, Mirchi, GG2 — the performance took place at the 27th Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on November 12, 2026.
