Diljit Dosanjh may have been the star of the night at Wembley Stadium, but when he chose to sing one of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s most beloved qawwalis, he made it clear that the moment was never about trying to match the legendary singer. For Diljit, performing “Sanson Ki Mala” was simply his way of showing love and respect for an artist he has admired for years.
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The Punjabi singer recently addressed the much-discussed performance during an Instagram Live session after a fan brought up his rendition of the Nusrat classic. Rather than accepting praise for the performance, Diljit responded with the humility that has become a familiar part of his public persona.
He admitted that he does not consider himself good enough to do justice to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s songs. According to Diljit, he sees himself as a “very limited artist” and knew that singing a song associated so closely with Nusrat Sahib came with a certain responsibility. Still, the opportunity to perform at such an iconic venue made him feel that it was the right time to pay tribute.
Diljit explained that the decision came from his deep admiration for Nusrat and the love he believed the Wembley audience also had for the late qawwali maestro. With thousands of people gathered inside the stadium, he wanted to share a few of Nusrat Sahib’s words with them and celebrate his legacy in his own way.
The singer went on to acknowledge that his rendition might not have been perfect. He said he may have made mistakes and that his voice could not compare with the legendary original. But perfection, he suggested, was never the point. He sang the song from the heart because Nusrat remains one of his all-time favourite artists.
