KPU history department hosts ‘In Conversation with Robyn Sandhu’
The poet, singer, and KPU alumnus talked about his musical journey after graduating
Robyn Sandhu and HIST 1105 students in Grassroots Café on July 29. (Nyamat Singh)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s history department hosted “In Conversation with Robyn Sandhu” on July 29 at the Surrey campus’s Grassroots Café.
The event was led by KPU history instructor Kyle Jackson and included students from “HIST 1105 Changemakers: 12 Little-known Individuals Who Changed the World,” a course where students learn stories of “quietly forgotten” or “actively silenced” individuals who led positive change, truth, and justice.
Sandhu, a Surrey-based singer from Rajasthan, India, graduated from KPU’s general studies program in 2020 and has since garnered millions of views on YouTube for his hits such as “Inception,” released in 2020.
The pop singer has also performed at events such as the 5X Fest block party in Surrey, an annual festival celebrating South Asian youth culture, alongside other South Asian artists such as AR Paisley and Aanam.
Life after graduation has been fast-paced, Sandhu said, although he is grateful for the challenges and opportunities that have come his way.
“KPU was a good stepping stone in my career.”
He said everyone should be aware of their history, and he tries to incorporate his own into his songs.
While he still has a nine-to-five job, he has continued to pursue music in an industry he said is hostile and fiercely competitive.
“This is a dream come true … it couldn’t be better,” he said.
Sandhu started his musical journey posting videos on TikTok, which led to people coming up to him about discovering his music and blew up into the career he has today.
Sandhu said his music has evolved throughout the years, and he is currently experimenting with hip hop and rap for projects that will come out soon.
“I believe that artists should always evolve, reinvent themselves. Because it doesn’t matter how comfortable you are in your position, even if you’re successful.”
Sandhu said self-doubt is one of the challenges he faced while making music. He encourages students to not “get lost in the matrix” and believe in themselves and their goal.
“There’ll be so many things you see every day, every week that will tempt you to do this or that and make you forget your main goal.”
Sandhu, who is also a spoken-word poet, ended the interview by reciting poetry reminiscing about his childhood.
The floor was then opened for students to ask questions. One by one, Sandhu answered questions about his journey. He explained why representing his city in his songs is important to him.
“If my city is against me, then there’s nothing.”
His inspiration while writing songs, he said, is still a mystery to him.
“It’s just something out of the world — it’s God’s creation,” he said. “The pen [writes] automatically, you just have to know what you want to do.”
Sandhu’s music is available on multiple platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.
