I Dont Wanna by Harnoor

I Dont Wanna is one of those rare Punjabi tracks that manages to feel both fresh and familiar the moment it begins. Behind the melody is the work of ILAM, whose composition choices give I Dont Wanna its distinctive texture.

Harnoor inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. Hearing I Dont Wanna without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen 8 Chances.

By the end of 2021, I Dont Wanna had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. Listeners have described the experience of I Dont Wanna differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 2:54, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Punjabi in recent memory — and the numbers agree.