Vailpuna by Gippy Grewal

There is an honesty to Vailpuna that separates it from most Punjabi songs released around the same time. Enzo sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Vailpuna, Gippy Grewal clearly belongs in the second group. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in The Main Man finds its musical expression here — Vailpuna is where the film's heart beats loudest.

2020 was a strong year for Punjabi music, and Vailpuna was among the reasons why. There is a quality to Vailpuna that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

In 3:19 minutes, Vailpuna builds, opens up, and resolves in a way that feels complete rather than truncated. Vailpuna is a reminder that the best music does not need to announce itself. It only needs to be heard.