Meet the First Dhol Star to Rock Strictly Come Dancing's Stage!

Josh Kapur, a 19-year-old musician from Wolverhampton, has made history as the first dhol drum player to perform on the popular television show Strictly Come Dancing. Josh, who now lives in Telford, was invited to play the dhol for a special Couple's Choice Punjabi Bhangra routine, danced by actress Balvinder Sopal and her professional partner Julian Caillon. Dressed in a striking blue outfit with gold embroidery, Josh stood backstage holding his large wooden drum decorated with red pom poms, ready to bring the energetic sound of the dhol to the live audience.

Josh's journey to the Strictly stage began on TikTok, where he has built a following of nearly 300,000 fans. His talent caught the attention of Ed Sheeran, who reposted a video of Josh playing the dhol to Sheeran's song Sapphire. This viral moment led Balvinder Sopal to search for a dhol player for her dance, and she found Josh online. Josh described the opportunity as 'once in a lifetime' and said he was honored to represent his culture and family on national television. He felt like a celebrity and was proud to showcase the dhol, a drum that is central to Punjabi music and celebrations.

Preparing for the show was intense. Josh rehearsed for a week and felt the pressure when he met Dave Arch and the rest of the Strictly band, who are known for their high standards. He worried about making mistakes but focused on his practice. When the moment came to perform live, Josh was nervous but everything went smoothly. His performance was praised by Sopal, who called it 'awesome,' and Caillon, who said it 'brought the heartbeat' to their routine. After the show, Josh was overwhelmed by support from fans and his phone was constantly ringing. He credited his parents for their encouragement, especially when he started making noisy dhol videos at home. Now a second-year maths and computer science student at the University of Birmingham, Josh hopes to take his musical career further and dreams of performing with stars like Ed Sheeran. His story highlights the power of social media in helping young artists achieve their dreams and share their culture with a wider audience.