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Humble The Poet (Kanwer Singh Mahl)

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth12 July 1981

Age40 Years (as of 2021)

BirthplaceMississauga, Ontario, Canada

ProfessionSpoken Word Artist/MC, YouTuber, Hip-Hop Artist, Author, Public Speaker, Designer, Filmmaker, Creative Consultant

NationalityCanadian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyParents (father a long-time cab driver), two sisters

Humble The Poet (Kanwer Singh Mahl), Biography

Kanwer Singh Mahl, known professionally as Humble The Poet, is a Canadian spoken-word artist, musician, author, filmmaker and creative entrepreneur. Rising

Early life and background

Kanwer Singh Mahl was born on July 12, 1981, in Mississauga, Ontario, and grew up in the Toronto area. He is Canadian and was raised by immigrant Punjabi parents. Before turning to a creative career full time, he worked as an elementary school teacher and high-school tutor while developing his voice on Toronto’s open-mic and spoken-word circuit.

Physical traits and personal outlook

Mahl is approximately 180 cm (5'11") tall and has black hair and black eyes. He has a number of tattoos with personal significance, including pieces that commemorate family, travel and milestones from his touring life. He describes himself as a lifelong learner with a humanist relationship to nature and spiritual writings that inform his thinking rather than a formal religious practice.

Career

Mahl adopted the stage name Humble The Poet in early 2009 after building an audience online. His musical debut came in 2009 with the mixtape -00.05, and he continued a series of similarly titled releases. A breakthrough viral moment arrived in 2010 when the song "Baagi Music" drew wider attention. Prior to that, he had posted spoken-word and music pieces to YouTube, notably gaining traction with an independently recorded track in 2008 that helped expand his reach.

In 2010 he left teaching to pursue performance, writing and multimedia work full time. His creative roles encompass spoken-word artist and MC, hip-hop artist, filmmaker, designer, public speaker and creative consultant. He has directed music videos, including a self-directed release in 2017 titled H.A.I.R., and has worked as an actor and featured himself in film projects.

Music and collaborations

Humble The Poet has collaborated with fellow Canadian creator Lilly Singh on multiple tracks. Their 2014 single "Leh" became a major online success, registering millions of views. The pair later released a second collaboration, “IVIVI,” in 2015. Mahl’s musical output has addressed social and political themes such as racism, the immigrant experience, domestic violence, incarceration and LGBTQ issues in South Asian communities.

Writing and publishing

Mahl expanded into authorship with self-published work and later mainstream releases. He released an early e-book and video project in 2013 that was crowdfunded successfully. His first paperback, Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths For A Better Life, appeared in 2014, became a long-running pick in readers’ lists, and went on to international bestseller status; it was reissued by a major publisher in 2019. He followed that with subsequent volumes, including Beneath The Surface (Unlearn Volume 2) in 2015 and another international bestseller, Things No One Else Can Teach Us, in 2019.

Other projects and public work

Mahl has built a broad online presence with music, podcasts and community platforms. He launched a podcast titled Humble The Poet Daily'ish in 2021 and maintains a website and a clothing line. He has performed at festivals and venues internationally, including appearances in London, Delhi, Pune and major festivals, and has been featured in a variety of international media outlets.

Honours and recognition

Over the years Mahl’s work has been included in notable projects and campaigns. He has been featured in an Apple #ShotOnIphone campaign and appeared in documentary and festival work that has been recognized at film and advertising festivals. His creative documentary subject and short films have received festival attention and awards.

Public profile

Mahl is publicly active on social platforms and has grown a substantial following. He presents himself as an artist engaged with social activism and anti-racism, speaking about his family’s experiences and reflecting those themes in his creative work. He has voiced a political inclination described as autonomist and frequently uses his platform to address cultural and social topics.

Latest updates

In recent years Mahl has continued to release music, videos and books while keeping much of his music freely available. He has appeared on television alongside collaborators and continues to tour, create merchandise and run community platforms. His stated approach to his career emphasizes live performances and merchandise as primary income sources while maintaining creative independence.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Humble The Poet (Kanwer Singh Mahl),, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

H.A.I.R (self-directed music video)

YouTube music video released in 2017 that became one of his most viewed videos.

2017
Humble The Poet Daily'ish Podcast

Podcast launched in 2021.

2021
Things No One Else Can Teach Us

International bestseller released in October 2019.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Released debut mixtape -00.05 (2009)
  2. Left teaching to pursue full-time creative career (2010)
  3. Collaborated with Lilly Singh on the viral single "Leh" (2014)
  4. Published Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths For A Better Life (2014); re-released by a major publisher (2019)
  5. Self-directed music video H.A.I.R. (2017)
  6. Launched Humble The Poet Daily'ish podcast (2021)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Humble The Poet (Kanwer Singh Mahl), born?

12 July 1981

What is Humble The Poet (Kanwer Singh Mahl), known for?

Spoken Word Artist/MC, YouTuber, Hip-Hop Artist, Author, Public Speaker, Designer, Filmmaker, Creative Consultant

What is Humble The Poet (Kanwer Singh Mahl),’s marital status?

Unmarried