B.C. fans mourn death of popular Punjabi singer, call for inquiry

Millions around the world are mourning the death of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, better known as Sidhu Moose Wala, a popular Punjabi singer who rose to fame after making music in Canada.

"Everybody is sad, shocked, upset," said Surrey fan Kuljinder Gill.

He was one of dozens who attended a vigil in Surrey for the rapper on Sunday night, and he, like many fans, believe Sidhu's final song, "The Last Ride," foreshadowed his untimely death. Released earlier this month, it was a tribute to one of his biggest influences, Tupac Shakur.

"(It was) very surprising, especially at a young age," Gill said of that track.

The music video, which has garnered millions of views on YouTube, featured a recreation of the scene when the American rapper was shot to death in his car in 1996.

Sidhu was gunned down on Sunday evening while driving in India. He recently tried his hands at politics in that country, joining India’s Congress Party in 2021 and unsuccessfully running in the state’s assembly elections.

A day before his death, the Punjab government withdrew security cover for more than 400 individuals, including Sidhu.

Sidhu was just 28. He moved to Canada on a student visa in 2016, then soon catapulted to stardom with his music. He was born and raised in a village in the Mansa district of Punjab and obtained a degree in electrical engineering from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College in Ludhiana before making his way to Canada to study at Humber College in Toronto, according to India Today.

Sidhu’s music often acknowledged his identity as a Punjabi Sikh immigrant in Canada.

'HE HAD A REALNESS'

Mo Dhaliwal, a Vancouver-based fan, called Sidhu an icon for modern Punjabi music.

"He really felt like your own. He had a charm to him. He had a realness. And even his Punjabi vernacular was something that young people around the world connected with," he said.

Celebrities, including fellow rapper Drake and comedian Lilly Singh, paid tribute to the late singer online.

Drake shared a photo of the 28-year-old with his mom and in a heartfelt note, Singh called the rapper a legend and his death was "absolutely devastating and upsetting news."

Sidhu was expected to perform at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum this summer as part of his Canadian tour.

"He's definitely leaving a massive hole in the hearts of millions of people that felt this connection to him," said Dhaliwal.

With questions still surrounding his death, fans in British Columbia are calling for a public inquiry, demanding to know what led to Sidhu's killing.

Local police in India said Sidhu was killed on Sunday in a gang rivalry which may have ties to Canada, the Hindustan Times reports. The assailants fired 30 rounds at Sidhu’s vehicle and he was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, according to Punjab’s chief of police, VK Bhawra.

Fans say they'll be holding gatherings frequently to pressure officials to further investigate the case.

With files from CTV News Toronto's Rhythm Sachdeva and The Associated Press