On this week's Billboard Canadian Hot 100, the late Punjabi music sensation Sidhu Moose Wala debuts in the top 10, with the posthumous single “Drippy”.
The hard-hitting track finds Moose Wala and Canadian rapper AR Paisley trading lyrics – the former in Punjabi and the latter in English – over an ominous trap beat from producer MXRCI. “Stop playing these games / 'cause out on these streets it can get expensive,” Paisley says, “it could cost you your life / so don't take it lightly.”
The song comes almost two years after the 2022 killing of Moose Wala in Mansa, India. The artist moved to Brampton in 2016 and quickly rose to prominence in the Punjabi rap scene, eventually starting his own record label and returning to India, where he became involved in politics. His shocking death came just before a scheduled eight-date Canadian tour, during which he was scheduled to play Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum.
Moose Wala previously had 13 songs chart on the Canadian Hot 100, with several landing posthumously – but he had never made the top 10 before. As Punjabi music becomes a great power in Canada, leaves behind a significant legacy, evident in strong support for singles like “Drippy.” His influence is also seen in artists such as Paisley, who is signed to 91 North, the joint label of Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India to promote South Asian music worldwide. – Rosie Long Decter
Canadian indie rock band Hollerado reunites as Tokyo Police Club Break Up
It's been five years since Canadian indie group Hollerado called it quits. But they're reuniting the band to send off fellow indie rockers Tokyo Police Club, who are playing their final shows this November. Hollerado will open for Tokyo Police Club on two of their four dates at Toronto's History.
The concerts mark a full-circle moment for both bands, who emerged around the same time in the late 2000s on the Canadian indie scene. Tokyo Police Club opened for Hollerado at their last shows of 2019. “When they told us it was their turn to hang up the skates and asked if we'd come out of retirement to join them,” the band wrote on Instagram, “of course we said YES”.
Hollerado had a gold record with 2010's “Juliette,” from the Ottawa band's debut album. Register in bag. The band also peaked at No. 42 Advertising signCanada Rock chart in 2019 with “One Last Time”. Since breaking up, the members have focused on other projects and ventures, such as the popular label Royal Mountain Records, led by the band's frontman Menno Versteeg.
Now, they will join their friends at the Tokyo Police Club one last time, to say goodbye to the Newmarket, Ontario band. Tokyo Police Club were one of the biggest breakouts of Canada's indie rock wave in the 2000s, playing Coachella and Letterman. Their 2006 EP hit A lesson in crime helped inspire guitar bands across the country. In 2010 they talked to me Advertising sign about the sessions for their second album, Champion.
Guitar music has gone through a whole cycle of falling out of fashion and making a comeback since 2010, with its forms evolving and expanding along the way. If Tokyo Police Club hasn't had such a high profile in recent years, there's clearly still a lot of love for the band: three out of four of their farewell shows have already sold out. The last one, on November 26th, still has a few available here. – Rosie Long Decter
Canadian Music Dates and Signings
Country singer and songwriter based in Quebec Alison Daniels has signed with 604 Records with her debut Who, What, Where, When, Why? released February 9 via Warner Music Canada.
Musician based in Victoria Michael Kaeshammer just announced the release date for his new album and a new worldwide deal with Seven.One Starwatch/Sony Music Germany. It recently completed tours described as SRO in China and Germany and returns to Germany in May for a theater tour. He recently signed a tour deal with German event promoter MMP/Starwatch. In the meantime, Kaeshammer's Kitchenhis music-cooking TV show has been renewed for a second season, airing on Yes and CHEK.
Secret City Records has named Magali Ould as a GM. A former freelance journalist, she joined in 2011 and has since held various positions at the Montreal-based music label. In naming her to the role, president/CEO Justin West said, “Secret City's tremendous growth, as well as the accelerating pace of a changing marketplace, brings new challenges and opportunities and drives the need for additional management infrastructure to secure its related components. organizations continue to operate at the highest level. The role of General Manager meets this need and will help unlock our potential for future growth and expansion.”
Quebec rapper Lost has been named as a participant in YouTube's FIFTY DEEP music course for 2024, a grant program that supports and provides support to black artists, songwriters and producers in the hip-hop arena. The class is comprised of 27 global artists, songwriters and producers from the US, Brazil, Sub-Saharan Africa, Canada and beyond. Read more about FIFTY DEEP here. – David Farrell & Kerry Doole
Last week in Canada: This invisible Canadian cleaned up at the Grammys
