On this week’s Billboard Canadian Hot 100, the late Punjabi music sensation Sidhu Moose Wala debuts in the top 10, with posthumous single “Drippy.”
The hard-hitting track finds Moose Wala and Canadian rapper AR Paisley trading verses — the former in Punjabi, the latter in English — over an ominous trap beat from producer MXRCI. “Stop playing these games / cause out in these streets s–t could get pricey,” raps Paisley, “could cost you your life / so don’t take that lightly.”
The song arrives nearly two years after Moose Wala’s 2022 murder in Mansa, India. The artist moved to Brampton in 2016 and quickly rose to prominence in the Punjabi rap scene, eventually starting his own label and moving back to India, where he became involved in politics. His shocking death came right before a planned eight-date Canadian tour, during which he was booked to play Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum.
Moose Wala has previously had 13 charting songs on the Canadian Hot 100, with several landing after his death — but has never cracked the top 10 before. As Punjabi music becomes a major force in Canada, he leaves behind a significant legacy, evident in the strong support for singles like “Drippy.” His influence also shows in artists like Paisley, who’s signed to 91 North, the joint label between Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India to promote South Asian music worldwide. – Rosie Long Decter
Canadian Indie Rock Band Hollerado Reunite as Tokyo Police Club Break Up
It’s been five years since Canadian indie group Hollerado called it quits. But they’re getting the band back together in order to send-off fellow indie rockers Tokyo Police Club, who are playing their final shows this November. Hollerado will open for Tokyo Police Club at two of their four dates at Toronto’s History.
The shows mark a full circle moment for both bands, who came up around the same time in the late 2000s Canadian indie scene. Tokyo Police Club opened for Hollerado at their final shows in 2019. “When they told us that it was their turn to hang up the skates, and asked if we would come out of retirement to join em,” the band wrote on Instagram, “of course we said YES.”
Hollerado had a gold record with 2010’s “Juliette,” off the Ottawa band’s debut album Record in a Bag. The band also hit No. 42 on Billboard‘s Canada Rock chart in 2019 with “One Last Time.” Since breaking up, members have focused on other projects and ventures, like popular label Royal Mountain Records, helmed by the band’s frontman Menno Versteeg.
Now, they’ll be joining their friends in Tokyo Police Club one last time, to give the Newmarket, Ontario band a proper goodbye. Tokyo Police Club were one of the biggest breakouts of Canada’s indie rock wave in the 2000s, playing Coachella and Letterman. The success of their 2006 EP A Lesson in Crime helped inspire guitar bands across the country. In 2010, they spoke with Billboard about the sessions for their sophomore album, Champ.
Guitar music has gone through a whole cycle of falling out of style and coming back in since 2010, its forms evolving and expanding along the way. If Tokyo Police Club hasn’t had as big a 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 Nov. 26, still has a few available here. – Rosie Long Decter
Canadian Music Appointments and Signings
Quebec City-based country singer and songwriter Alison Daniels has signed on with 604 Records with her debut “Who, What, Where, When, Why?” released Feb. 9 via Warner Music Canada.
Victoria-based musician Michael Kaeshammer has just announced the release date for his new album and a new worldwide deal with Seven.One Starwatch/Sony Music Germany. He recently wrapped up what is described as SRO tours in China and Germany and heads back to Germany in May for a theatre tour. He recently signed a touring deal with German event promoter MMP/Starwatch. Meanwhile, Kaeshammer’s Kitchen, his television show fusing music with cooking, has been renewed for its second season, airing on Yes and CHEK stations.
Secret City Records has named Magali Ould as GM. A former independent publicist, she joined in 2011 and has held various positions with the Montreal-based music company since. In naming her to the role, president/CEO Justin West stated: “Secret City’s tremendous growth, as well as the accelerated pace of the changing market, both bring new challenges and opportunities and drive the need for additional management infrastructure to ensure the relevant parts of the organization continue to function at the highest level. The General Manager role addresses that 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 Class of 2024, a grants program that champions and provides support for Black artists, songwriters and producers in the hip-hop arena. The class is comprised of 27 global artists, songwriters, and producers from the U.S., Brazil, Sub-Saharan Africa, Canada and beyond. Read more about FIFTY DEEP here. – David Farrell & Kerry Doole