'New York vich munda rehnda': Who is Punjabi singer that stole Zohran Mamdani's oath ceremony
PTC News Desk: A Punjabi singer’s performance at the New York City mayor’s inauguration on January 1 has triggered mixed reactions on social media, with people praising it as well as criticising it.
Toronto-based Punjabi singer Babbu Beard, also known as Babbulicious, performed his popular song Gaddi Red Challenger at the swearing-in ceremony of Zohran Kwame Mamdani as New York’s mayor. Videos showing Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, dancing to the bhangra-style music quickly spread online and drew global attention.
At 34, Mamdani made history by becoming New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. A former state Assembly member and Democratic Socialist, he often spoke about his South Asian background during the campaign. His mother is filmmaker Mira Nair, who is of Indian origin, and his campaign included Hindi videos and cultural references aimed at immigrant communities.
The singer, whose real name is Babbu Singh, is part of Canada’s Punjabi music scene and is well known in the Brampton–Toronto area. He became popular in the early 2020s through short, funny videos and music clips on TikTok and Instagram. His song Gaddi Red Challenger, which jokes about diaspora habits like flashy cars and pride in one’s roots, helped make him famous online.
After the event, Babbu shared photos with Mamdani on social media and thanked him for the invitation. The post quickly received thousands of likes and shares.
Reactions online were divided. Many people from South Asian communities saw the performance as a proud moment of representation, while others criticised it. Videos of the mayor dancing were widely shared, with supporters calling it a celebration of New York’s multicultural identity.
- With inputs from agencies
