The Killing Call: 1. The death of a star - World of Secrets

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[00:00]
Bobby Frixion
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.
[00:06]
Luke Lamanna
Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna, on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:44]
Aisleen Kaur
A summer storm has just swept off the plains. Steam is rising from hot concrete walkways. We're in Canada's northernmost big city, Edmonton. It's August 2018.
[01:01]
Bobby Frixion
In the south of the city, on the edge of an industrial estate. A stream of cars pulls into a parking lot of a low slung ranch style building. It's a bar where the bouncers have a reputation for taking no nonsense. People are gathering in the early evening sun. There's a buzz in the air, a chatter of expectation.
[01:26]
Aisleen Kaur
Inside, the dance floor is already packe massive bodies jostling to get closer to the stage, their phones raised at the ready.
[01:43]
Bobby Frixion
Onto the stage strides a young rapper. He's over 6ft tall, wearing a reddish pink turban, combat trousers and a T shirt covered in silhouettes of guns. This is the man they've come to see. He calls himself Sindhu Musiala.
[02:03]
Aisleen Kaur
The fans at the front banged the stage in a frenzy. It's only been a year since he exploded onto the music scene, but he's already on his way to being a star.
[02:20]
Bobby Frixion
The music is raw. It's a fusion of two worlds hip hop with the poetic language of rural Punjab. And it's not like any music that's come before.
[02:39]
Aisleen Kaur
The audience knows every word. They scream the lyrics back to him. He paces back and forth across the stage like a caged tiger about to spring. He's only 25, but he owns the stage. He's got swagger, confidence. And then he stops and he drops a bombshell.
[03:08]
Bobby Frixion
Today, he says in Punjabi, I received a call. A personal threat. They told me, don't perform here. They said if you come to Edmonton, will kill you. Who is this they that he's talking about? The crowd doesn't seem fazed. Maybe this is all part of the act.
[03:33]
Aisleen Kaur
They keep chanting his name, but Sidhu just stares back at them. He doesn't look scared. He doesn't even look surprised. He looks defiant.
[03:53]
Bobby Frixion
God gave me this life. He chants, half talking, half rhyming Poetry. He glares out into the lights. If I go down, I'll take my enemies with me, he says. I swear, those who dream of crushing me, I'll never let them sleep. It's fighting talk.
[04:22]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu launches into the track. Lifestyle. We live by gun, we die by gun. Go the lyrics. Looking at him on stage that night, as his fans gaze up, you can see there's something special about him. It's not the way he looks. It's not just the way he sings or his lyrics. It's this defiance, this supreme self confidence.
[04:53]
Bobby Frixion
He's going to be a star. But not just that. He's going to be one of the greats. This determination will be at the root of Sidhu Musiala's success. The voice of a generation of Punjabis, a voice that will put Punjabi music onto the global stage.
[05:21]
Aisleen Kaur
But will this defiance also be the reason for his downfall? He's entered a dangerous world. Less than four years later, he'll be dead.
[05:37]
Bobby Frixion
This is World of Secrets Season 8 the Killing Call.
[05:42]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu Musayalla and the Murder that Shook India.
[05:46]
Bobby Frixion
A BBC World Service investigation into a global criminal underworld. It's a story of fame, power and vengeance, echoing far beyond India's borders.
[05:58]
Aisleen Kaur
I am Aisleen Kaur, an investigative journalist.
[06:01]
Bobby Frixion
And I'm DJ and broadcaster Bobby Frixion.
[06:08]
Aisleen Kaur
Episode 1 the Death of a Star what kind of world was Sidhu Musiala caught up in? Why was he getting death threats? Who wanted him dead? I've been looking for answers to these questions for the last two years. And right from the start, I've been warned not to ask them.
[06:32]
Pushdeep
Everyone is afraid of this. No one wants to talk the facts. They aren't out in the open.
[06:39]
Bobby Frixion
There are so many rumors.
[06:41]
Aisleen Kaur
There might be repercussions. I'm really scared.
[06:51]
Bobby Frixion
It's two years before that concert in Edmonton, on another summer evening in another city, on another continent. We're in Ludhiana, the biggest and one of the richest cities in Punjab, India. There's an energy about this place, a feeling that anything's possible. Luxury cars cruise through the streets, but they weave through the traffic beside battered mopeds and rickshaws.
[07:19]
Aisleen Kaur
Ludhiana is where young Punjabis come from. Poor surrounding villages searching for work or if their families can afford it. They study at one of the city's universities. On the leafy campus of one of these is a student called Sidhu. His full name is Shubdeep Singh Sidhu and he's in his final year studying electrical engineering. Another student called Pushdeep ends up sharing.
[07:48]
Unnamed Friend
A room with him in the evening. We used to gather together near the hostel, so a few friends, five or six friends who used to be there. And Siddhi used to tease everybody. He was goofy, he was mischievous. He was always trying to make everybody laugh. And everybody loved him.
[08:09]
Aisleen Kaur
With similar backgrounds, the two young men hit it off immediately. Can you tell me more about his family, his parents and what were they like? What did they want for their son?
[08:22]
Unnamed Friend
He didn't come from a rich family, but his heart was really big. He was literally a village boy. My village is also in Mansa. So when he came to know that my grandparents are from Mansa too, that made like a simple bond between us. Mansa is a backward area. It's like recognized by the Indian government that Mansa is a backward area. People used to make living out of farming, but the land wasn't that fertile. So the people don't have like big dreams.
[08:57]
Aisleen Kaur
Before long, Pushdeep and Sidhu are inseparable.
[09:01]
Unnamed Friend
He used to discuss everything with me. Everything. Like we switched our phones with each other. There was nothing that wasn't shared between us.
[09:11]
Bobby Frixion
Pushpdeep remembers Sidhu being obsessed with one thing and one thing only.
[09:17]
Unnamed Friend
He was so passionate about the singing stuff. I would say, like he was dreaming that all day, all night, they spend.
[09:26]
Bobby Frixion
Hours talking about Siddhu's hero, Tupac Shakur, one of the most influential American rappers of all time.
[09:35]
Unnamed Friend
And whenever he saw Tupac's videos, you can see a sparkle in his eyes that he want to become like him. He told me that that guy wanted to stand up for his community, for the black culture, all that stuff. And he told me that he also wanted to do something big, just like him.
[09:57]
Bobby Frixion
Years later, Sidhu in interviews described what Tupac meant to him.
[10:06]
Pushdeep
To me, he's a legend. He used to rap, freestyle. He never wrote lyrics under pressure from anyone. He brought his black community together through the power of his pen. If I had to be like anyone, I'd want to be like him.
[10:25]
Aisleen Kaur
Most days after college, Sidhu and Pushdeep head out into the countryside on Sidhu's motorbike.
[10:33]
Unnamed Friend
There was a small roadside restaurant. We call it Taba in Punjabi. So we used to go there. Like, I used to ride the bike and Siddhu used to sit in the backseat writing his songs. So whenever I was trying to talk to him, he would say, just wait, just wait. He was trying to shush me. He would say that I am thinking about the song. A line is coming in my mind. You are Interrupting me, I would say, man, you are making me bored. You have to talk to me.
[11:11]
Aisleen Kaur
So you met in an engineering college, but he was an aspiring artist. It was almost like his dream was conflicting with his reality.
[11:21]
Unnamed Friend
He knew that he has some talent in him. But he wasn't that confident at that point about what he's gonna do with that. And his parents, they just want him to focus on his engineering. They didn't have that much resources and that much income. And Sidhu, he was a really good kid for his parents.
[11:45]
Bobby Frixion
But that drive to make music, it just won't go away.
[11:53]
Aisleen Kaur
That summer, a television talent show arrives on campus and Sidhu signs up. When the presenter signals to him to come forward, he steps out in front of the crowd. He's dressed in a green turban and a neat checked shirt. The presenter asks his name.
[12:13]
Bobby Frixion
Sidhu smiles shyly. He looks nervous, unsure what to do with his hands. He tells the anchor he's into singing and he's got a song that he'd like to perform. Immediately, Sidhu's whole demeanor changes. His posture straightens, his shyness evaporates and he begins belting out the lyrics. They're about how real men don't get gun licenses for their guns. The crowd and even the interviewer begins clapping along. When Siddhu finishes, the interviewer says, well written. But then adds, I hope you won't act on the song's violent message. Sidhu is quick to reassure him. No sir.
[13:07]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu's starting to get some campus kicks. And there's a bit of a following too. But there's also some mockery.
[13:15]
Unnamed Friend
He used to practice every day in the morning. And people used to laugh at him behind his back. And that wasn't good. They would make fun of his appearance a lot. His songs too. They didn't believe that he's gonna be a singer. They used to make fun of him because he wasn't that handsome. It was really bad. He knew about that, but he didn't care about it.
[13:41]
Bobby Frixion
His single mindedness is starting to emerge. A determination that no matter what people say about him behind his back or to his face, he's not going to be stopped.
[13:53]
Aisleen Kaur
His ambition is growing, but so is that feeling of defiance. He approaches a famous songwriter and asks to get some lyrics from him. The guy agrees, but he keeps putting Sidhu off.
[14:09]
Pushdeep
I kept chasing the songwriter and he kept saying yes. Then finally he said, come to my village and I'll give them to you.
[14:17]
Aisleen Kaur
It's a two hour bus journey, but the guy has promised he'll pick him up when he gets there. So Sidhu sets off. The weather is terrible.
[14:30]
Pushdeep
It was raining really heavily that day. And when I got to the village, there was nowhere to shelter. So I kept calling the songwriter, saying, bro, could you come now and meet me? But he said, I'm not coming. It's raining. Go home. We'll do it another day. And I was drenched. You know, my eyes were tearing up, and I was thinking, this is wrong.
[14:54]
Unnamed Friend
And when he called me, he was really emotional. He was really angry. He told me that he cried at that bus stop.
[15:09]
Pushdeep
I had traveled so far to meet him, and I was so wet. And I swore from that day on, I was never going to sing anyone else's song. I'm going to write my own songs. I used to respect that guy. I still do. And actually, you know, I wouldn't be anything now if he hadn't said no to me that day.
[15:29]
Unnamed Friend
So I would say that that was really one of the key points in his life that changed him for sure. If he used to say something, he used to do it. He used to stand by his words.
[15:41]
Aisleen Kaur
From now on, Sidhu tells pushdeep, not only is he going to write his own songs, he's going to give music everything.
[15:49]
Unnamed Friend
He made up his mind. I'm going to give a best shot that I could give to this because I want to do this for the rest of my life.
[16:00]
Bobby Frixion
One day, Sidney comes back to college after a weekend at home in his family village of Musa. And he tells Pushpdeep he's decided on a stage name.
[16:09]
Unnamed Friend
And Sidhu asked me, what do you think about this name Sidhu Musevala? I said I loved it, man. So he said that the sole purpose of doing that was because he wanted his village name to come forward. He loved where he came from. And Sidhu told me that when he would get famous, he's gonna make his village famous.
[16:37]
Pushdeep
For me, my village is like heaven. And what I wanted is that wherever I go, the name of my village goes with me. That's why I call myself Sidhu Musayala.
[16:52]
Unnamed Friend
I always believed in him. He was so confident. Always. You would say that he was 1000% confident. He used to claim that he's gonna rip everything apart and whatever gonna take. He's gonna be a successful singer. He's gonna sing that kind of stuff that nobody has ever imagined.
[17:18]
Bobby Frixion
He is going to sing the kind of stuff nobody could ever have imagined. But this fame will come at a cost.
[17:34]
Luke Lamanna
Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s, the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public. I'm Luke Lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal the shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Redacted Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke Lamana on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[18:08]
Aisleen Kaur
And ladies and gentlemen, for those passengers on air Canada's Flight 824 service to Madrid, our flight this evening will be quite full. Toronto's Pearson International is Canada's busiest airport. For over 40 years, it's been the gateway for hundreds of thousands of young Indians, especially Punjabis, drawn by the promise of a better life, a college education, and crucially, a Canadian passport.
[18:35]
Bobby Frixion
Canada now has the biggest Punjabi population outside of India and Pakistan. Families mortgage their land to send their children. So to Sidhu's parents, it's the obvious choice for their only child after he finishes college, a way to give him the best start in life. But Sidhu doesn't want to go.
[19:01]
Pushdeep
At first I refused to come to Canada even though I had a visa. But then I thought, my parents have taken so many good decisions for me and they've taken this decision too, so they must be right.
[19:15]
Bobby Frixion
Ever the loyal son, in December 2016, Sidhu Musiala finds himself in the arrivals hall. One of the first young men from his village to travel to Canada, he.
[19:27]
Aisleen Kaur
Enrolls himself at a college in northern Toronto. To pay his way. He works in a hotel kitchen at night, washing pots and pans. And in the day he lugs lighting equipment around for a film crew. Any free time he has, he's hustling, reaching out to music producer Scattergun, hoping someone will take notice.
[19:53]
Bobby Frixion
Then one day, he's working for the film crew. They're shooting a music video in a Toronto parking lot and on set is a well known music video producer. Sidhu's holding the lights, but he's got something else in mind. He just needs one minute with this big shot producer. So he asked someone to introduce them and then he launches into a song he's written right there in the middle of the shoot.
[20:27]
Aisleen Kaur
The producer is Wesley. He tells Sidhu to bring him more songs. They'll record something.
[20:34]
Bobby Frixion
That something is the first track Siddhu releases. It's called G Wagon and it's a hit. G Wagon goes viral, but it's just the start.
[20:59]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu reaches out to another music Producer in Toronto. He's called Big Bird. And no, not the one from Sesame Street.
[21:07]
Big Bird
You know, I kind of like made it my own. I just changed the spelling of it just because I thought I didn't want any like legal issues or you know, just change the I's to the Y. So BYG by R D. And you're.
[21:21]
Aisleen Kaur
Not wearing a gold chain today?
[21:23]
Big Bird
Yeah, I forgot it at home. I was in a rush. I was kind of sad about that. You know, I always gotta wear my chain. That's my signature. He actually reached out to me on Facebook. Basically he just told me, hey, I'm Shubdeep Singh Sidhu. I'm looking for a music production. Like can you please call me? I don't even think I replied back. I just got my manager to just call them and then he came to the studio.
[21:52]
Aisleen Kaur
And what happened at the studio?
[21:53]
Big Bird
I mean like I could feel from his energy that you know, he was about to really do something. So I said, oh, like what song do you want to record? Right? And he's like, I have this one song written. And after he was done recording, which was super easy to record him, like, he's like a machine. He was very efficient. He didn't take many takes, like so organic and so like on point and precise. So after he was done recording and he came out, before he left, I asked him like, oh, how do you want the music to sound?
[22:25]
Pushdeep
Right?
[22:25]
Big Bird
All he said was he's like, hey bro, like, I want to make this sound like an anthem.
[22:30]
Bobby Frixion
And it's an anthem alright. The track is called so High.
[22:44]
Big Bird
I had Sidhu come back in a few days later to actually listen to the song like in person. And his reaction was just like speechless. And I could see like the excitement. I mean, eventually I sent it to him because he asked me like, I want to listen to this in the car. I'm like, yeah, no problem. Tell me if you want any changes or you want to add anything. And the crazy part was like a few days after that I was outside of my house and I heard like cars going by and they're playing the song and I was just taken back by them. Like, wait, how is this song playing? Like, what's going on? I don't know how that happened but it was just a really good feeling because even when I was out and about, I would hear the song blasting in people's songs like everywhere.
[23:28]
Aisleen Kaur
And I was like, even before it officially released, you were getting feeler?
[23:32]
Big Bird
Yes, before it even dropped officially, like it was already out there. In the world. And people were already listening to like the rough, unmixed and unmastered version. And people were going crazy. Like, who is this guy? Who is this to do guy?
[23:50]
Aisleen Kaur
Bobby, tell me, what was your reaction when you first heard Sohai?
[23:54]
Bobby Frixion
Well, I was sitting in my studio and Big Bird actually sends me the link to the track and I click on it and I start watching. And honestly, it was like a concrete breeze block hitting me in the head. It was just everything I wanted from a true Punjabi artist. It had that kind of pinned Punjabi, you know, that village Punjabi. The way his mouth and his tongue kind of went around all the words, the colors. And also, you know, when you watch videos, sometimes one singular person really stands out. You can't take your eyes off them. That was Sidhu in that video. I didn't really know what was going on in the rest of the video because I was just drawn towards Sidhu's presence. And then on top of that, you then had these real gangster beats, well produced, amazing beats done by Big Bird. I just remember going, this is going on the playlist straight away. And that literally never happens. So I heard it as a dj. As a dj, you heard it as a punter. I'm so jealous. How did you hear it?
[25:00]
Aisleen Kaur
So in a Punjabi family, you end up discussing Punjabi music. And cut to when my brother was getting married a few months later. I remember the only track that we played was so High. So it felt like one Punjabi song that has cut through generations. So it wasn't just for me, millennial, but also my parents, my puas, my aunts, grandparents. We were all dancing to this one track, so High.
[25:31]
Bobby Frixion
So it's only been eight months since Sidu landed at Toronto airport and his song so High is getting airplay all over the globe. Sidhu and Big Bird start playing shows across Canada.
[25:47]
Big Bird
It's one thing where you're out and about and you know, you hear it playing in the car, but being in of front of like a crowd and they're chanting, they're singing along and then I'm looking into the crowd with the bright lights and then I see like, everybody's cameras are out. People are just so happy to like see us on stage and they're cheering us on. It's hard to describe in words, right? But the best way I could say, like, it felt magical. It was like a magical moment anytime I performed with them.
[26:18]
Aisleen Kaur
Hate after hit follows. His music is everywhere.
[26:32]
Big Bird
The turning point for him was the Just Listen song. Even with the actual music video, they put a spin on it where little kids are looking up to him and they're not wearing a turban, but because they see him wearing a turban, they wanted to look like him and wear a turban. And there was numerous cases of this in real life. That's how much an impact that he had.
[26:59]
Bobby Frixion
Sidhu starts winning awards like Britasia's best lyricist.
[27:03]
Big Bird
I've seen people come, I've seen people.
[27:05]
Pushdeep
Go, this guy is definitely here to stay.
[27:09]
Big Bird
He's a bad boy lyricist. He's an amazing performer and he is none other than Sidhu Musra.
[27:18]
Unnamed Friend
Love you, Jakob.
[27:19]
Big Bird
Thank you, Jaggibai.
[27:21]
Bobby Frixion
Thank you. God bless. His songs make the charts in Canada and in India, the uk, New Zealand, Pakistan. He's collaborating and performing alongside big names in music. Steph, London, Mist, Steel, Bangles. And obviously we got another guest with us. International vibes. This is the biggest international superstar. Yeah. This is Sidhu Musiala.
[27:46]
Big Bird
Yeah.
[27:47]
Bobby Frixion
Make some noise for Siddhu Musiwala. Even Drake, the most successful Canadian rapper of them all, is a fan.
[27:58]
Aisleen Kaur
Back home in India. He's also getting a big following. He even has his own catchphrase. You can hear it whenever people talk about Sidhu. It means I'm not a bad person or I've got a good heart. It's even on car stickers. Sidhu's evenings washing dirty pots and pans in a hotel kitchen are long gone. He's achieved what many Punjabis who come to Canada can only dream of.
[28:37]
Bobby Frixion
But then suddenly, Siddhu Musiala makes a decision that no one's expecting.
[28:46]
Pushdeep
Canada made all of this possible for me. But somehow I couldn't live without my parents. I thought, they're in their 50s and 60s now and if something happens to them, I'm going to regret it. I need to be near them, I need to spend time with them.
[29:05]
Big Bird
Sidhu decided to go back to Punjab because he really loved his place, his band, Musa. So basically in 2019, he decided to go back. And I thought it was just temporary, but like he felt obviously at home with his parents.
[29:24]
Bobby Frixion
I remember thinking, why are you doing this, bro? He's a massive figure by now. He's leaving the place where he literally created Sidhu Musiala. He is the Canadian voice for Punjab, a voice for the entire diaspora. But what I didn't really understand was just how hungry Punjabis in India were for his kind of vision. They needed someone to come along and change the game.
[29:52]
Aisleen Kaur
And he does change the game. He'd begun his career singing about the Classic gangster rap stuff like look at my cars, look at my guns. But he's returning to a place, Indian Punjab, that has a troubled and violent past. And gradually those ghosts of unresolved grievances and the problems of the present begin to influence his song.
[30:16]
Bobby Frixion
Fresh violence today erupted in the north Indian state of Punjab.
[30:20]
Aisleen Kaur
Fighting has been continuing around the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Indira Gandhi, ruler of the world's largest democracy, died today has now grown into a mass movement. One that's become about more than just the agriculture law.
[30:33]
Big Bird
Patience is the shield and the sword.
[30:35]
Unnamed Friend
That the farmers are using in this agitation.
[30:37]
Big Bird
For some reason, the government.
[30:39]
Bobby Frixion
With his lyrics, he's literally making poetry of what's happening politically in India. He's challenging the government. To many Punjabis, he's becoming an icon, a modern day poet.
[30:52]
Aisleen Kaur
But he's also controversial. Inevitably, when you're that famous, when you're that outspoken, not everyone's a fan.
[31:00]
Pushdeep
His vulgar songs dishonor our legion.
[31:03]
Aisleen Kaur
You only sing about weapons. Do something new. And he's making enemies in all sorts of places. Get lost, you Khalistani.
[31:12]
Unnamed Friend
You bring shame on your turban.
[31:23]
Aisleen Kaur
Fast forward three years and Sidhu Musiala is one of the highest grossing rappers in India. A global star. But he's chosen to live back in the village where he was born. I'm a farmer first, he tells people, riding his tractor out in the fields. Nothing like a star.
[31:47]
Bobby Frixion
It's the 29th of May, 2022. It's a Sunday and it's just gone 5 o' clock. The early evening sun sending slants of light across the fields. And the air still heavy with the heat of the day. A black SUV pulls out of the gateway of a brand new mansion Siddhu's built for his parents. Siddhu's driving and in the car with him is his cousin and a friend. They're going to visit Siddhu's aunt in a nearby village.
[32:18]
Aisleen Kaur
They haven't gone far along the dusty dirt roads lined with fields when they notice a car that seems to be following them. Suddenly, another saloon car swings out, overtaking the car behind. After a while, it draws parallel with Sidhu's suv, forcing it into the wall. They both stop. The man in the passenger seat of the car gets out. He's armed. Sidhu grabs his own pistol. They both fall. Fire.
[32:53]
Bobby Frixion
The gunman stands on the front bumper of Sid's SUV and he opens fire with an assault rifle. The other car that was following is now stopped as well. Four more gunmen jump out and they spray Sidu's vehicle with bullets. The air is thick with gunsmoke and the sounds of metal hitting metal and a breaking glass.
[33:21]
Aisleen Kaur
And then the gunmen are gone.
[33:29]
Bobby Frixion
The crowd gathers around the jeep. Is it Sidu Musiala? Someone asks. He's still alive, another person says. Quick, quick. People shout. Get him out. Someone call an ambulance.
[33:45]
Aisleen Kaur
They manage to slide Sidhu from the driver's seat. The other two are helped out as well. They sit at the side of the road, bloody and dazed. But by the time Sidhu reaches the hospital, he's dead. He was 28.
[34:06]
Bobby Frixion
Back at the family home, it's hard to imagine the shock and disbelief they must have felt, the horror. As news filters in.
[34:14]
Aisleen Kaur
We've got some breaking news that's coming in right now. Firing on Punjabi singer Shubdeep Sidhu. Punjabi singer Sidhu Musevalaki, Punjab the deep.
[34:24]
Bobby Frixion
Raw, burning, all consuming grief. Their only son, their only child.
[34:36]
Aisleen Kaur
Fired at the three passengers of the Thar vehicle. Who would want to kill Sidhu Musiala and why? That's what we want to find out. Next time on World of Secrets. This has been episode one of five of the Killing Call, season eight of World of Secrets from the BBC World Service.
[35:10]
Bobby Frixion
The Killing Call is a BBCI production. We hope you've enjoyed listening. Do post about World of Secrets on social media and tell people you know and follow or subscribe so you get every episode automatically.
[35:26]
Aisleen Kaur
World of Secrets the Killing Call is presented by me, Ishleen Kaur and me, Bobby Frixion. It's produced by Luis Hidalgo, Rob Wilson and Eamon Kwaja with script advice from Matt Willis.
[35:40]
Bobby Frixion
Sound design and mix is by Tom Brignall and the executive producer is Rebecca Henschke.
[35:47]
Aisleen Kaur
The editor is Daniel Adamson and the BBC I series producer is Ankur Jain. Original music by Ashish Zakaria, Fact checking is by Curtis Gallant.
[35:58]
Bobby Frixion
Additional research by Ajit Sarati and Arvind Chhabra. The production manager is Dawn McDonald and the production coordinator is Katie Morrison.
[36:09]
Aisleen Kaur
Many thanks to the BBC World Service commissioning team that's behind World of Secrets.
[36:14]
Bobby Frixion
And thank you for listening.
[36:27]
Luke Lamanna
Did you know that after World War II the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke Lamanna and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke Lamanna. On the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Summary4 min read

World of Secrets: The Killing Call – Episode 1: The Death of a Star

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Introduction

In the gripping first episode of Season 8, "The Killing Call," BBC's World of Secrets delves into the meteoric rise and tragic demise of Indian music sensation Sidhu Moose Wala. This episode meticulously unpacks Sidhu's journey from a passionate young artist to an international superstar, ultimately leading to his untimely murder in rural Punjab. Through rich storytelling and investigative insight, the episode explores the intricate web of fame, power, and vengeance that surrounds Sidhu's life and death.

Early Life and Ambitions

The episode opens in August 2018 in Edmonton, Canada, setting the scene at a vibrant bar where Sidhu Musiala, a 25-year-old aspiring rapper, captivates the audience with his unique fusion of hip-hop and Punjabi poetry.

[01:42] Bobby Frixion: "This is the man they've come to see. He calls himself Sindhu Musiala."

Sidhu's charisma and defiant lyrics quickly establish him as a rising star. However, his ambition is juxtaposed against his family's expectations for him to pursue a stable career in electrical engineering.

Back in Ludhiana, Punjab, Sidhu (born Shubdeep Singh Sidhu) forms a close friendship with Pushdeep, a fellow engineering student. Their bond is depicted through shared dreams and mutual support, highlighting Sidhu's unwavering passion for music despite skepticism from peers and family.

[07:48] Unnamed Friend: "He was always trying to make everybody laugh. And everybody loved him."

Breaking into Music

Sidhu's determination to succeed in music leads him to participate in a college talent show, where his performance garners attention. Despite facing mockery and doubt from others, Sidhu's resilience shines through.

[13:14] Unnamed Friend: "They used to make fun of him because he wasn't that handsome. It was really bad. He knew about that, but he didn't care about it."

A pivotal moment occurs when Sidhu attempts to collaborate with a renowned songwriter. After a discouraging encounter in his village, Sidhu resolves to write his own songs, solidifying his commitment to his craft.

[15:08] Pushdeep: "I'm going to write my own songs. I used to respect that guy. I still do."

Adopting the stage name Sidhu Musayala, Sidhu's unique identity roots his fame back to his village, aiming to bring recognition to his origins.

[16:36] Pushdeep: "That's why I call myself Sidhu Musayala."

Rise to Stardom in Canada

Sidhu's breakthrough comes when he impresses music producer Wesley during a film shoot in Toronto, leading to the release of his first hit track, "G Wagon." The song's viral success propels Sidhu into the limelight, garnering international acclaim and a dedicated fanbase.

[20:34] Bobby Frixion: "I was drawing towards Sidhu's presence. That was Sidhu in that video."

Collaborations with prominent artists and relentless touring across Canada further cement his status as a powerhouse in the Punjabi music scene.

[24:06] Pushdeep: "This guy is definitely here to stay."

Return to Punjab and Rising Influence

In 2019, despite his burgeoning career in Canada, Sidhu chooses to return to Punjab, driven by his love for his homeland and a desire to impact his community. This decision marks a turning point, as Sidhu begins to incorporate political and social themes into his music, resonating deeply with the local populace.

[30:19] Aisleen Kaur: "With his lyrics, he's literally making poetry of what's happening politically in India."

Sidhu's outspoken nature and provocative lyrics make him a symbol of modern Punjabi identity, earning him both immense popularity and formidable enemies.

[30:51] Aisleen Kaur: "He's challenging the government. To many Punjabis, he's becoming an icon, a modern day poet."

The Tragic Murder

The episode builds suspense as it chronicles the events leading up to Sidhu's murder on May 29, 2022. Returning to his village in Punjab, Sidhu is ambushed by armed assailants near his family home. The attack is swift and brutal, resulting in Sidhu's death and leaving his family and fans in utter disbelief.

[32:18] Aisleen Kaur: "By the time Sidhu reaches the hospital, he's dead. He was 28."

The shocking violence underscores the dangerous intersection of Sidhu's fame, his political voice, and the criminal undercurrents in the region.

Aftermath and Investigation

Sidhu's death sends ripples through the global Punjabi community, igniting a fervent investigation into the motives behind the assassination. The episode sets the stage for uncovering the layers of Sidhu's life, exploring potential motives ranging from personal vendettas to clashes with powerful criminal elements.

[31:12] Unnamed Friend: "You bring shame on your turban."

Conclusion

Episode 1 of "The Killing Call" masterfully weaves together Sidhu Moose Wala's personal journey, cultural impact, and the ominous circumstances surrounding his death. Through firsthand accounts, evocative descriptions, and poignant quotes, the episode invites listeners to delve deeper into the mysteries that made Sidhu Musiala a beloved star and ultimately led to his tragic end.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

Sidhu Musayala: "[03:07] God gave me this life. If I go down, I'll take my enemies with me."
Pushdeep: "[15:08] I'm going to write my own songs. I want to do this for the rest of my life."
Bobby Frixion: "[23:54] It was like a concrete breeze block hitting me in the head."
Big Bird: "[26:31] That's how much an impact that he had."

Production Credits:

Presented by Aisleen Kaur and Bobby Frixion, produced by Luis Hidalgo, Rob Wilson, and Eamon Kwaja. Sound design by Tom Brignall, with original music by Ashish Zakaria. Additional research by Ajit Sarati and Arvind Chhabra.

This episode sets a compelling foundation for "The Killing Call," promising an in-depth exploration of Sidhu Moose Wala's enigmatic life and the dark forces that ultimately led to his death. Stay tuned for the subsequent episodes, which will unravel the intricate investigation into this high-profile murder.

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Transcript133 lines

[00:00]
Bobby Frixion
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.
[00:06]
Luke Lamanna
Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna, on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:44]
Aisleen Kaur
A summer storm has just swept off the plains. Steam is rising from hot concrete walkways. We're in Canada's northernmost big city, Edmonton. It's August 2018.
[01:01]
Bobby Frixion
In the south of the city, on the edge of an industrial estate. A stream of cars pulls into a parking lot of a low slung ranch style building. It's a bar where the bouncers have a reputation for taking no nonsense. People are gathering in the early evening sun. There's a buzz in the air, a chatter of expectation.
[01:26]
Aisleen Kaur
Inside, the dance floor is already packe massive bodies jostling to get closer to the stage, their phones raised at the ready.
[01:43]
Bobby Frixion
Onto the stage strides a young rapper. He's over 6ft tall, wearing a reddish pink turban, combat trousers and a T shirt covered in silhouettes of guns. This is the man they've come to see. He calls himself Sindhu Musiala.
[02:03]
Aisleen Kaur
The fans at the front banged the stage in a frenzy. It's only been a year since he exploded onto the music scene, but he's already on his way to being a star.
[02:20]
Bobby Frixion
The music is raw. It's a fusion of two worlds hip hop with the poetic language of rural Punjab. And it's not like any music that's come before.
[02:39]
Aisleen Kaur
The audience knows every word. They scream the lyrics back to him. He paces back and forth across the stage like a caged tiger about to spring. He's only 25, but he owns the stage. He's got swagger, confidence. And then he stops and he drops a bombshell.
[03:08]
Bobby Frixion
Today, he says in Punjabi, I received a call. A personal threat. They told me, don't perform here. They said if you come to Edmonton, will kill you. Who is this they that he's talking about? The crowd doesn't seem fazed. Maybe this is all part of the act.
[03:33]
Aisleen Kaur
They keep chanting his name, but Sidhu just stares back at them. He doesn't look scared. He doesn't even look surprised. He looks defiant.
[03:53]
Bobby Frixion
God gave me this life. He chants, half talking, half rhyming Poetry. He glares out into the lights. If I go down, I'll take my enemies with me, he says. I swear, those who dream of crushing me, I'll never let them sleep. It's fighting talk.
[04:22]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu launches into the track. Lifestyle. We live by gun, we die by gun. Go the lyrics. Looking at him on stage that night, as his fans gaze up, you can see there's something special about him. It's not the way he looks. It's not just the way he sings or his lyrics. It's this defiance, this supreme self confidence.
[04:53]
Bobby Frixion
He's going to be a star. But not just that. He's going to be one of the greats. This determination will be at the root of Sidhu Musiala's success. The voice of a generation of Punjabis, a voice that will put Punjabi music onto the global stage.
[05:21]
Aisleen Kaur
But will this defiance also be the reason for his downfall? He's entered a dangerous world. Less than four years later, he'll be dead.
[05:37]
Bobby Frixion
This is World of Secrets Season 8 the Killing Call.
[05:42]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu Musayalla and the Murder that Shook India.
[05:46]
Bobby Frixion
A BBC World Service investigation into a global criminal underworld. It's a story of fame, power and vengeance, echoing far beyond India's borders.
[05:58]
Aisleen Kaur
I am Aisleen Kaur, an investigative journalist.
[06:01]
Bobby Frixion
And I'm DJ and broadcaster Bobby Frixion.
[06:08]
Aisleen Kaur
Episode 1 the Death of a Star what kind of world was Sidhu Musiala caught up in? Why was he getting death threats? Who wanted him dead? I've been looking for answers to these questions for the last two years. And right from the start, I've been warned not to ask them.
[06:32]
Pushdeep
Everyone is afraid of this. No one wants to talk the facts. They aren't out in the open.
[06:39]
Bobby Frixion
There are so many rumors.
[06:41]
Aisleen Kaur
There might be repercussions. I'm really scared.
[06:51]
Bobby Frixion
It's two years before that concert in Edmonton, on another summer evening in another city, on another continent. We're in Ludhiana, the biggest and one of the richest cities in Punjab, India. There's an energy about this place, a feeling that anything's possible. Luxury cars cruise through the streets, but they weave through the traffic beside battered mopeds and rickshaws.
[07:19]
Aisleen Kaur
Ludhiana is where young Punjabis come from. Poor surrounding villages searching for work or if their families can afford it. They study at one of the city's universities. On the leafy campus of one of these is a student called Sidhu. His full name is Shubdeep Singh Sidhu and he's in his final year studying electrical engineering. Another student called Pushdeep ends up sharing.
[07:48]
Unnamed Friend
A room with him in the evening. We used to gather together near the hostel, so a few friends, five or six friends who used to be there. And Siddhi used to tease everybody. He was goofy, he was mischievous. He was always trying to make everybody laugh. And everybody loved him.
[08:09]
Aisleen Kaur
With similar backgrounds, the two young men hit it off immediately. Can you tell me more about his family, his parents and what were they like? What did they want for their son?
[08:22]
Unnamed Friend
He didn't come from a rich family, but his heart was really big. He was literally a village boy. My village is also in Mansa. So when he came to know that my grandparents are from Mansa too, that made like a simple bond between us. Mansa is a backward area. It's like recognized by the Indian government that Mansa is a backward area. People used to make living out of farming, but the land wasn't that fertile. So the people don't have like big dreams.
[08:57]
Aisleen Kaur
Before long, Pushdeep and Sidhu are inseparable.
[09:01]
Unnamed Friend
He used to discuss everything with me. Everything. Like we switched our phones with each other. There was nothing that wasn't shared between us.
[09:11]
Bobby Frixion
Pushpdeep remembers Sidhu being obsessed with one thing and one thing only.
[09:17]
Unnamed Friend
He was so passionate about the singing stuff. I would say, like he was dreaming that all day, all night, they spend.
[09:26]
Bobby Frixion
Hours talking about Siddhu's hero, Tupac Shakur, one of the most influential American rappers of all time.
[09:35]
Unnamed Friend
And whenever he saw Tupac's videos, you can see a sparkle in his eyes that he want to become like him. He told me that that guy wanted to stand up for his community, for the black culture, all that stuff. And he told me that he also wanted to do something big, just like him.
[09:57]
Bobby Frixion
Years later, Sidhu in interviews described what Tupac meant to him.
[10:06]
Pushdeep
To me, he's a legend. He used to rap, freestyle. He never wrote lyrics under pressure from anyone. He brought his black community together through the power of his pen. If I had to be like anyone, I'd want to be like him.
[10:25]
Aisleen Kaur
Most days after college, Sidhu and Pushdeep head out into the countryside on Sidhu's motorbike.
[10:33]
Unnamed Friend
There was a small roadside restaurant. We call it Taba in Punjabi. So we used to go there. Like, I used to ride the bike and Siddhu used to sit in the backseat writing his songs. So whenever I was trying to talk to him, he would say, just wait, just wait. He was trying to shush me. He would say that I am thinking about the song. A line is coming in my mind. You are Interrupting me, I would say, man, you are making me bored. You have to talk to me.
[11:11]
Aisleen Kaur
So you met in an engineering college, but he was an aspiring artist. It was almost like his dream was conflicting with his reality.
[11:21]
Unnamed Friend
He knew that he has some talent in him. But he wasn't that confident at that point about what he's gonna do with that. And his parents, they just want him to focus on his engineering. They didn't have that much resources and that much income. And Sidhu, he was a really good kid for his parents.
[11:45]
Bobby Frixion
But that drive to make music, it just won't go away.
[11:53]
Aisleen Kaur
That summer, a television talent show arrives on campus and Sidhu signs up. When the presenter signals to him to come forward, he steps out in front of the crowd. He's dressed in a green turban and a neat checked shirt. The presenter asks his name.
[12:13]
Bobby Frixion
Sidhu smiles shyly. He looks nervous, unsure what to do with his hands. He tells the anchor he's into singing and he's got a song that he'd like to perform. Immediately, Sidhu's whole demeanor changes. His posture straightens, his shyness evaporates and he begins belting out the lyrics. They're about how real men don't get gun licenses for their guns. The crowd and even the interviewer begins clapping along. When Siddhu finishes, the interviewer says, well written. But then adds, I hope you won't act on the song's violent message. Sidhu is quick to reassure him. No sir.
[13:07]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu's starting to get some campus kicks. And there's a bit of a following too. But there's also some mockery.
[13:15]
Unnamed Friend
He used to practice every day in the morning. And people used to laugh at him behind his back. And that wasn't good. They would make fun of his appearance a lot. His songs too. They didn't believe that he's gonna be a singer. They used to make fun of him because he wasn't that handsome. It was really bad. He knew about that, but he didn't care about it.
[13:41]
Bobby Frixion
His single mindedness is starting to emerge. A determination that no matter what people say about him behind his back or to his face, he's not going to be stopped.
[13:53]
Aisleen Kaur
His ambition is growing, but so is that feeling of defiance. He approaches a famous songwriter and asks to get some lyrics from him. The guy agrees, but he keeps putting Sidhu off.
[14:09]
Pushdeep
I kept chasing the songwriter and he kept saying yes. Then finally he said, come to my village and I'll give them to you.
[14:17]
Aisleen Kaur
It's a two hour bus journey, but the guy has promised he'll pick him up when he gets there. So Sidhu sets off. The weather is terrible.
[14:30]
Pushdeep
It was raining really heavily that day. And when I got to the village, there was nowhere to shelter. So I kept calling the songwriter, saying, bro, could you come now and meet me? But he said, I'm not coming. It's raining. Go home. We'll do it another day. And I was drenched. You know, my eyes were tearing up, and I was thinking, this is wrong.
[14:54]
Unnamed Friend
And when he called me, he was really emotional. He was really angry. He told me that he cried at that bus stop.
[15:09]
Pushdeep
I had traveled so far to meet him, and I was so wet. And I swore from that day on, I was never going to sing anyone else's song. I'm going to write my own songs. I used to respect that guy. I still do. And actually, you know, I wouldn't be anything now if he hadn't said no to me that day.
[15:29]
Unnamed Friend
So I would say that that was really one of the key points in his life that changed him for sure. If he used to say something, he used to do it. He used to stand by his words.
[15:41]
Aisleen Kaur
From now on, Sidhu tells pushdeep, not only is he going to write his own songs, he's going to give music everything.
[15:49]
Unnamed Friend
He made up his mind. I'm going to give a best shot that I could give to this because I want to do this for the rest of my life.
[16:00]
Bobby Frixion
One day, Sidney comes back to college after a weekend at home in his family village of Musa. And he tells Pushpdeep he's decided on a stage name.
[16:09]
Unnamed Friend
And Sidhu asked me, what do you think about this name Sidhu Musevala? I said I loved it, man. So he said that the sole purpose of doing that was because he wanted his village name to come forward. He loved where he came from. And Sidhu told me that when he would get famous, he's gonna make his village famous.
[16:37]
Pushdeep
For me, my village is like heaven. And what I wanted is that wherever I go, the name of my village goes with me. That's why I call myself Sidhu Musayala.
[16:52]
Unnamed Friend
I always believed in him. He was so confident. Always. You would say that he was 1000% confident. He used to claim that he's gonna rip everything apart and whatever gonna take. He's gonna be a successful singer. He's gonna sing that kind of stuff that nobody has ever imagined.
[17:18]
Bobby Frixion
He is going to sing the kind of stuff nobody could ever have imagined. But this fame will come at a cost.
[17:34]
Luke Lamanna
Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s, the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public. I'm Luke Lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal the shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Redacted Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke Lamana on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.
[18:08]
Aisleen Kaur
And ladies and gentlemen, for those passengers on air Canada's Flight 824 service to Madrid, our flight this evening will be quite full. Toronto's Pearson International is Canada's busiest airport. For over 40 years, it's been the gateway for hundreds of thousands of young Indians, especially Punjabis, drawn by the promise of a better life, a college education, and crucially, a Canadian passport.
[18:35]
Bobby Frixion
Canada now has the biggest Punjabi population outside of India and Pakistan. Families mortgage their land to send their children. So to Sidhu's parents, it's the obvious choice for their only child after he finishes college, a way to give him the best start in life. But Sidhu doesn't want to go.
[19:01]
Pushdeep
At first I refused to come to Canada even though I had a visa. But then I thought, my parents have taken so many good decisions for me and they've taken this decision too, so they must be right.
[19:15]
Bobby Frixion
Ever the loyal son, in December 2016, Sidhu Musiala finds himself in the arrivals hall. One of the first young men from his village to travel to Canada, he.
[19:27]
Aisleen Kaur
Enrolls himself at a college in northern Toronto. To pay his way. He works in a hotel kitchen at night, washing pots and pans. And in the day he lugs lighting equipment around for a film crew. Any free time he has, he's hustling, reaching out to music producer Scattergun, hoping someone will take notice.
[19:53]
Bobby Frixion
Then one day, he's working for the film crew. They're shooting a music video in a Toronto parking lot and on set is a well known music video producer. Sidhu's holding the lights, but he's got something else in mind. He just needs one minute with this big shot producer. So he asked someone to introduce them and then he launches into a song he's written right there in the middle of the shoot.
[20:27]
Aisleen Kaur
The producer is Wesley. He tells Sidhu to bring him more songs. They'll record something.
[20:34]
Bobby Frixion
That something is the first track Siddhu releases. It's called G Wagon and it's a hit. G Wagon goes viral, but it's just the start.
[20:59]
Aisleen Kaur
Sidhu reaches out to another music Producer in Toronto. He's called Big Bird. And no, not the one from Sesame Street.
[21:07]
Big Bird
You know, I kind of like made it my own. I just changed the spelling of it just because I thought I didn't want any like legal issues or you know, just change the I's to the Y. So BYG by R D. And you're.
[21:21]
Aisleen Kaur
Not wearing a gold chain today?
[21:23]
Big Bird
Yeah, I forgot it at home. I was in a rush. I was kind of sad about that. You know, I always gotta wear my chain. That's my signature. He actually reached out to me on Facebook. Basically he just told me, hey, I'm Shubdeep Singh Sidhu. I'm looking for a music production. Like can you please call me? I don't even think I replied back. I just got my manager to just call them and then he came to the studio.
[21:52]
Aisleen Kaur
And what happened at the studio?
[21:53]
Big Bird
I mean like I could feel from his energy that you know, he was about to really do something. So I said, oh, like what song do you want to record? Right? And he's like, I have this one song written. And after he was done recording, which was super easy to record him, like, he's like a machine. He was very efficient. He didn't take many takes, like so organic and so like on point and precise. So after he was done recording and he came out, before he left, I asked him like, oh, how do you want the music to sound?
[22:25]
Pushdeep
Right?
[22:25]
Big Bird
All he said was he's like, hey bro, like, I want to make this sound like an anthem.
[22:30]
Bobby Frixion
And it's an anthem alright. The track is called so High.
[22:44]
Big Bird
I had Sidhu come back in a few days later to actually listen to the song like in person. And his reaction was just like speechless. And I could see like the excitement. I mean, eventually I sent it to him because he asked me like, I want to listen to this in the car. I'm like, yeah, no problem. Tell me if you want any changes or you want to add anything. And the crazy part was like a few days after that I was outside of my house and I heard like cars going by and they're playing the song and I was just taken back by them. Like, wait, how is this song playing? Like, what's going on? I don't know how that happened but it was just a really good feeling because even when I was out and about, I would hear the song blasting in people's songs like everywhere.
[23:28]
Aisleen Kaur
And I was like, even before it officially released, you were getting feeler?
[23:32]
Big Bird
Yes, before it even dropped officially, like it was already out there. In the world. And people were already listening to like the rough, unmixed and unmastered version. And people were going crazy. Like, who is this guy? Who is this to do guy?
[23:50]
Aisleen Kaur
Bobby, tell me, what was your reaction when you first heard Sohai?
[23:54]
Bobby Frixion
Well, I was sitting in my studio and Big Bird actually sends me the link to the track and I click on it and I start watching. And honestly, it was like a concrete breeze block hitting me in the head. It was just everything I wanted from a true Punjabi artist. It had that kind of pinned Punjabi, you know, that village Punjabi. The way his mouth and his tongue kind of went around all the words, the colors. And also, you know, when you watch videos, sometimes one singular person really stands out. You can't take your eyes off them. That was Sidhu in that video. I didn't really know what was going on in the rest of the video because I was just drawn towards Sidhu's presence. And then on top of that, you then had these real gangster beats, well produced, amazing beats done by Big Bird. I just remember going, this is going on the playlist straight away. And that literally never happens. So I heard it as a dj. As a dj, you heard it as a punter. I'm so jealous. How did you hear it?
[25:00]
Aisleen Kaur
So in a Punjabi family, you end up discussing Punjabi music. And cut to when my brother was getting married a few months later. I remember the only track that we played was so High. So it felt like one Punjabi song that has cut through generations. So it wasn't just for me, millennial, but also my parents, my puas, my aunts, grandparents. We were all dancing to this one track, so High.
[25:31]
Bobby Frixion
So it's only been eight months since Sidu landed at Toronto airport and his song so High is getting airplay all over the globe. Sidhu and Big Bird start playing shows across Canada.
[25:47]
Big Bird
It's one thing where you're out and about and you know, you hear it playing in the car, but being in of front of like a crowd and they're chanting, they're singing along and then I'm looking into the crowd with the bright lights and then I see like, everybody's cameras are out. People are just so happy to like see us on stage and they're cheering us on. It's hard to describe in words, right? But the best way I could say, like, it felt magical. It was like a magical moment anytime I performed with them.
[26:18]
Aisleen Kaur
Hate after hit follows. His music is everywhere.
[26:32]
Big Bird
The turning point for him was the Just Listen song. Even with the actual music video, they put a spin on it where little kids are looking up to him and they're not wearing a turban, but because they see him wearing a turban, they wanted to look like him and wear a turban. And there was numerous cases of this in real life. That's how much an impact that he had.
[26:59]
Bobby Frixion
Sidhu starts winning awards like Britasia's best lyricist.
[27:03]
Big Bird
I've seen people come, I've seen people.
[27:05]
Pushdeep
Go, this guy is definitely here to stay.
[27:09]
Big Bird
He's a bad boy lyricist. He's an amazing performer and he is none other than Sidhu Musra.
[27:18]
Unnamed Friend
Love you, Jakob.
[27:19]
Big Bird
Thank you, Jaggibai.
[27:21]
Bobby Frixion
Thank you. God bless. His songs make the charts in Canada and in India, the uk, New Zealand, Pakistan. He's collaborating and performing alongside big names in music. Steph, London, Mist, Steel, Bangles. And obviously we got another guest with us. International vibes. This is the biggest international superstar. Yeah. This is Sidhu Musiala.
[27:46]
Big Bird
Yeah.
[27:47]
Bobby Frixion
Make some noise for Siddhu Musiwala. Even Drake, the most successful Canadian rapper of them all, is a fan.
[27:58]
Aisleen Kaur
Back home in India. He's also getting a big following. He even has his own catchphrase. You can hear it whenever people talk about Sidhu. It means I'm not a bad person or I've got a good heart. It's even on car stickers. Sidhu's evenings washing dirty pots and pans in a hotel kitchen are long gone. He's achieved what many Punjabis who come to Canada can only dream of.
[28:37]
Bobby Frixion
But then suddenly, Siddhu Musiala makes a decision that no one's expecting.
[28:46]
Pushdeep
Canada made all of this possible for me. But somehow I couldn't live without my parents. I thought, they're in their 50s and 60s now and if something happens to them, I'm going to regret it. I need to be near them, I need to spend time with them.
[29:05]
Big Bird
Sidhu decided to go back to Punjab because he really loved his place, his band, Musa. So basically in 2019, he decided to go back. And I thought it was just temporary, but like he felt obviously at home with his parents.
[29:24]
Bobby Frixion
I remember thinking, why are you doing this, bro? He's a massive figure by now. He's leaving the place where he literally created Sidhu Musiala. He is the Canadian voice for Punjab, a voice for the entire diaspora. But what I didn't really understand was just how hungry Punjabis in India were for his kind of vision. They needed someone to come along and change the game.
[29:52]
Aisleen Kaur
And he does change the game. He'd begun his career singing about the Classic gangster rap stuff like look at my cars, look at my guns. But he's returning to a place, Indian Punjab, that has a troubled and violent past. And gradually those ghosts of unresolved grievances and the problems of the present begin to influence his song.
[30:16]
Bobby Frixion
Fresh violence today erupted in the north Indian state of Punjab.
[30:20]
Aisleen Kaur
Fighting has been continuing around the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Indira Gandhi, ruler of the world's largest democracy, died today has now grown into a mass movement. One that's become about more than just the agriculture law.
[30:33]
Big Bird
Patience is the shield and the sword.
[30:35]
Unnamed Friend
That the farmers are using in this agitation.
[30:37]
Big Bird
For some reason, the government.
[30:39]
Bobby Frixion
With his lyrics, he's literally making poetry of what's happening politically in India. He's challenging the government. To many Punjabis, he's becoming an icon, a modern day poet.
[30:52]
Aisleen Kaur
But he's also controversial. Inevitably, when you're that famous, when you're that outspoken, not everyone's a fan.
[31:00]
Pushdeep
His vulgar songs dishonor our legion.
[31:03]
Aisleen Kaur
You only sing about weapons. Do something new. And he's making enemies in all sorts of places. Get lost, you Khalistani.
[31:12]
Unnamed Friend
You bring shame on your turban.
[31:23]
Aisleen Kaur
Fast forward three years and Sidhu Musiala is one of the highest grossing rappers in India. A global star. But he's chosen to live back in the village where he was born. I'm a farmer first, he tells people, riding his tractor out in the fields. Nothing like a star.
[31:47]
Bobby Frixion
It's the 29th of May, 2022. It's a Sunday and it's just gone 5 o' clock. The early evening sun sending slants of light across the fields. And the air still heavy with the heat of the day. A black SUV pulls out of the gateway of a brand new mansion Siddhu's built for his parents. Siddhu's driving and in the car with him is his cousin and a friend. They're going to visit Siddhu's aunt in a nearby village.
[32:18]
Aisleen Kaur
They haven't gone far along the dusty dirt roads lined with fields when they notice a car that seems to be following them. Suddenly, another saloon car swings out, overtaking the car behind. After a while, it draws parallel with Sidhu's suv, forcing it into the wall. They both stop. The man in the passenger seat of the car gets out. He's armed. Sidhu grabs his own pistol. They both fall. Fire.
[32:53]
Bobby Frixion
The gunman stands on the front bumper of Sid's SUV and he opens fire with an assault rifle. The other car that was following is now stopped as well. Four more gunmen jump out and they spray Sidu's vehicle with bullets. The air is thick with gunsmoke and the sounds of metal hitting metal and a breaking glass.
[33:21]
Aisleen Kaur
And then the gunmen are gone.
[33:29]
Bobby Frixion
The crowd gathers around the jeep. Is it Sidu Musiala? Someone asks. He's still alive, another person says. Quick, quick. People shout. Get him out. Someone call an ambulance.
[33:45]
Aisleen Kaur
They manage to slide Sidhu from the driver's seat. The other two are helped out as well. They sit at the side of the road, bloody and dazed. But by the time Sidhu reaches the hospital, he's dead. He was 28.
[34:06]
Bobby Frixion
Back at the family home, it's hard to imagine the shock and disbelief they must have felt, the horror. As news filters in.
[34:14]
Aisleen Kaur
We've got some breaking news that's coming in right now. Firing on Punjabi singer Shubdeep Sidhu. Punjabi singer Sidhu Musevalaki, Punjab the deep.
[34:24]
Bobby Frixion
Raw, burning, all consuming grief. Their only son, their only child.
[34:36]
Aisleen Kaur
Fired at the three passengers of the Thar vehicle. Who would want to kill Sidhu Musiala and why? That's what we want to find out. Next time on World of Secrets. This has been episode one of five of the Killing Call, season eight of World of Secrets from the BBC World Service.
[35:10]
Bobby Frixion
The Killing Call is a BBCI production. We hope you've enjoyed listening. Do post about World of Secrets on social media and tell people you know and follow or subscribe so you get every episode automatically.
[35:26]
Aisleen Kaur
World of Secrets the Killing Call is presented by me, Ishleen Kaur and me, Bobby Frixion. It's produced by Luis Hidalgo, Rob Wilson and Eamon Kwaja with script advice from Matt Willis.
[35:40]
Bobby Frixion
Sound design and mix is by Tom Brignall and the executive producer is Rebecca Henschke.
[35:47]
Aisleen Kaur
The editor is Daniel Adamson and the BBC I series producer is Ankur Jain. Original music by Ashish Zakaria, Fact checking is by Curtis Gallant.
[35:58]
Bobby Frixion
Additional research by Ajit Sarati and Arvind Chhabra. The production manager is Dawn McDonald and the production coordinator is Katie Morrison.
[36:09]
Aisleen Kaur
Many thanks to the BBC World Service commissioning team that's behind World of Secrets.
[36:14]
Bobby Frixion
And thank you for listening.
[36:27]
Luke Lamanna
Did you know that after World War II the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke Lamanna and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke Lamanna. On the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.