Zubeen Garg, the celebrated singer and multi-instrumentalist who rose to national fame in India with the Bollywood sensation ‘Ya Ali,’ passed away in Singapore at the age of 52.
His death was confirmed by the North East India Festival in Singapore, where Mr. Garg had been scheduled to perform that weekend, and by Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam State, during a news conference. Mr. Sarma attributed Mr. Garg’s death to drowning. The Singaporean government did not immediately provide further details.
Zubeen Garg’s musical style was a vibrant fusion of Assam’s rich folk traditions with contemporary pop and rock elements. Known for his powerful and emotive voice, he could effortlessly deliver both romantic ballads and poignant, mournful tunes. His extensive career saw him perform in dozens of languages and dialects, master multiple instruments, act in films, compose scores, and consistently fill concert venues across India.
‘Ya Ali,’ his breakout track filled with themes of love and yearning, gained widespread popularity after being featured in the 2006 Bollywood film ‘Gangster.’ Mr. Garg lent his voice as a playback singer for the song – a common practice in Indian cinema where vocalists record songs for actors to lip-sync onscreen. For his compelling performance, he received the award for best playback singer at the 2006 Global Indian Film Awards.
Born in 1972 in Meghalaya, a northeastern Indian state bordering Assam, Zubeen Garg initially pursued a science degree in Assam. However, his passion for music ultimately led him to abandon his studies and dedicate himself full-time to his craft. His debut album, ‘Anamika,’ was released in 1992 when he was just 19 years old.
Over nearly three decades, Mr. Garg recorded thousands of songs in numerous Indian languages. The immense success of ‘Ya Ali’ caught even him by surprise. In a 2012 interview on an Indian television show, he confessed, “I didn’t know it would become so big. It was good for me, too.”
For millions of his devotees, Zubeen Garg’s voice was a source of comfort and inspiration. His music transcended the ethnic complexities often present in parts of India, championing diversity. Despite his celebrity status, he was widely regarded as a down-to-earth individual, choosing to reside primarily in Assam, nestled in the Himalayan foothills, rather than relocating to Mumbai, the bustling coastal hub of Bollywood.
Mr. Garg was also an outspoken figure in political matters. He famously joined other Assamese singers in challenging a controversial 2019 citizenship law, a policy championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government that sparked deadly protests. Critics argued the law was a stark indicator of the government’s intent to transform India into a Hindu-centric state, marginalizing its 200 million minority Muslim population.
He also dared to question religious orthodoxy. During a 2024 concert, he made a provocative statement about a revered Hindu deity: “Krishna is not a god,” he declared. “He was a man.”
This comment led to him being reportedly asked by local media to refrain from performing in Majuli, a significant religious center for one of Hinduism’s sects in Assam.
Details regarding Mr. Garg’s surviving family were not immediately available. In 2024, the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, bestowed an honorary degree upon Mr. Garg, acknowledging his profound musical contributions.
Following his passing, millions in Assam participated in a solemn procession that accompanied his body from the airport to a stadium in Guwahati, the state’s largest city. Across Assam, prayers and heartfelt tributes resonated, with loudspeakers in countless alleys broadcasting his beloved songs as people gathered to mourn his untimely death.