Post Malone honours ‘legendary’ Zubeen Garg in Guwahati concert with emotional tribute

Guwahati became the stage for an emotional cultural moment no one saw coming. When Post Malone walked in to perform, fans expected chart-toppers and chaos; what they got instead was an emotional tribute that instantly struck a chord across Assam.

In the middle of the high-energy night, Malone paused, looked out at the crowd and delivered a shout-out that rippled through the audience. “To be in the home of the great legendary Zubeen tonight, ladies and gentlemen… My name is Austin Richard Post, and I’ve come to play some street songs,” he said, honouring the late Assamese icon Zubeen Garg, whose death earlier this year devastated fans across the region. The applause was emotional. Clips spread across social media within minutes, with fans calling the gesture “unexpected,” “moving,” and “exactly what the moment deserved.”

Zubeen’s admirers, still grieving the loss of one of Assam’s most beloved voices, hailed the tribute as a rare acknowledgment from an international star — and one delivered right in Zubeen’s home state. Many said the moment felt bigger than the concert itself.

Even before the show kicked off, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had extended a warm welcome online. “For the first time ever, global music icon and Grammy-nominated artist Post Malone will be performing in Guwahati… I hope everyone loves Assam’s hospitality,” he wrote, calling the event a milestone for the city’s cultural map.

But Zubeen Garg’s name has stayed in the headlines for another reason. The celebrated singer died on 19 September 2025 while swimming off the coast of Singapore during a trip linked to the North East India Festival. Singapore authorities initially ruled the cause of death as drowning, noting no signs of foul play, though their investigation remains ongoing. A copy of the first autopsy and preliminary findings was shared with Indian officials.

Meanwhile, in Assam, a Special Investigation Team launched an extensive parallel probe. Over 60 FIRs were filed, and investigators carried out raids at the homes of the festival organiser, Zubeen’s manager, and several others connected to the trip. A second post-mortem conducted in Delhi later found no traces of poison, again pointing to drowning and countering earlier allegations of foul play.

In October, just before his last film  Roi Roi Binale released, his wife Garima Saikia Garg, shared a handwritten note from him.

On Instagram, Garima posted a sketch of Zubeen along with his words, penned in his handwriting. The message read, “Roi Roi Binale. Mur notun cinema. Sabole aahibo. ‘Morom’. Zubeen da” (My new film. Do come and watch it. ‘With love’).

Alongside it, Garima wrote in Assamese, “The letters you wrote on 15th September... A loving appeal to your beloved people!”

She added, “Every word hits the heart, Goldie! But amongst all this, there’s burning in the empty chest. Another question — what happened on September 19? How, why? I don’t know where there is peace, but I don’t feel like breathing until I get this answer.”