3 min readNew DelhiJan 2, 2026 06:11 PM IST
First published on: Jan 2, 2026 at 05:16 PM IST
Zohran Mamdani’s swearing-in ceremony on January 1 wrapped up with an unexpected cultural moment, a live Punjabi music performance by Toronto-based artist Babbulicious. At 34, Mamdani made history by taking the oath as New York City’s first Muslim mayor.
The inauguration featured a wide-ranging musical program, according to HT.com. DJ MOMA set the tone with the welcome music, followed by Grammy winner Lucy Dacus singing the labour anthem, Bread and Roses. Actor Mandy Patinkin joined the PS22 Chorus of Staten Island for a moving rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The evening closed with Babbulicious taking the stage, bringing Punjabi beats to City Hall.
Babbulicious performed his popular track, Gaddi Red Challenger, drawing cheers from the crowd. Mamdani was seen enjoying the moment, dancing alongside his wife Rama Duwaji as hundreds of attendees joined in. Clips from the performance quickly circulated online, amplifying the moment far beyond the venue.
Watch the video:
After the event, the singer shared a photo with the mayor on Instagram, captioned “NEW YORK VICH MUNDA RENDAAAAA” – a lyric from his song meaning “the guy lives in New York.” He added, “Thank you Mr Mayor for having me perform at the inauguration.”
The viral videos sparked mixed reactions on social media. While many celebrated the inclusion of Punjabi music at a major civic event, others criticised the ceremony for featuring a non-English song. Republican Josh Barnett reacted sharply, asking, “Are NYers really going to put up with this? I am guessing we will see major backlash soon.”
Supporters were quick to push back. One user wrote, “Indians need to understand that the place needs a liberal leader to actually liberalise it and ease it… Even Indian-Americans voted him in.”
Mamdani, born to Indian mother Mira Nair and Ugandan father of Indian origin Mahmood Mamdani, has consistently highlighted his South Asian roots. During his campaign, he reached out to the desi community by speaking in Hindi in campaign videos and even had Dhoom Machale playing during his victory speech.
Mamdani was seen enjoying the moment, dancing alongside his wife Rama Duwaji as hundreds of attendees joined in 
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