SOCAN is mourning the death of its singer-songwriter member Karim Ouellet. The 37-year-old artist was found dead in Québec City on Monday night, Jan. 17, 2022. The cause of his death remains unknown at the time of writing.
Originally from Dakar, Senegal, and adopted by a Québec City couple, Ouellet made a name for himself in the mid-2000s, thanks to multiple collaborations with artists from the Limoilou district of the city – including Claude Bégin, with whom he forged creative ties that led him to success. His album Fox (2012) won several awards, including five ADISQ nominations, the Prix Félix-Leclerc (2013), the JUNO for Francophone Album of the Year (2014) and no less than four Popular Music Awards at the 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 SOCAN Galas in Montréal. The European stars M and Stromae also spotted his talent, and offered him opening slots on their respective tours.
We had also collected his comments, as well as those of his collaborator Claude Bégin and his publisher Rafael Perez, following his victory for the song Rien ne sert de courir at the 2015 Gala:
Always on the lookout for opportunities to advance his distinctive urban pop stylings, Ouellet had participated in the 2018 edition of the Kenekt Québec song camp, and has been featured in our Words & Music online magazine several times:
- Karim Ouellet : Âme nomade
- Karim Ouellet : Sly Fox
- Better Together : Karim Ouellet & Claude Bégin
- Kenekt Québec 2018 : A high calibre year
It’s always a tragedy to see a music creator pass away, but it’s all the more tragic when a gifted singer-songwriter, in the prime of his life, and in whom so much hope was placed, passes away so suddenly. SOCAN extends its deepest condolences to his family, including his sister and SOCAN member Sarahmée, his loved ones, and all those who knew him.