WHAT WAS CLAIMED
PNG singer Daniel Bilip has died.
OUR VERDICT
False. Mr Bilip has confirmed he is alive.
AAP FACTCHECK - An award-winning Papua New Guinea musician is alive and continuing to battle cancer, despite online posts claiming he has died.
Daniel Bilip described the claims as "fake news" in a message to AAP FactCheck after the rumours began spreading.
A series of Facebook posts have appeared in recent weeks, claiming the well-known musician had died.
One post on July 14, 2025, included an image of the musician and said, "Our singer Daniel Bilip passed away today".
"Very sad news to most his fans and Papua New Guineans coz one way or the other he entertains us with his musics."
A user commented, "Very sorry. Your sweet voices will still remain as memories to your lovely fans".
Mr Bilip, who has tongue cancer, discussed his diagnosis in an article in the Port Moresby-based newspaper the Post Courier in April.
However, as recently as July 22 he dismissed the claim he had died. "Fake news bro," he said in a Facebook message to AAP FactCheck.
He also addressed the false claim in a July 14 post on his Facebook page in which he called out users who had shared it in a bid to gain "a few likes and shares".
In reference to his cancer treatment, he said the battle was tough, but he would continue to fight.
The Post Courier described the posts as "false rumours" in a July 14 article, and quoted Mr Bilip saying that "what people are sharing has caused great pain".
The newspaper reported the posts were also spreading on WhatsApp and TikTok.
Mr Bilip has been a prominent figure in the PNG music industry for nearly two decades, and was named joint 2021/2022 artist of the year at the YumiFM PNG Music Awards.
In a post earlier in July, he shared a message with followers about his cancer fight.
Writing in New Guinea Pidgin alongside two photos showing his physical decline, Mr Bilip said in a translation: "I'm not scared and ashamed to share with you all my pain, fight and transformation. This is what cancer did to me within months.
"I am still in the middle of my fight. Thank you all for your support, prayers and well wishes," he wrote.
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