Singer, Composer, Actor, Anchor, Judge, Mimic and a Radio Jockey...these are some of the roles that Sonu Nigam has played in his career. He is undoubtedly one of the most versatile singers of the Indian music industry.
Sonu started his career at the age of 3 when he joined his father on stage singing Rafi Saab's 'Kya Hua Tera Vaada'. His initial days were spent singing jingles and devotional days. He came to Mumbai when he was a teenager. Once he shifted base to Mumbai to start his struggle in the music industry, it did not take him too long to get his first song from the film 'Aaja Meri Jaan' at the age of 20. Gulshan Kumar of T-series played a key role in his career during his struggling days. 'Acha Sila Diya' was perhaps his first big hit. He then appeared as the host of famous singing reality show SaReGaMa despite being advised by Anu Malik and Javed Saab not to go for small screen since that will divert his attention from Bollywood music. But he was adamant and we all know the success story of SaReGaMa. After the success of SaReGaMa he got many singing offers and became a force to reckon with in the music industry. There was no stopping for him after that. Some of the biggest hits of his career include:
Sandese Aate Hain, Yeh Dil...Deewana, Satrangi Re, Ishq Bina, Aasman Kehta Hain, Mujhe Raat Din, Zindagi Maut Naa Ban Jaaye, Fiza, Aisa Lagta Hain, Panchi Nadiyan, Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya, Kismat Se Tum Humko Mile Ho, Khamoshiyan Gungunane Lagi, Tanhayee, You're My Soniya, Suraj Hua Maddham, Rabba Mere Rabba, Rehna Hain Tere Dil Mein, Saathiya, Mera Rang De Basanti, Jaage Jaage, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Aaja Soniye, Jeene Ke Hain Char Din, Do Pal, Dil Dooba, Main Hoon Naa, Tumse Milke, Gustakh Dil, Ek Bewafaa Hain, Sun Zara, Chup Chup Ke, Tu Jahan, Dheere Jalna, Piyu Bole, Kastu Maza, Khoya Khoya, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Tumhi Dekho Naa, Ajnabi Shehar, Humko Maloom Hain, Sau Dard, Jaaneman, Pyar Ki Ek Kahani, Koi Tumsa Nahin, Mere Haath Mein, Dekho Naa, Baawri Piya Ki, Nagada Nagada, Main Agar Kahoon, Salaam-e-Ishq, Phir Milege Chalte Chalte, Apne to Apne Hote Hain, Inn Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein, Soniyo, Zoobi Doobi, Don't Say Alvida, Shukran Allah, Zoobi Doobi, Aal Izz Well...
A.R. Rahman, Anu Malik, Ismail Darbar, Shankar Ehsaan & Loy, Vishal Bhardwaj, Himesh Reshammiya, Vishal Shekhar, Pritam, Salim Suleiman, Nadeem Sharavan, Nikhil Vinay, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Jatin Lalit, Anand Raaj Anand, Adesh Shrivastva, Sajid Wajid, Raju Singh, Sandeep Chowta, Sandesh Shandilya, Viju Shah, Harris Jayaraj, Daboo Malik, Jeet Pritam, Rahul Sharma, Ram Sampat, Adnan Sami, MM Kreem, Rajendra Shiv, Shantanu Moitra, Rajesh Roshan...he has been the flavour of almost every contemporary music composer.
Apart from singing in Bollywood, Sonu is one of the few mainstream singers who has tasted success in the Indi-pop circuit also. His Pop-albums include: Sapne Ki Baat (1997), Kismat (1998), Mausam (1999), Deewana (1999), Jaan (2000), Yaad (2001) & Chanda Ki Doli (2005). Songs like Tu, Bijuria, Ab Mujhe Raat Din, Deewana Tera, Tera Milna Pal Do Mil Ka, Deewane Hoke Hum, Jeena Hain Tere Liye, Mohabbat Kabhi Maine, Chanda Ki Doli were huge success. But his most unique and a master class of an album came out in 2008 in the form of Classically Mild. The amount of respect he got after this album is something that he always cherishes. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurausia after listening to Classically Mild claimed on stage that music of the country is not dying. Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma called the album as classically tough and Ustad Rashid Khan also sent his compliments to Sonu Nigam.
Sonu believes that good quality work is always appreciated at one or other point of time. Songs like Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya and Satrangi Re did not receive their due when they were newly released. But now these songs regularly feature in reality shows. Even Shankar Mahadevan sang 'Dhanya Dhanya Naari Jeevan' from Classically Mild on Music Ka Maha Muqabla last year although this song was never shown in promos. His songs are part of almost every singing reality show and in almost every reality show we have a singer who idolizes Sonu Nigam...e.g. Aneek Dhar, Vineet Singh, Amit Paul, Emon Chatterjee, Harshit Saxena, Shivam Pathak, Rahul Vaidya etc.
From a slow soulful romantic number to a fast paced number, from joyful songs to sad songs, from Bhajans to Ghazals, from Sufi to Qawalli, from Patriotic songs to Semi-Classical songs...he has sung it all. Many will not be knowing this that he came out with a qawalli album called 'Mohabbat Ke Darr Pe Aaja Saawali'. I don't know for what reasons it never became available in markets. But this is the versatility that Sonu Nigam possesses.
He has won many awards and recognitions for his work. 1 National Award, 2 Filmfare Awards, 3 Star Screen, 3 IIFA and many others.
Apart from Hindi he has also sung songs in Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, Nepali, Oriya and Urdu. He came out with his first Kannada album Neene Bari Neene in 2009. He has also won 2 Filmfare Awards for his Kannada songs.
In the past few years he has cut down on playback singing because he says that too much playback singing has started to bore him now. He now wants to focus more on quality rather than quantity. He enjoys live singing much more and according to him he is a completely different person when he is on stage. He has done concerts all over the world...America, Canada, Israel, Australia, Holland, Qatar, UK, South Africa, Dubai, Singapore, Pakistan...
Musical history was created on 15th July, 2008 in Birmingham where Sonu performed live as part of Rafi Resurrected. It was the first time a leading Indian vocalist appeared on stage with a leading Symphony Orchestra. Rafi Resurrected is an 18 song musical feast that presented for the first time, a symphonic interpretation of Indian Music. In a first of its kind recording, The City of Birmingham Orchestra(CBSO), an elite 75 member outfit, joined hands with Sonu Nigam to create a unique album where Sonu paid a beautiful tribute to his musical father, Late Mohammed Rafi. The album was released in London on 17th June 2008 under the banner of Sa Re Ga Ma HMV. The concert at the London Coliseum has been recorded for future broadcast on BBCTV and also in India and the United States.
He is doing lot of international collaborations now. Global One's much awaited single Aajkal(Lately) featuring Sonu Nigam and Blaaze was released worldwide on 18th May 2009 digitally. Global One is the first international project of its kind in music history. The ground breaking project has brought together over 30 artists from 3 continents to record 'Lately' for a simultaneous release in their own languages around the world.
Then he recorded a song called Gallis with Mr Vegas and Bombay Billionare with Amar. He has also recorded songs with Sugababes. He has one English Album called 'Spirit Unfolding' under his belt also. Of course he also got the opportunity to sing 'Chiggy Wigyy' alongside Kylie Minogue and music director Wayne Sharpe made him sing 'Dhan Dhan Dharti' in movie Rajneeti.
Career as a Host
May 1, 1995, the date when the first episode of singing reality show SaReGaMa was aired. This show brought a major turnaround in his career. His singing abilities got recognized through this show and offers starting pouring in from various music composers. He has also hosted the show 'Kisme Kitna Hain Dum'.
Career as an Actor
He started his career as a child artist. He played Suny Deol's childhood in Betaab. His other movies as child artist were Kaamchor, Pyaara Dushman, Ustadi Ustad Ke, Humse Hain Zamana, Taqdeer and Krishna Krishna. Then in 2003 he made his debut in Kash Aap Hamare Hote. Love in Nepal and Jaani Dushman were the other movies in which he acted. But he hasn't been a successful actor.
Career as a Judge
He was the judge of Indian Idol for its first two seasons. His judging capabilities were quite appreciated. Apart from Indian Idol he has also judged the show SaReGaMaPa Lil Champs alongside Suresh Wadekar and Chote Ustad with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan as co-judge.
Career as a RJ
In 2006, Sonu also hosted his own radio show called 'Life Ki Dhun With Sonu Niigaam' on Radiocity 91.1 FM, where he had the opportunity to interview several music industry great like Lata Mangeshkar, Ismail Darbar, Sameer, Sunidhi Chauhan, Anu Malik, Shaan etc.
Career as a composer
His only album as a composer was Chanda Ki Doli.
He has also composed the Mumbai Anthem as a tribute to 26/11 martyrs. This song has been sung by 14 prominent singers from the Indian music fraternity namely Shaan, Kailash Kher, Roop Kumar Rathod, Hariharan, Jagjit Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Suresh Wadkar, Talat Aziz, Alka Yagnik, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Kunal Ganjawala, Richa Sharma and Sonu Nigam himself. The song also features an exclusive voiceover by Amitabh Bachchan.
A great Mimicry artist
His mimicry talent surfaced in the show 'Kisme Kitna Hain Dum' wherein he used to mimic other singer's voice. Then he also came as a guest on 'Johnny Aala Re' where he mimicked many different singers.
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