Making of a Musical Legend - Sonu Nigam

Sonu Nigam (born 30 July 1973 in Faridabad, Haryana, India) is a highly acclaimed Indian playback singer whose songs have been featured in numerous Hindi and Kannada movies, as well as Marathi, Tamil and Telugu movies. He has also released numerous Indi-pop albums and acted in a few Hindi feature films. He has changed the spelling of his last name from 'Nigam' to 'Niigaam' in accordance with numerology.

Career

Early years and playback singing

Sonu Nigam began his singing career at the age of three, when he joined his father on stage to sing Mohammad Rafi's "Kya Hua Tera Vaada, Wo Kasam Wo Irada." From then on, Sonu accompanied his father on his singing appearances at weddings and parties. In his teenage years, Nigam participated in several music competitions successfully. He moved to Mumbai with his father to begin his Bollywood singing career at the age of 19.

His initial years in Mumbai proved to be a struggle, beginning by singing covers of Mohammad Rafi songs, mainly for a number of "Rafi Ki Yaadein" albums released by T-Series. T-Series promoter Gulshan Kumar played a key role in identifying Sonu's talent by giving him a chance to reach a larger audience. These albums contributed to T-Series for some years although Sonu's singing style was regarded by some to be like that of a "Rafi clone". Nigam's first movie song as a playback singer was in the film Janam (1990), which was never officially released. Sonu also got a break in several radio commercials until he appeared on the popular TV show Sa Re Ga Ma, after which there was no turning back. The format of that show gave him a chance to showcase his singing skills including his later well-known natural charm and audience appeal. Then he sang "Accha Sila Diya" on the album Bewafa Sanam (1995), which established his status as a recognized playback singer.

Sonu then started hosting Sa Re Ga Ma, a television singing talent competition, which soon became one of the most popular shows on Indian television. The first episode of "Sa Re Ga Ma" was aired on 1 May 1995. Singing offers poured in thereafter, albeit slowly at first. He rose to fame with the Anu Malik composed song "Sandese Aate Hain," in Border in 1997. Sonu's image as a Rafi clone changed after his rendition of the Nadeem-Shravan composed song "Yeh Dil Deewana" in Pardes in the same year. Since then, he has created a unique style of his own, and has become a role model for emerging vocal talent in India.

Over the years, Sonu has become a major force in the Indian music industry. He has provided playback singing for a large number of Hindi movies and won many awards. His rendition of the title song of the film Kal Ho Na Ho has been highly popular and is considered a modern legend of sorts. He is recognised for his versatile voice as well as excellent emotion range. Sonu has sung with clear pronunciations, in many languages besides Hindi, including Bengali, Oriya, Kannada, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, English, Bhojpuri, Urdu, Nepali and Marathi. He remains particularly popular in Southern India for his Kannada songs and has won a few awards in this particular industry.His Kannada album called Neene Bari Neene released all over in 2009.
His 2008 playback songs include songs from Yuvvraj and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

Pop Albums and Concerts

Sonu has released a number of pop albums, both in Hindi and in Punjabi. The very recent addition to this list is "Classically Mild". He has also released several devotional albums, both Hindu and Islamic ones, as well as albums of Mohammad Rafi's songs. These are from the "Rafi Ki Yaadein" collection in his early years, although they have been re-released in September 2007 as a 6-disc collection of 100 songs , titled "Kal Aaj Aur Kal", in Mohammad Rafi's memory. In 2008, soon after releasing "Classically Mild", he released a single Punjabi track called "Punjabi Please", and "Rafi Resurrected", a 2-disc collection of Mohammad Rafi songs with music by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Over the years. Sonu has given concert performances in many countries, including United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Russia, Afghanistan, UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bangkok, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, West Indies, Suriname, Mauritius, Nigeria and South Africa. In May/June 2007, he participated in a star-studded show in North America called "The Incredibles" in which famed Asha Bhonsle and recent singing sensations, Kunal Ganjawala and Kailash Kher, participated. In September and October, respectively, of the same year, he gave solo concerts titled, "Simply Sonu", in Canada and Germany, (becoming the first Indian singer to perform in the latter country). In April 2008, he did a marathon of concerts in various cities in India, promoting his Punjabi single "Punjabi Please".

In November 2007, at the inauguration of Harvard University's 28th president, Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust, Sonu sang with the Harvard College Sangeet the late Mahatma Gandhi's favorite bhajan, " Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye".

In July 2008, he participated in a three-city tour of the United Kingdom, singing numerous famous Mohammad Rafi songs with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. This followed the release of these songs by the CBSO and the Indian music company Sa Re Ga Ma in a historic album entitled "Rafi Resurrected".

He is currently participating in a US tour with Sunidhi Chauhan called "The Explosion 2009" tour. On 29 August 2009, he released a Michael Jackson tribute song on YouTube composed by Saikat-Shankar with 6 other singers worldwide.

Television, radio and acting

Besides "Sa Re Ga Ma," Sonu Nigam also hosted the TV show "Kisme Kitna Hai Dum" and has appeared as a celebrity talent judge on the show Indian Idol (aired on Sony Entertainment Television) seasons 1 and 2. Sonu returned to Indian Idol in its third and fourth seasons as a judge. He was also a celebrity judge on Amul Star Voice of India in August 2007 in season 1 and in December 2008 in season 2. In October 2007, Sonu returned to the sets of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (formerly called Sa Re Ga Ma and again hosted by himself) in a historical moment of sorts, this time as a judge along with Suresh Wadkar. This was for the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs International part of the show.

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 greats, including the legendary Lata Mangeshkar.

Sonu's acting career started as a child artist in a number of films including 1983's Betaab. As an adult, Sonu has acted in a few more films, namely Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani alongside Sunny Deol, Manisha Koirala and Akshay Kumar as well as other actors; Kash Aap Hamare Hote, where he plays the male lead opposite Juhi Babbar, daughter of Raj Babbar; and most recently, Love in Nepal with Flora Saini and Sweta Keswani, where he again plays a leading role. However it is to be said that all three films have not done well at the box-office. although his acting was much better appreciated in his last venture. He has not taken up acting since his last venture Love in Nepal, but has recently been said to be involved in another film as a lead actor. The film, called Ankhon Ankhon Mein is supposedly about a blind singer.

Future projects

His future projects include an English album called Spirit Unfolding. He may be acting in a new film called Ankhon Hi Ankhon Mein, about a blind singer, although he has not officially signed it yet.
He is working on a unique project called Time Travel, wherein his voice will be aligned with erstwhile singers in yesteryear bollywood songs.

In a recent interview, he confirmed that he is working on a new Kannadda album to be released this year and is thinking about releasing a project on Manna Dey. He also revealed that there are plans for the Rafi Resurrected concerts to happen in the rest of Europe, the United States and India soon.

Popularity in Karnataka

Sonu Nigam is immensely popular in South India, particularly in Karnataka due to his Kannada songs. He sang his first Kannada song in 1999 for the movie Snehaloka. But in 2006,his songs from the movie Mungaru Male became chart-busters and Sonu became an overnight star. In the subsequent years he has won Filmfare Awards South for his songs in Milana and Mussanjemaatu.

In August 2009, he released his first Kannada album Neene Bari Neene composed by ace music director Mano Murthy with lyrics by Jayant Kaikini.

Personal life and voluntary work

Sonu was born to Mr Agam Kumar Nigam and Mrs Shobha Nigam on 30 July 1973 in Faridabad, Haryana, India. He attended the J.D. Tytler School. He has two sisters, Meenal and Neekita. Sonu is very close to his parents. Both his father and mother are good singers and relatives of rajesh roshan's family, and in 2005 and 2007 his father released two highly popular albums, "Bewafaai" and "Phir Bewafaai", respectively. Neekita is also a singer. She has sung a few playback songs and appeared on a few stage shows with Sonu. Sonu married Madhurima on 15 February 2002. They have a son, Nevaan, born on 25 July 2007.

He is very much into fitness and yoga exercises, and has even trained in taekwondo. He claims to be spiritual rather than religious. He used to be keen at his studies in his younger age and enjoys reading. He also enjoys mimicry and commonly mimics other singers in Bollywood.

Sonu has done various charity work all over India as well as abroad for Dignity Foundation, Cancer organizations, Leprosy organizations, Blindness organizations, Women's welfare organizations, Kargil war affected families, Earthquake affected families. He also sponsors a child from the organization “Crayon”.

Awards

• 2009, Indian Television Academy Award, Best Male Singer for Dill Mill Gayye.
• 2009, Filmfare Awards South, Best Singer (Male) for the song Enaagali Mundhe Saagu Nee, from the Kannada movie Mussanjemaatu.
• 2008, Annual Central European Bollywood Awards, Best Male Singer for In Lamhon ke Daaman Mein, from the film Jodha Akbar.
• 2008, 15th Lion Gold Awards 2008, Best Male Singer for the song In Lamhon ke Daaman Mein from the film Jodha Akbar.
• 2008, Indian Television Academy Award, Best Male Singer for Amber Dhara.
• 2008, Filmfare Awards South, Best Singer (Male) for the song Ninnindale Ninnindale, from the Kannada movie Milana.
• 2008, GPBA (German Public Bollywood Award), Best Singer (Male) for Mein Agar Kahoon, Om Shanti Om.
• 2007, Indian Television Academy Award, Best Male Singer for Dill Mill Gayye.
• 2007, Annual Central European Bollywood Awards, Best Male Playback Singer for Mein Agar Kahoon, Om Shanti Om.
• 2007, Bollywood Music Awards, Best Male Playback Singer for Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Title Track.
• 2006, Annual Central European Bollywood Awards, Best Male Singer for Sau Dard Hai, from the film Jaaneman.
• 2006, Star Screen Award Best Male Playback, for the song "Dheere Jalna", from the film "Paheli"
• 2005, Swaralaya Yesudas Award, for his outstanding performance in Music.
• 2005, MTV Immies - Best Pop Album, for his self-composed album titled "Chanda Ki Doli".
• 2005, Indian Television Award Best Singer for Miliee Title Track.
• 2005, Anadolok Award for "Chanda Ki Doli" album.
• 2005, Lion Gold's Award for the song Main Hoon Na from the film "Main Hoon Na"
• 2005, Teachers' Achievement Award
• 2005, Most Stylish People In Music, MTV Style Awards.
• 2004, MTV Immies - Best Male Singer, for the song "Main Hoon Na", from the film "Main Hoon Na"
• 2004, National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer, for the song "Kal Ho Naa Ho", from the film Kal Ho Naa Ho
• 2004, IIFA Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Kal Ho Naa Ho", from the film Kal Ho Naa Ho
• 2004, Bollywood Music Award for Best Male Playback Singer for "Kal Ho Na Ho" from the film Kal Ho Naa Ho
• 2004, Apsara Film Producers' Guild Award for Best Male Playback Singer for "Kal Ho Na Ho" from the film Kal Ho Naa Ho
• 2003, Filmfare Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Kal Ho Naa Ho", from the film Kal Ho Naa Ho".
• 2003, Zee Cine Award Best Playback Singer- Male, for the song "Saathiya", from the film "Saathiya"
• 2003, IIFA Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Saathiya", from the film "Saathiya"
• 2003, MTV Immies - Best Male Singer, for the song "Saathiya" from the film "Saathiya".
• 2003, Bollywood Music Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Saathiya" from the film "Saathiya"
• 2003, Most Stylish People In Music, MTV Style Awards
• 2002, Filmfare Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Saathiya", from the film Saathiya.
• 2002, Zee Cine Award Best Playback Singer- Male, for the song "Suraj Hua Maddham", from the film "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham"
• 2002, IIFA Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Suraj Hua Maddham", from the film "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham"
• 2002, Bollywood Music Award for Best Pop Singer for the album "Yaad"
• 2002, Bollywood Music Award for Best Male Singer for the song "Tanhayee" from the film "Dil Chahta Hai"
• 2001, Star Screen Award Best Male Playback, for the song "Tanhayee", from the film "Dil Chahta Hai"
• 1998, Zee Cine Award Best Playback Singer- Male, for the song "Sandese Aate Hai", from the film "Border"
• 1998, Star Screen Award for Best Male Pop Artist.
• 1997, Aashirwad Award for Best Male Singer for the song "Sandese Aate Hai", from the film "Border"
• 1997, Sansui Viewers' Choice Award for Best Male Singer for the song "Sandese Aate Hai", from the film "Border" 

He is often referred to as India's best playback singer and as the Golden Voice of Indipop but he has proved time and again that he is a complete musician and an institution in himself with extra-ordinary talent and a voice to die for. He is a student of music,with a zeal to surpass his own targets and a performer par excellence. Today he is a superstar,an icon to millions of music lovers across the globe. He is a legend approaching the age of 37, and the journey has just begun!