playback singer
A playback singer, as they are usually known in South Asian cinema, or ghost singer in Western cinema, is a singer whose performance is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and the performers lip-sync the ...
,
music director
A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...
, dubbing artist and
actor
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
. He is one of the most versatile singers and widest vocal ranges in the history of Indian music. His songs vary from romantic to break-up, classical to devotional, Party to patriotic, ghazals to qawwali and rock to pop. Nigam is considered one of the greatest and most successful singers of all time in the history of
Indian music
Owing to India's vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk, rock, and pop. It has a history spanning several millennia and developed over several ...
industry.
Nigam sings predominantly in
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
and
Kannada
Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
language films. He has recorded over 6,000 songs in more than 32 languages throughout his career. He has released a number of non-film albums and acted in some
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
films. Nigam has been awarded one
National Film Award
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
, two
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
and two
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
and four IIFA Award for the Best Playback singer. He was ranked top artist on the Billboard Uncharted charts twice in September and October 2013.
Nigam was honoured with the
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
People, culture and language
* Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka
** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
Bhojpuri
Bhojpuri may refer to:
* Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal
* Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language
* Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language
* Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language
* Bhojpuri region ...
, Nepali, Tulu, Maithili, and Manipuri. Overall, he has sung in more than 32 languages. Nigam has released pop albums in
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
,
Kannada
Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
and
Islamic
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
devotional albums. He has released several
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
albums. Nigam has performed in countries in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
,
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
,
Asia
Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and in the Middle East and western countries.
Early and personal life
Sonu Kumar Nigam was born on 30 July 1973 to Agam Kumar Nigam and Shobha Nigam in the city of
Faridabad
Faridabad () is the most populous List of cities in Haryana by population, city near NCT of Delhi in the Indian state of Haryana and a part of National Capital Region (India), Delhi National Capital Region. It is one of the major satellite citie ...
,
Haryana
Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...
. His father was from
Agra
Agra ( ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the ...
and his mother was from Garhwal. He has two sisters – Meenal Nigam, a yoga therapist, and Teesha Nigam, a professional singer.
Nigam began singing at the age of four, when he joined his father Agam Kumar Nigam on stage to sing
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice ...
's song "Kya Hua Tera Wada". Nigam began accompanying his father on his singing appearances at weddings and parties. He moved to
Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
with his father to begin his
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
singing career at the age of 19. He was trained by Hindustani classical singer Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan.
Nigam identifies as
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
. He married Madhurima Mishra on 15 February 2002. They have a son.
Nigam had changed his name to ''Sonu Niigaam'' citing numerology beliefs, but later decided to go back to his birth name.
Career
1990s: Career beginnings
His first song was for the movie ''Janam'' (1990), but the movie was never released. Nigam began his career with the song Hum To Chhaila Ban Gaye from DD1's TV serial '' Talash'' (1992). Sonu Nigam first film song "O Aasmanwale" was from the movie '' Aaja Meri Jaan'' (1993). He released his first album, ''Rafi Ki Yaadein'', in 1992.
After this, he sung in the films '' Muqabla'' (1993), '' Meherbaan'' (1993), '' Shabnam'' (1993), '' Aag'' (1994), ''
Cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...
Sauda
Sauda ''()'' is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sauda, where most of the population lives. Other villages in the municipality include Saudasjøen and Amdal. Despite being ...
Himmatvar
''Himmatvar '' is a 1996 Bollywood action drama film directed by Talat Jani, starring Dharmendra, Mukesh Khanna and Gajendra Chouhan.
Plot
This is the life of Sultan, who is a kind-hearted and innocent person forced to become a gangster.
...
Dulhe Raja
''Dulhe Raja'' (transl. Groom king) is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film starring Govinda (actor), Govinda, Raveena Tandon, Kader Khan, Johnny Lever, Prem Chopra and Asrani.
Plot
K. K. Singhania a business tycoon buys an expen ...
'' (1998), ''
Soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer.
Etymology
The wo ...
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa
''Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'' is an Indian Hindi-language reality singing television show. It started airing on Zee TV in 1995 as ''Sa Re Ga Ma''. It is the oldest running game show in India as well as the oldest show on private television in India. The ...
'' in 1995. His song "Accha Sila Diya" for the film '' Bewafa Sanam'', gave him greater success. In 1997, he sang the patriotic song " Sandese Aate Hai" from the movie ''
Border
Borders are generally defined as geography, geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by polity, political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other administrative divisio ...
'' and performed the Nadeem-Shravan-composed song "Yeh Dil Deewana" in '' Pardes'' in the same year, both of which were highly successful. Some of his notable songs during this period were "Zindagi Maut na Ban Jaye" from '' Sarfarosh'' (1999), "Satrangi Re" from '' Dil Se'', "Ishq Bina" from '' Taal'', "Mujhe Raat Din" from '' Sangharsh'', "Ruki Ruki" from '' Mast'', and his debut in Tamil "Vaarayo Thozhi" from ''
Jeans
Jeans are a type of trousers made from denim or dungaree cloth. Often the term "jeans" refers to a particular style of trousers, called "blue jeans", with the addition of copper pocket rivets added by Jacob W. Davis in 1871 and patented by ...
''. Sonu's album '' Deewana'', with music directed by Sajid–Wajid, was released by T-Series in 1999.
Refugee
A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
'', all three of which he sang along with
Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik (born 20 March 1966) is an Indian playback singer who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. One of the most prominent singers of 1990s era Bollywood, she has received several accolades, including two National Film Awards, two Ben ...
, "Tanhayee" from '' Dil Chahta Hai'', "Tu Fiza Hai" from ''
Fiza
''Fiza'', elaborately known as ''Fiza: In Search Of Her Brother'' is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action-thriller film written and directed by Khalid Mohamed, and produced by Pradeep Guha. The film stars Karisma Kapoor in the title role, alongs ...
'' among others. He received his first
Filmfare Award
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Time ...
for the title song of the film ''Saathiya'' in the year 2002, which was composed by
A.R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967), also known by the initialism ARR, is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and philanthropist known for his works in Indian cinema ...
, with lyrics by
Gulzar
Gulzar (born Sampooran Singh Kalra; 18 August 1934) is an Indian Urdu poetry, Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He starte ...
. His biggest success during this period was the song "
Kal Ho Naa Ho
''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (, ), also abbreviated as ''KHNH'', is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romance film, romantic Comedy drama, comedy drama film directed by debutant Nikkhil Advani, Nikhil Advani from a script written by Karan Johar and Niranjan Iy ...
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar (born 1945) is an Indian screenwriter, lyricist and poet. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007, two of India's highest civili ...
. The song earned him his only
National Film Award
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
, his second and last
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...
, "Chup Chup Ke" from '' Bunty Aur Babli'', "Pyar Ki Ek Kahani" and "Koi Tumsa Nahin" from the film ''
Krrish
''Krrish'' () is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language superhero action thriller film directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan. The film stars Hrithik Roshan in a dual role, alongside Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha, Sharat Saxena and Man ...
'', which he sang with
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
Sunidhi Chauhan
Sunidhi Chauhan (pronounced ; born Nidhi Chauhan, 14 August 1983) is an Indian playback singer. Known for her Bold vocal range, she has recorded songs for films in several Indian languages and List of awards and nominations received by Sunidhi ...
, "Inn Lamhon ke Daaman Mein" from '' Jodhaa Akbar'', and "Main Agar Kahoon" from ''
Om Shanti Om
''Om Shanti Om'' (transl. literally to ''Peace Be With You'') is a 2007 Hindi-language romantic fantasy film written and directed by Farah Khan, co-written by Mayur Puri and Mushtaq Shiekh, and produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies E ...
''. In the film '' Parineeta'', he sang four songs with
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
. His most successful and acclaimed songs during this period were "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna", "Tumhi Dekho Naa" and "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna – Sad Version" from '' Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' (2006), composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and lyrics by
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar (born 1945) is an Indian screenwriter, lyricist and poet. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007, two of India's highest civili ...
, all of which he sang alongside
Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik (born 20 March 1966) is an Indian playback singer who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. One of the most prominent singers of 1990s era Bollywood, she has received several accolades, including two National Film Awards, two Ben ...
.
He was also the leading playback singer in ''
3 Idiots
''3 Idiots'' is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, edited and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, co-written by Abhijat Joshi and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Shar ...
'', rendering the songs "Jaane Nahin Denge Tujhe", "Zoobi Doobi" and "Aal Izz Well". In the film '' Kurbaan'', he sang the song "Shukran Allah" along with Salim Merchant of the composer duo Salim-Sulaiman and
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
, which was appreciated. Nigam has released albums of
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice ...
's songs including ''Rafi Ki Yaadein'', a collection early in his career, which was re-released in Rafi's memory in September 2007 as a six-disc collection of 100 songs, titled ''Kal Aaj Aur Kal''. In 2008, soon after releasing ''Classically Mild'', he released a single Punjabi track entitled "Punjabi Please" and ''Rafi Resurrected'', a two-disc collection of Rafi songs with music by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He contributed to the lyrics of several songs and directed the music for his album ''Chanda Ki Doli''. After the death of
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
, Nigam released a song as a tribute to Jackson which was included on the tribute album ''The Beat of Our Hearts''.
In May–June 2007, he participated in The Incredibles tour with
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; ; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur, actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the media as one of the ...
, Kunal Ganjawala, and Kailash Kher. From September–October of the same year, he gave solo concerts titled Simply Sonu in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
and
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, becoming the first Indian singer to do so. In April 2008, he toured India promoting his Punjabi single "Punjabi Please".
In November 2007, at the inauguration of
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
University's 28th president,
Drew Gilpin Faust
Catharine Drew Gilpin Faust (born September 18, 1947) is an American historian who served as the 28th president of Harvard University, the first woman in that role. She was Harvard's first president since 1672 without an undergraduate or graduat ...
, Nigam sang
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
's favourite
bhajan
Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...
, "Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye", with the Harvard College Sangeet. In July 2008, he participated in a three-city tour of the United Kingdom, singing Rafi songs with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO). This followed the release of these songs by the CBSO and the Indian music company
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa
''Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'' is an Indian Hindi-language reality singing television show. It started airing on Zee TV in 1995 as ''Sa Re Ga Ma''. It is the oldest running game show in India as well as the oldest show on private television in India. The ...
on ''Rafi Resurrected''. He participated in a US tour with
Sunidhi Chauhan
Sunidhi Chauhan (pronounced ; born Nidhi Chauhan, 14 August 1983) is an Indian playback singer. Known for her Bold vocal range, she has recorded songs for films in several Indian languages and List of awards and nominations received by Sunidhi ...
in 2009 called The Explosion 2009 tour and in a UK tour titled ''All Izz Well'' in November 2010. In 2011, Nigam collaborated with Kakas Entertainment and Laxmikant–Pyarelal for a Maestros Concert performing
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice ...
songs.
2010–present: Post career peak, multiple concerts and several English Collaborations
In 2010, Sonu sang the popular song "Chori Kiya Re Jiya" from '' Dabangg'' as well as '' Tees Maar Khan'' title track which he sang in 54 voices. Sonu also sang "Aye Janani" song for ''
Kandahar
Kandahar is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city, after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118 in 2015. It is the capital of Kandahar Pro ...
'' in which he hit the highest note in human vocal registry with an open-throat effort without singing falsetto.
Sonu was awarded Global Indian Music Academy Awards 2010 for his song 'All izz Well',
BIG Star Entertainment Awards
The Big STAR Entertainment Awards was an annual award show presented by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited in association with STAR India to honour personalities from the field of entertainment across movies, music, television, sports, theatr ...
for Best Playback Singer of the Decade (2000–2010) (MALE) and Global Indian Music Award for Best Live Performer (Male) in 2010.
In 2011, Nigam collaborated with
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...
on a remix of her " I Wanna Go" track, and with DJ
Avicii
Tim Bergling (8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. At age 16, he began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He rose ...
on his song "Indian Levels", produced by Avicii in 2012. In 2011, Sonu also collaborated with
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's brother
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist. He is known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the ...
on song "This Is It" which was written and composed by Sonu as tribute to Michael after his death.
Sonu also performed song "Let's Go for Glory" at 2011 Cricket World Cup opening ceremony composed by Sonu himself.
Between 2012 and 2015 many of Sonu's songs were redubbed in other singer's voices by music companies because of his fight for singers' royalties and opposition to sign illegal contracts with companies. Sonu said "I am not scared of being out of work because eventually good sense will prevail". In 2012, Sonu's song Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin from Agneepath became a huge success. For this song Sonu won many awards including 5th Mirchi Music Awards for Male Vocalist of The Year,
BIG Star Entertainment Awards
The Big STAR Entertainment Awards was an annual award show presented by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited in association with STAR India to honour personalities from the field of entertainment across movies, music, television, sports, theatr ...
2012, 18th Lions Gold Awards, 2013 Zee Cine Awards, 19th Lions Gold Award, 2013 Times of India Film Awards and many more. He was also nominated for Best Male Playback Singer at Filmfare Awards. He considers Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin as one of his best songs.
Nigam composed the title track of the film '' Singh Saab The Great'' in 2013 and has also composed music for other films including: '' Sooper Se Ooper'' and '' Jal'', in collaboration with percussionist Bickram Ghosh in the same year. He was ranked the Number 1 artist on the US Billboard Uncharted charts twice in September and October 2013. He sang two songs for the movie PK, "Bhagwan Hai Kahan Re Tu" and "Love is a Waste of Time", which was a duet with
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
. In 2014, Sonu also released a single called "Trini Ladki" in fusion with Chutney Music.
In 2015, "Sapna Jahan" from ''
Brothers
A brother (: brothers or brethren) is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingl ...
'' became popular. This was Sonu's 3rd collaboration with
Ajay–Atul
Ajay-Atul is an Indian music composer duo comprising brothers Ajay Ashok Gogavale and Atul Ashok Gogavale. Known for their works in Cinema of India, Indian cinema; predominantly in Marathi cinema, Marathi and Hindi cinema, Hindi films. They are ...
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
was also appreciated. In September 2015, Nigam recorded a song with the music director Khayyam for the project titled ''Gulam Bandhu''. Sonu also collaborated with musicians across the globe for Imagine (UNICEF: World Version) composed by
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
. In 2016, Sonu released his single "Crazy Dil" featuring
Rajkumar Hirani
Rajkumar "Raju" Hirani (born 20 November 1962) is an Indian filmmaker known for his works in Hindi films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including four National Film Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards. Hirani is referred as one of the m ...
,
Farah Khan
Farah Khan Kunder (; born 9 January 1965) is an Indian film director, writer, film producer, actress, dancer and choreographer who works predominantly in Hindi films. Khan has choreographed more than a hundred songs in over 80 films, winning th ...
, Sunil Grover, Kailash Kher, Natalie Di Luccio, Sonu himself with his son Nevaan. He then released another single "First Date" sung by Sonu & Jonita Gandhi. He also collaborated with Transgender band "6 Pack Band" for song 'Sab Rab De Bande'. In Bollywood music, he sng 'Tu Hi Na Jaane' from '' Azhar'' and "Dard" from '' Sarabjit''. Tu Hi Na Jaane' was Sonu's first collaboration with music composer Amaal Mallik. In 2017, Sonu made an international collaboration, this time with Indian-American DJ
kshmr
Niles Hollowell-Dhar (born October 6, 1988), known professionally as Kshmr (pronounced "Kashmir" and stylized in all caps), is an American musician, DJ, songwriter, record producer, former rapper, and singer. He was ranked 23rd on ''DJ Mag''s 20 ...
on song 'Underwater'. His independent song with
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
called 'Aye Jahaan Aasmaan' bagged him 9th Mirchi Music Awards for Indie Pop Song of the Year. The song was composed by Abhishek Ray. Cricketer
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (; ; born 24 April 1973) is an Indian former international cricketer who List of India national cricket captains#Men's cricket, captained the Indian national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketer ...
collaborated with Sonu for his debut single "Sachin's Cricket Wali Beat".
'Hans Mat Pagli' and "Gori Tu Latth Maar" from '' Toilet: Ek Prem Katha'' were well-received as was "Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahin" from '' Meri Pyaari Bindu''. Sonu also sang one song in
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi cinema. Referred to in the media as the "Padishah, Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has Shah Rukh K ...
starrer '' Raees'' named "Halka Halka" but the song was not included in film because of creative reasons. Later the song was released on YouTube. Sonu composed one song in movie Half Widow called "Kuch Baaqi Hai" which was also sung by him. He also sang one song "Aazaadiyan" with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from '' Begum Jaan'' composed by
Anu Malik
Anwar Sardar "Anu" Malik (born 2 November 1960) is an Indian music composer, singer, music arranger and score composer. He is the recipient of a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards, who primarily composes music for the Hindi film ...
.
In 2018, Sonu collaborated with American Rapper MC Yogi for song "Hall Of Fame". Sonu sang song "Aye Zindagi" composed by Vishal Mishra having five other versions of
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; ; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur, actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the media as one of the ...
,
Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik (born 20 March 1966) is an Indian playback singer who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. One of the most prominent singers of 1990s era Bollywood, she has received several accolades, including two National Film Awards, two Ben ...
Abhijeet Bhattacharya
Abhijeet Bhattacharya (born 30 October 1958), professionally known as Abhijeet, is an Indian playback singer who primarily sings in the Hindi film industry. As well as Hindi, he has sung in his native language Bengali and in other languages inc ...
and
Shaan (singer)
Shantanu Mukherjee (born 30 September 1972), professionally known as Shaan, is an Indian playback singer, composer, actor and television host. He record songs primarily in Hindi, Bengali, Kannada and Telugu language. Known as the "Golden Vo ...
. Sonu also teamed up with Meet Bros for dance number "Totta" feat. Sonu Nigam with Kainaat Arora. In Bollywood, he sang a peppy number in Sanju called "Main Badhiya Tu Bhi Badhiya" which became very popular. He then sang a melodious song "Kulfi" from '' 102 Not Out'' in collaboration with Salim–Sulaiman. Sonu once again collaborated with
Anu Malik
Anwar Sardar "Anu" Malik (born 2 November 1960) is an Indian music composer, singer, music arranger and score composer. He is the recipient of a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards, who primarily composes music for the Hindi film ...
for "Raat Kitni" and "Main Zinda Hoon" for movie '' Paltan''. He then sang the remake of "Badan Pe Sitare" originally sung by his idol Mohammad Rafi for
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi cinema, Hindi films, in addition to Indian television and international films. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a ...
starrer '' Fanney Khan''. Sonu revealed that he was first hesitant to render the song because he didn't want to tamper with the original song but Kapoor requested Sonu to sing the classic as he was playing an ardent follower of Mohammad Rafi in the film, which was why he wanted Sonu to give his voice. Sonu also sang songs for social causes. Song "Tik Tik Plastic" was sung with social message of 'Say No To Plastic'. He also collaborated with Amruta Fadnavis for song "Mumbai River Anthem" to save Mumbai Rivers.
On 14 November 2021, Sonu travelled to
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
for his tour "Rafi Kishore aur Main" presented by Grace Entertainment. He rendered his own songs, as well as evergreen tracks that were originally sung by legendary singers
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar (born Abhas Kumar Ganguly; ; 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern India ...
and Mohammad Rafi. A source who was present at the show shared, "The audience were glued to their seats for the four-hour long performances. Sonu curated the show with some of the most talented and sought after musicians from across India and also included some musicians who have been a part of the original compositions." Sonu also launched his NFT Series which features his English-language single ‘Hall of fame’ and pages from his personal diary where he has penned down key moments of his life and details of his practice and recording session along with lyrics of his popular songs. He became the first Indian singer to launch an NFT with digital media company JetSynthesys.
Sonu Nigam currently is also th Patron-in-Chief and Faculty Head of the Hindi Film Singing course a Artium Academy the world's leading online music school for Indian music, where conducts regular training of the teachers and masterclass with the global learners.
'I Believe Music' Label
Nigam has launched his own music label on 30 July 2020, his 47th birthday, named 'I Believe Music' and "Rudhrashtakam" is the first track to release under the label.
Kannada films
Nigam's first song in
Kannada
Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
was in 1996 for the film ''
Jeevanadhi
''Jeevanadi'' is a 1996 Indian Kannada-language drama film directed by D. Rajendra Babu and produced by P. Dhanraj. The film stars Vishnuvardhan, Anant Nag and Kushboo. The film was widely popular for its title song composed by Koti upon re ...
''. The song "Yello Yaro Hego" was composed by Koti with lyrics by
R. N. Jayagopal
R. N. Jayagopal (1935 – 19 May 2008) was an Indian film director and lyricist in Cinema of Karnataka, Kannada cinema. He had written over 12,000 film songs.
Early life and education
R. N. Jayagopal, known to friends and fans as RNJ, was ...
. Nigam has since sung over 900 Kannada songs.
His songs include "Cheluve Yeke Bande", from the film ''Majnu'', composed by Gurukiran; "Titanic Heroine Nee Nanna Cheluve", from the film '' Snehaloka''; the title track from the film '' Monalisa'' composed by Valisha Sandeep; "Hamsave Hamsave" from the film ''Gatti Mela'', composed by Hamsalekha, "Kannale Kannale" from the film '' Aham Premasmi'', composed by V. Ravichandran and "Baaninda Baa Chandira", from the movie ''Kanti'', composed by Gurukiran. The 2006 film '' Mungaru Male'' created a sensation and spawned several records, mainly in Karnataka.
The songs "Mungaru Maleye" and " Anisuthide" were composed by Mano Murthy and written by
Yogaraj Bhat
Yogaraj Bhat (born 8 October 1972) is an Indian film-maker, director, screenwriter, lyricist and producer who primarily works in Kannada cinema. He is most known for the 2006 film '' Mungaru Male''. The film recorded the highest box-office coll ...
and Jayant Kaikini respectively. Nigam has said that he finds Kannada songs more fulfilling than the Hindi numbers. In an interview with ''
Deccan Herald
''Deccan Herald'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from the Indian state of Karnataka. It was founded by businessman K. N. Guruswamy and launched on 17 June 1948. It is published by The Printers Mysore, a privately hel ...
'' he said "Kannada songs make me feel positive". He went on to say: "I highly respect the musicians of
Karnataka
Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
and many of my favourite songs are in Kannada. I consider
Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
as my second birthplace. Even if someone requests me to sing a Kannada song while I'm performing in the West Indies, I will sing it for them".
From the same ''Mungaru Male'' combination, composer Murthy, lyricist Kaikini and Nigam got together to record the Kannada album '' Neene Bari Neene'', produced by Ashok Kheny. Videos for the songs "Neene Bari Neene" and "Baa Nodu Gelathi" were shot on the outskirts of Bangalore featuring Nigam and model Madhuri Bhattacharya in the lead. Nigam also composed a theme song for the Karnataka Bulldozers team in the Celebrity Cricket League and sang it with Kunal Ganjawala and
Sowmya Raoh
Sowmya Raoh is an Indian playback singer who has performed in Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu languages.
Early life and career
Sowmya was born in a Kannada speaking family to veteran singer B. K. Sumitra and Sudhakar in Bengaluru, Karnata ...
, who also penned the lyrics.
Other works
As a host and judge
Nigam was the host of the ''
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa
''Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'' is an Indian Hindi-language reality singing television show. It started airing on Zee TV in 1995 as ''Sa Re Ga Ma''. It is the oldest running game show in India as well as the oldest show on private television in India. The ...
Star Plus
StarPlus is an Indian Hindi-language general entertainment pay television channel owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. Its programming consists of family dramas, romantic comedies, youth-oriented reali ...
in 2002. He appeared as the judge on '' Indian Idol'' in seasons 1 (October 2004 – March 2005) and 2 (November 2005 – April 2006), and was a celebrity judge in seasons 3 (17 August 2007) and 4 (16 January 2009 and 6 February 2009).
In 2006, Nigam hosted ''Life Ki Dhun with Sonu Nigaam'' on Radiocity 91.1 FM, interviewing musicians. He appeared as a celebrity judge on '' STAR Voice of India'' in August 2007 (Season 1) and in December 2008 (Season 2), and on the grand finale of music reality show '' Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star'' on 12 July 2008. Nigam was a judge/mentor on '' Chhote Ustaad – Do Deshon Ki Ek Awaaz'' (July – October 2010) with Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and was a judge/mentor on the first season of '' X Factor (India)'' (29 May – 2 September 2011) along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
11th Mirchi Music Awards
The 11th Mirchi Music Awards, presented by Indian FM radio station Radio Mirchi, honoured the best music professionals of List of Bollywood films of 2018, Hindi language Indian films of 2018. The ceremony was held at the Dome at the National Spo ...
, 13th Mirchi Music Awards and 14th Mirchi Music awards In 2021, Sonu Nigam appeared as one of the judges in the Bengali music reality show ''Super Singer'' Season 3 on Star Jalsha, along with
Kumar Sanu
Kedarnath Bhattacharya (born 20 October 1957), professionally known as Kumar Sanu, is a leading Indian playback singer who primarily sings in Hindi film songs. He is widely regarded as the Melody King of Bollywood. He holds the record for winn ...
Sonu Nigam is considered as one of the most versatile singers in the history of Indian music industry.
Forbes India
''Forbes India'' is the Indian edition of ''Forbes'', which is managed by the Reliance Industries-owned media conglomerate, Network 18.
History and profile
Since its founding in 2008, ''Forbes India'' has achieved a circulation of 50,000 copies ...
has recognised Sonu Nigam as one of the most versatile singers in India. Additionally, entertainment platform
Radio Mirchi
Radio Mirchi ("''Mirchi"'' in Hindi meaning red chilli), also known as 98.3 Mirchi, is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the ENIL, EntertainmentNetwork India Ltd (ENIL), which is one of the subsidiarie ...
, music company
Saregama
Saregama India Ltd is an Indian music record label and content company headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the oldest music label in India, established in 1901 as the Indian branch of the British Gramophone Company. It later became ...
, and media outlet
Outlook India
''Outlook'' is a weekly general interest English and Hindi news magazine published in India.
History and profile
''Outlook'' was first issued in October 1995 with Vinod Mehta as the editor in chief. It is owned by the Rajan Raheja Group. Th ...
have recognised Sonu Nigam as the most versatile Indian singer of his generation.
Nigam is widely regarded as the Lord of Chords in the Indian music industry. Times of India said Nigam is one of the best live performers in India.
India TV
India TV is a Hindi television news channel based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. The channel was launched on 20 May 2004 by Rajat Sharma and his wife Ritu Dhawan. The channel is a subsidiary of Independent News Service, which was co-founded ...
and the London Singing Institute have included him in the list of the top 10 Indian singers of all time.
He is often compared to
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice ...
for similar voice texture.
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...
said of him, "Among contemporary singers, I like Sonu Nigam best. He is serious about his music, has learnt classical and sings with confidence."
Singer Armaan Malik takes a lot of inspiration from him. Singer and musician
Ankit Tiwari
Ankit Tiwari is an Indian people, Indian playback singer, live performer, music director, composer. His career began upon meeting Pradeep Sarkar where he got a chance to work on jingles and started composing background music for television pro ...
cites Nigam as one of his musical inspirations.
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
considers Sonu her favourite contemporary singer.
Sunidhi Chauhan
Sunidhi Chauhan (pronounced ; born Nidhi Chauhan, 14 August 1983) is an Indian playback singer. Known for her Bold vocal range, she has recorded songs for films in several Indian languages and List of awards and nominations received by Sunidhi ...
says his singing is so perfect that if you listen to him live, you won't be able to tell if he's singing live or in the studio.
Arijit Singh
Arijit Singh (; born 25 April 1987) is an Indian playback singer. A leading figure in contemporary Hindi film music, he is the recipient of several accolades including two National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards. He was conferred the P ...
said that Sonu Nigam is the ultimate versatile singer, whose versatility is impossible for anyone to match, and no singer today can sing as flawlessly as he does. Palash Sen of
Euphoria
Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and da ...
called Sonu Nigam the most talented singer in Bollywood. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam also appreciated his singing.
Awards and honours
Nigam is the winner of several awards including India's fourth highest civilian award
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
& two
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
. He has received seventeen nominations for Filmfare award for best playback singer, ten nominations for Filmfare awards South and is a winner of record four times out of eleven nominations for IIFA Award for Best Male playback singer and received Oscar
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
nomination in 2014 for soundtrack of Jal composed by Sonu Nigam and Bickram Ghosh together. He was ranked the Number 1 artist on the US Billboard Uncharted charts twice in September and October 2013.
*1997 – Sansui Viewers' Choice Award for Best Male Singer for the song Sandese Aate Hai, from ''
Border
Borders are generally defined as geography, geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by polity, political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other administrative divisio ...
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for Sandese Aate Hai from ''Border''
*1998 – Screen Award for Best Male Pop Artist for ''Kismat''
*1999 – Screen award for Best pop album for "Deewana"
*2000 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
Refugee
A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
''
*2001 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for "Tu Fiza Hai" from ''
Fiza
''Fiza'', elaborately known as ''Fiza: In Search Of Her Brother'' is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action-thriller film written and directed by Khalid Mohamed, and produced by Pradeep Guha. The film stars Karisma Kapoor in the title role, alongs ...
''
*2002 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for "Suraj Hua Maddham" from '' Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...''
*2002 – Zee Cine Award Best Playback Singer- Male, for the song "Suraj Hua Maddham", from ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...''
*2002 –
International Indian Film Academy Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is an annual awards ceremony for Hindi cinema. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the winners of the awards are decided by fans, who vote online for their favourite a ...
(IIFA) Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Suraj Hua Maddham", from ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...''
*2002 – Screen Award Best Male Playback, for the song "Tanhayee", from ''Dil Chahta Hai''
*2002 – Bollywood Music Award for Best Pop Singer for the album ''Yaad''
*2003 –
International Indian Film Academy Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is an annual awards ceremony for Hindi cinema. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the winners of the awards are decided by fans, who vote online for their favourite a ...
(IIFA) Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Saathiya", from ''Saathiya''
*2002 – Zee Cine Award for Best Playback Singer – Male, for the song "Suraj Hua Maddham", from '' Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham''
*2003 –
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
, for the song "Saathiya", from the film '' Saathiya''
*2003 –
MTV Immies
The MTV Immies are held every year with an aim to award the best talents in the Indian music industry. In 2005 The Immies supported relief for the quake victims of India and Pakistan. Also, proceeds from donor passes were given to the Prime M ...
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
, for the song "
Kal Ho Naa Ho
''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (, ), also abbreviated as ''KHNH'', is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romance film, romantic Comedy drama, comedy drama film directed by debutant Nikkhil Advani, Nikhil Advani from a script written by Karan Johar and Niranjan Iy ...
Kal Ho Naa Ho
''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (, ), also abbreviated as ''KHNH'', is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romance film, romantic Comedy drama, comedy drama film directed by debutant Nikkhil Advani, Nikhil Advani from a script written by Karan Johar and Niranjan Iy ...
'' for "Kal Ho Naa Ho"
*2004 –
International Indian Film Academy Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is an annual awards ceremony for Hindi cinema. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the winners of the awards are decided by fans, who vote online for their favourite a ...
(IIFA) Best Male Playback Award, for the song "Kal Ho Naa Ho", from ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''
*2004 – Bollywood Music Award for Best Male Playback Singer for "Kal Ho Na Ho" from ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''
*2004 – Producers Guild Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for "Kal Ho Na Ho" from ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''
*2003 – Most Stylish People in Music, MTV Style Awards
*2004 –
MTV Immies
The MTV Immies are held every year with an aim to award the best talents in the Indian music industry. In 2005 The Immies supported relief for the quake victims of India and Pakistan. Also, proceeds from donor passes were given to the Prime M ...
Award for Best Singer Male (Film) (Main Hoon Na)
*2004 – Anandalok Best Male Playback Award for his songs in Bengali movie ''Bandhan''
*2004 – Apsara Awards Best Male Playback Singer (
Kal Ho Naa Ho
''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (, ), also abbreviated as ''KHNH'', is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romance film, romantic Comedy drama, comedy drama film directed by debutant Nikkhil Advani, Nikhil Advani from a script written by Karan Johar and Niranjan Iy ...
MTV Immies
The MTV Immies are held every year with an aim to award the best talents in the Indian music industry. In 2005 The Immies supported relief for the quake victims of India and Pakistan. Also, proceeds from donor passes were given to the Prime M ...
Award for Best Pop Album ''Chanda Ki Doli''
*2005 – Indian Television Academy Awards Best Singer for Miilee
*2005 – Lion Gold's Award for the song Main Hoon Na from the film Main Hoon Na
*2005 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the song "Tumse Milke Dil ka" from the film Main Hoon Na
*2005 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the song "Main Hoon Na" from the film Main Hoon Na
*2005 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the song "Do Pal" from Veer-Zaara
*2005 – Teachers' Achievement Award
*2005 – Most Stylish People in Music, MTV Style Awards
*2006 – Star Screen Award Best Male Playback, for the song "Dheere Jalna" from the film Paheli
*2006 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the songs "Dheere Jalna" from Paheli and "Piyu Bole" from Parineeta
*2006 – Annual Central European Bollywood Awards, Best Male Singer for Sau Dard Hai, from the film Jaaneman
*2007 – Bollywood Music and Fashion Awards, Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" from '' Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''
*2007 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the song "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" from '' Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''
*2007 – Nominated:
International Indian Film Academy Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is an annual awards ceremony for Hindi cinema. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the winners of the awards are decided by fans, who vote online for their favourite a ...
(IIFA) Best Male Playback SInger for the song "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" from '' Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''
*2007 – Nominated:
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
Om Shanti Om
''Om Shanti Om'' (transl. literally to ''Peace Be With You'') is a 2007 Hindi-language romantic fantasy film written and directed by Farah Khan, co-written by Mayur Puri and Mushtaq Shiekh, and produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies E ...
*2008 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the song "Main Agar Kahoon", from
Om Shanti Om
''Om Shanti Om'' (transl. literally to ''Peace Be With You'') is a 2007 Hindi-language romantic fantasy film written and directed by Farah Khan, co-written by Mayur Puri and Mushtaq Shiekh, and produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies E ...
*2008 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
, Kannada, Best Male Playback Singer for ''Ninnindale'' from Milana.
*2008 – Indian Television Academy Awards Best Singer for Amber Dhara
*2009 – Annual Central European Bollywood Awards, Best Male Singer for "Inn Lamhon ke Daaman Mein", from the film Jodhaa Akbar
*2009 – Lions Gold Award for the song "Inn lamhon ke Daaman mein" from the film Jodhaa Akbar
*2009 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
for the song 'Inn Lamhon ke Daaman mein' from the film Jodhaa Akbar
*2009 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
, Kannada, Best Male Playback Singer for ''Yenagali'' from Mussanje Maathu.
*2009 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
, Kannada, Nominated for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Mayavagide Manasu" from Haage Summane
*2010 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
, Kannada, Nominated for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Hrudayave" from Krishnan Love Story
*2010 –
BIG Star Entertainment Awards
The Big STAR Entertainment Awards was an annual award show presented by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited in association with STAR India to honour personalities from the field of entertainment across movies, music, television, sports, theatr ...
Best Playback Singer of the Decade (2000–2010) (MALE)
*2010 – Annual Central European Bollywood Awards Best Male Singer for "Shukran Allah", from the film Kurbaan
*2010 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
3 Idiots
''3 Idiots'' is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, edited and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, co-written by Abhijat Joshi and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Shar ...
*2012 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
, Kannada, Nominated for Best Male Playback Singer for the songs "Paravasha Naadenu" from Paramathma and "Neerinalli Sanna Ale" from Hudugaru
* 2012–2013 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
– Nominated – Best Playback Singer Male for the song "Chendutiya Pakkadali" from the movie ''
Drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
BIG Star Entertainment Awards
The Big STAR Entertainment Awards was an annual award show presented by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited in association with STAR India to honour personalities from the field of entertainment across movies, music, television, sports, theatr ...
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist. He is known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the ...
*2013 – Zee Cinema Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Abhi Mujhme Kahin from the film Agneepath.
*2013 – 14th IIFA Awards Best Male Playback Singer for "Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin" – Agneepath
*2013 – MTV Video Music Awards India for Best Playback Singer Male , Abhi Mujh Mai Kahin
*2013 – Nominated:
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Indian film magazine '' Filmfare'' as a part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film so ...
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
– Nominated – Best Playback Singer Male for the song "Baanalli Baadalago" from Simple Agi Ondh Love Story
* 2014 – Mirchi Music Awards South – Best Male Vocalist Kannada
*2015 – Bharat Ratna Ambedkar Award
*2015 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...
*2016 – Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GIMA) for Best Devotional Album 'Krishna Sudha Ras ‑ ISKCON 50th Anniversary'
*2017 – 9th Mirchi Music Awards Indie Pop Song of the Year "Aye Jahaan Aasmaan" sung by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal
*2017 – Haryana Gaurav Samman by Haryana Government, Government of India
*2018 –
Doctorate
A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...
from Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of music.
*2018 –
Filmfare Awards South
The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...
– Nominated – Best Playback Singer Male for the song "Roopasi Summane" from Mugulu Nage
*2018 – Lokmat Most Stylish Awards 2018
*2018 – Iconic Achievers Awards 2018
*2019 – 21st Century Icon Award for Magnificent Performing Arts Award
*2020 – Bharat Ratna Dr.B R Ambedkar Award by
Government of Maharashtra
The Government of Maharashtra is the executive branch of the Indian states of india, state of Maharashtra. The government is led by the List of chief ministers of Maharashtra, chief minister (currently Devendra Fadnavis since 5 December 2024) ...
*2021 – Mirchi Music Award for Male Vocalist of the Decade for the song Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin (Agneepath)
*2021 –
Lokmat
''Lokmat'' ( ) is a Marathi-language newspaper published in Maharashtra, India. Founded in 1971 by Jawaharlal Darda, it is the largest read Marathi-language newspaper in India. and has presence in print, digital, TV and events.Sur Jyotsna National Music Award 2021 for his contribution to Indian music
*2021 – Champions of Change (award) 2020
*2022 –
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
*2022 –
Mirchi Music Awards
''Mirchi Music Awards'' are presented annually by ''Radio Mirchi'' to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film music industry of India. The awards, given in seventeen different categories, were i ...
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
In 2015, Sonu Nigam alleged that he faced a ban from
ZEE Music Company
Zee Music Co. (ZMC) is an Indian music company, a subsidiary of Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It carries its business activities mainly from New Delhi. The company has captured a major chunk of market share in Music of Bollywood, Bollywood m ...
after expressing his support for Kumar Vishwas in a tweet.
On 16 April 2017 in a series of tweets he complained that amplified ' Azaan' (Muslim call for prayer) was forced religiousness. He tweeted,
In his later tweet he stated that he stands by his statement. He later clarified that he is not against any specific religious ritual, but against the use of loudspeakers on religious buildings. He said that the use of loudspeaker to create noise pollution should be stopped beyond certain time as per the law of the land, irrespective of whether it is from a temple, mosque, gurudwara, or any other place. Later, Sonu again sparked controversy, when he posted a video of Azaan from his home which proved that he was indeed disturbed very early in the morning. Syed Sha Atef Ali Al Quaderi, vice-president of West Bengal United Minority Council announced a reward of ₹10 Lakh to anyone who shaved Nigam's head, to which Sonu Nigam responded by shaving his own head to claim the reward. He deactivated his Twitter account in 2017 citing lack of freedom of speech, and said that sensible discussions were not possible due to the polarised atmosphere.
In June 2020, after the demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Sonu Nigam posted a video saying that the music industry is also monopolised by two major companies and that he had also faced similar discrimination. He urged these music companies to be fair and kind to the newcomers in the music industry. Although he stopped short of naming anyone he made it clear that the malpractices in Bollywood are terrible and are almost killing the music talent of the country. Sonu Nigam maintained that he didn't name anyone and was only putting up his point of view regarding the malpractices in the music industry of Bollywood. In his second video Nigam names Bhushan Kumar, CEO of T-Series and tells him to stay away from him.
In February 2022, he was accused of working with Rocky and Mr Rehan Siddiqui, who are blacklisted based on recommendations of the Consulate General of India for malpractices and supporting Pakistan-based terror groups. When Rajender Singh Pahl, a show promoter from USA, had contacted him for performing at a concert, he recommended him to contact Rehan Siddiqui.
In December 2023, Omer Nadeem, a singer from
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
, accused Nigam of plagiarising his song "Aye Khuda" with the track "Sun Zara" released by
T-Series (company)
Super Cassettes Industries Private Limited, Trade name, doing business as T-Series, is an Indian music record label and film production company founded by Gulshan Kumar on 11 July 1983. It is primarily known for Hindi film music, Hindi film sou ...
. Sonu further clarified and wrote that "Just so you all know, I have nothing to do with this. I was requested to do the song by KRK ( Kamaal R. Khan), who is my neighbour in Dubai . . . If I had heard Omer's version, I would have never sung it".
In May 2025, Sonu Nigam faced backlash and an
FIR
Firs are evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the genus ''Abies'' () in the family Pinaceae. There are approximately 48–65 extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The genu ...
after linking aggressive demands to sing in Kannada at a Bengaluru concert to the Pahalgam terror attack, prompting outrage from pro-Kannada groups. Defending his remarks, Nigam claimed he was threatened and said his intent was to condemn hate, not the Kannada community.