POP ALBUMS

Sonu Nigam is known as the "Golden Boy of Indipop". There is no countdown show without his number. Pop music isn't just about attitude. It's not just wearing sunglasses to the disco, disregarding senior artistes and punctuating every sentence with four letters words. "Unfortunately, our generation has come to believe that it's only such behaviour that gets you recognition of being a pop star," observes the 24-year-old playback singer. Sonu's firm belief is that one can be simple and yet be a pop star. "It's a misconception and our pop stars behave in this demeaning manner because it's the only thing they have seen of international stars. But it's not the complete picture they have seen. This is what happens when one blindly follows another culture," says the host of the immensely popular Zee TV musical show TVS Sa Re Ga Ma. When Sonu runs down the behaviour of our pop stars, you're compelled to give it second thought. For not only does he practise what he says but has managed to get a solo record deal, too, without compromising his principles. "There's nothing more preposterous than to believe that one can't get a record deal without displaying attitude," says Sonu. After lending his voice to countless films, starting with Achcha Sila Diya for the film Bewafa Sanam in the early 90s, Sonu released his first ever solo album, Kismat. Sonu was unsure where he'd fit into the music industry when he decided on music as his career. "Things just clicked for me in playback singing and I continued to consolidate my position in films before I agreed to do a pop album. I think this album has come at an appropriate stage in my career," explains the Mohd Rafi and Michael Jackson fan. "These two singers have inspired and influenced me the most," Sonu informs.
But how does he rate himself as a singer? "I have a long way to go. I've only just begun and I have to practice every day. Without that, my voice goes for a toss. I didn't have a powerful voice when I started and have worked hard to make it sound the way it does now. Every singer has to work on his or her voice. But I do have an extraordinary sense of music," he says.
Today, Sonu Nigam has become the top-notch artiste on the Indipop scene, with only Daler Mehndi for competition. And that's a lot for a singer who had to give it a long fight to get where he is. This Delhi boy who gave up everything to try his luck in playback singing in Mumbai started at seventeen. At 26, he is bearing the fruit of his tribulation.

Devotional Albums

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