Divine inspiration: Indian singer Sonu Nigam lives to play live
It is the symbiosis between performer and audience that makes live shows so special, Indian vocalist Sonu Nigam tells P. Ramakrishnan
SONU NIGAM IS WIDELY regarded to be the best male singer in India. But when reminded of this, he demurs: "That's very kind of you to say, but it is not true. There are so many great musical talents in India, I'm just happy to be a part of the scene."
Still, Nigam's vast repertoire of multilingual renditions has won him a fan base that includes influential vocalists from Kerala to Kashmir, be they singers of vintage Bollywood numbers (K.J. Yesudas, Manna Dey, the Mangeshkar sisters) or contemporary stars (Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan). They all speak of the 40-year-old with deep admiration. He's even done a remix with Britney Spears.
"I am humbled and grateful for the appreciation. When I hear from other Indian singers who have been my inspiration, their kind words encourage me to work harder, to do better," he says on his way to a recording session, stuck in Mumbai's notorious midday traffic.
"There's a media myth that we're all fighting with each other, that we're competitive. But it's not the case. Most of us got into singing simply because we love to sing," he says. "We all meet up, and often party together, and talk about the great love of our lives: music. We talk about old songs, lyrical songs, the state of pop music, our favourite classical songs, composers who we wish we could have sung for - there's a tremendous harmony among us."
Since 1992, Nigam had sung a few songs in Hindi films, but it was the weekly TV show that made him a household name. As the MC of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Nigam stood out from those competing on the show.