Born on July 30, 1973 at Faridabad of Haryana in India.
He is a Singer, Actor, Music Director, Television presenter, Radio Jockey. His Official website address is :www.sonuniigaam.in
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 Wada". Then on, he accompanied his father on his singing assignments at weddings and parties. In his teenage years, he participated in several music competitions, and won them all --until he was not allowed to participate any more! He moved to Mumbai with his father to begin his Bollywood singing career at the age of 18.
Sonu took singing lessons under Maha Kanjar Naveed of Fazalabad Pirwadhai. His initial years in Mumbai proved to be a struggle, and he started by singing covers of Mohammad Rafi songs, mainly for the "Rafi Ki Yaadein" album series. These albums contributed to his label for some time as a "Rafi clone." His first movie song as a playback singer was in the movie, "Janum" (1990), which was never officially released. He got a break as a playback singer in Gulshan Kumar's movie, "Aaja Meri Jaan". He then sang the song, "Accha Sila Diya", for the album, "Bewafa Sanam" (1995), which gave him the recognition as an established playback singer.
Sonu 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 May 1, 1995. Singing offers poured in thereafter, though slowly at first. He rose to fame with the song, "Sandese Aate Hain", in Border (1997). Anu Malik was the music director of this movie. Sonu's image as a Rafi clone changed after his rendition of the song, "Yeh Dil Deewana" in Pardes (1997). Since then, he has created a unique style of his own, and has become a role model for budding male singers 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 Kal Ho Na Ho has been highly popular. He is acclaimed for his versatile voice as well as excellent emoting in his songs. Sonu sings effortlessly, with clear pronunciations, in many languages besides Hindi, including Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi.
Sonu's recent hits include the title song of the Kannada movie, "Mungaru Male", and the song, "Vizhiyil Un Vizhiyil" in the Tamil movie, "Kireedom". A.R. Rahman introduced Sonu to Tamil music in his successful venture, Jeans (film)(1997), which was directed by S. Shankar. Sonu sang a song titled "Varayo Thozhi". Sonu also made a guest appearance in the popular Marathi movie, "Navra Maaza Navasacha (2004)", (directed by Sachin Pilgaonkar), and sang a song titled "Hirwa Nisarg".
-Pop albums and concerts
Sonu has released a number of pop albums, including "Mausam", "Sapnay Ki Baat", "Kismat", "Deewana", "Jaan", "Yaad", "Chanda Ki Doli", and "Colours of Love". He has released an album titled "Pyar" in the Panjabi language. In September 2007, he released a 6-disc collection of Mohammad Rafi's 100 best songs in the latter's memory. The collection is titled "Kal, Aaj, Aur Kal".
Over the years. Sonu has given concert performances in many countries, including United States, Canada, UK, France, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE, Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, and South Africa. In May/June 2007, he participated in a star-studded show in North Ameraica 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 a solo concert titled, "Simply Sonu", in Canada and Germany, (becoming the first Indian singer to perform in the latter country).
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".
-Television, radio and acting
Besides "Sa Re Ga Ma," Sonu Niigaam has also hosted the TV show Kisme Kitna Hai Dum and has been a judge on the show Indian Idol (aired on Sony Entertainment Television) seasons 1 and 2. Recently, Sonu returned to Indian Idol in its third season as a celebrity judge. He was also a celebrity judge on Amul Star Voice of India in August 2007. In October 2007, Sonu came back to the sets of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in a historical moment of sorts, this time as a judge (along with Suresh Wadkar) on the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs International.
Last year, Sonu also hosted his own radio show called 'Life Ki Dhun With Sonu Niigaam' on Radiocity 91 FM, where he had the opportunity of interviewing several music industry greats, including the legendary Lata Mangeshkar.
Sonu's acting career started as a child artist in a number of films. As an adult, Sonu has acted in a few more films as an adult, namely 'Jaani Dushmaan' alongside Sunny Deol, Manisha Koirala and Akshay Kumar as well as other actors; 'Kash Aap Hamaare Hote' where he plays the lead opposite Juhi Babbar, daughter of Raj Babbar; and lastly Love in Nepal with 'Flora Saini' and 'Sweta Keswani', where he plays the lead again. However it is to be said that all three films have not done terribly well at the box-office. although his acting was much better appreciated in his latest venture. He has not taken up acting since his last venture in 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 a semi-classical album called "New Age Classical", an English album called "Spirit Unfolding". He may be acting in a new film called Ankhon Hi Ankhon Mein, about a blind singer, soon, although he has not officially signed it yet. He is also meant to be releasing an album of a few golden Mohammad Rafi covers called "Rafi Resurrected" early next year. He is also doing playback singing for a number of upcoming films, including Jodhaa-Akbar (starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker), Chandan Arora's Striker (starring Siddharth), Yaariyan (Punjabi film starring Gurdas Mann and Bhoomika Chawla), Run Mein Fun (starring Urmila Matondkar) and Subhash Ghai's Bombay to Bangkok (starring Shreyas Talpade)
-Personal life
Sonu was born to parents Agam Kumar Nigam and Shobha Nigam. 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 in 2005 and '07 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 July 25, 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 works 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
• 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 Ninindale, 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.
