Sonu Nigam (born July 30, 1973) was born in Faridabad, Haryana, India. He is an Indian singer, music director, and actor. He has gained immense popularity and success as a playback singer in Hindi Cinema and Kannada Cinema, earning him recognition as one of the most celebrated artists in the Indian music industry.
The Indian government has also honored him with the prestigious Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in the country, for his outstanding contribution in the field of arts.
Nigam's music career predominantly revolves around singing in Hindi and Kannada language films. However, he has also showcased his versatility and talent by singing in various other Indian languages, including Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Malayalam, Nepali, Tulu, Chhattisgarhi, and more. Along with playback singing, he has also released several non-film albums and has acted in a few Hindi films.
Sonu Nigam has been famously known as the "Modern Rafi," a title bestowed upon him for his uncanny resemblance to his musical idol, Mohammad Rafi. He is a recipient of multiple awards, including the National Award, two Filmfare Awards in Hindi, and two Filmfare Awards South. He has also been nominated 17 times for Filmfare's best playback singer and 10 times for Filmfare Awards South. Additionally, he holds the record for the most wins (four times) and nominations (nine times) for the IIFA Award for Best Male Playback Singer.
In 2014, Sonu Nigam received an Academy Awards nomination for the soundtrack of the movie "Jal," which he composed in collaboration with Bickram Ghosh. Notably, he also ranked as the Number 1 artist on the US Billboard Uncharted charts twice in September and October 2013, cementing his reputation as a global music icon.
Overall, Sonu Nigam's contributions to the Indian music industry and his versatility as an artist have earned him a significant fan following and critical acclaim, making him a celebrated figure in the world of music.
