Sonu Nigam (born 30 July 1973) is an Indian playback singer, music director, dubbing artist and actor. He has been described in the media as one of the best, most popular, and most successful playback singers in Hindi and Kannada cinema. In 2022, he was honored by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian honor for his contribution to the field of arts. Nigam sings predominantly in Hindi and Kannada language films but has also sung in Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Malayalam, Nepali, Tulu, Chhattisgarhi, and other Indian languages. Nigam has released a number of non-film albums and acted in some Hindi films. He is known as the “Modern Rafi”, a title given to him after his musical idol Mohammad Rafi.

Sonu Kumar Nigam was born on 30 July 1973 to Agam Kumar Nigam and Shobha Nigam in the city of Faridabad, Haryana. His father was from Agra and his mother was from Garhwal. His sister Teesha Nigam is also a professional singer. He also has another sister. Nigam began singing at the age of four when he joined his father Agam Kumar Nigam on stage to sing Mohammed Rafi’s song “Kya Hua Tera Wada”. Nigam began accompanying his father on his singing appearances at weddings and parties. He moved to Mumbai with his father to begin his Bollywood singing career at the age of 19. He was trained by Hindustani classical singer Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan.

Nigam identifies as Hindu. 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. He has recorded Romantic, Rock, Devotional, Ghazal, and Patriotic songs. He has sung in Hindi, Odia, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Kannada, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil, and Telugu to date. Nigam has released pop albums in Hindi, Kannada, Odia, Chhattisgarhi, and Punjabi, as well as Hindu and Islamic devotional albums. He has released several Buddhist albums. Nigam has performed in countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

In May–June 2007, he participated in The Incredibles tour with Asha Bhosle, Kunal Ganjawala, and Kailash Kher. From September–October of the same year, he gave solo concerts titled Simply Sonu in Canada and Germany, becoming the first Indian singer to do so. In April 2008, he toured India promoting his Punjabi single “Punjabi Please”. Sonu Nigam started his career with the song Hum To Chhaila Ban Gaye (Episode No 9) From DD1’s TV serial “Talash” (1992). Sonu Nigam’s first film song “O Aasman Wale” was from the movie Aaja Meri Jaan (1993). Nigam also sang the title song Of this movie but it was dubbed in the voice of SP Balasubramaniam. He released his first album “Rafi Ki Yaadein” in 1992.

After this, he sung in the movies Muqabla (1993), Veerta (1993), Meherbaan (1993), Shabnam (1993), Kasam Teri Kasam (1993), Aag (1994), Cheetah (1994), Khuddar (1994), Hulchul (1995), Stuntman (1994), Police Lockup (1995), Sauda (1995), Ramjaane (1995), Aazmayish (1995), Naajayaz (1995), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), Papa Kahte Hain (1996), Gaddaar (1995), Dand Nayak (1998), Jaanwar (1999), Barsaat (1995), Aur Pyar Ho Gaya (1997), Badal (1999), Dulhe Raja (1998), Jeet (1996), Hero No. 1 (1997), Soldier (1998), Devta (1998), Keemat (1998), Himmatvar (1996), Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999), Shera (1999), Sooryavansham (1999), Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet (1999) and many more.

He began hosting the hugely popular TV show, Sa Re Ga Ma in 1995. His song “Accha Sila Diya” for the film Bewafa Sanam, gave him greater success.[15] In 1997, he sang the patriotic song “Sandese Aate Hai” from the movie Border 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. Sonu’s album Deewana, with music directed by Sajid–Wajid, was released by T-Series in 1999. His popular songs during this period were “Suraj Hua Maddham” and”You are my Soniya” from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… and “Panchi Nadiya Pawan Ke” from the film Refugee, all three of which he sang along with Alka Yagnik, “Tanhayee” from Dil Chahta Hai, “Tu Fiza Hai” from Fiza among others. He received his first Filmfare Award for the title song of the film Saathiya in the year 2002, which was composed by A.R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar. His biggest success during this period was the song “Kal Ho Naa Ho” from the picture of the same name (2003), composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. The song earned him his only National Film Award, his second and last Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer as well as a third IIFA Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

From 2004 onwards, his popular songs include “Main Hoon Na” and “Tumse Milke Dil ka” from the film Main Hoon Na, “Do Pal” from Veer-Zaara, which he sang along with Lata Mangeshkar, “Chup Chup Ke” from Bunty Aur Babli, “Pyar Ki Ek Kahani” and “Koi Tumsa Nahin” from the film Krrish, which he sang with Shreya Ghoshal, “Sun Zara” and “Chori Chori Chupke Se” from Salman Khan starrer Lucky: No Time for Love, “Dekho Na” and “Mere Haath Mein” from Fanaa both with Sunidhi Chauhan, “Inn Lamhon ke Daaman Mein” from Jodhaa Akbar, and “Main Agar Kahoon” from Om Shanti Om. In the film Parineeta, he sang four songs with Shreya Ghoshal. 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, all of which he sang alongside Alka Yagnik.

He was also the leading playback singer in 3 Idiots, 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, which was appreciated. Nigam has released albums of Mohammed Rafi’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.