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Updated July 30th, 2021 at 10:39 IST

Sonu Nigam's birthday: From Rs 50/show to top singer, how artist earned 1st breakthrough

Sonu Nigam used to earn Rs 50/show when he took to his passion at an early. On his birthday, a look at his struggle to each the first breakthrough.

Reported by: Joel Kurian
Sonu Nigam birthday, Sonu Nigam songs
Image: Sonu Nigam/Facebook | Image:self
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Sonu Nigam's fans across the world expressed their love for the singer as he celebrated his 48th birthday on Friday. One of the reasons for the artist attaining immense success, crooning over 1000 songs in his career across multiple languages, could be attributed to the fact that he chased his dream from a young age. The Kal Ho Na Ho artist had his father, Agam Kumar Nigam, as a mentor to groom him as a child.

How did Sonu begin his singing journey?

Sonu was born in Faridabad and both his parents, Agam Kumar and Shobha Nigam were singers. His parents had fallen in love during their struggling days and had eloped to get married.

Sonu had shared in an interview before that his father lived hand-to-mouth during his struggle in Mumbai. The 48-year-old started accompanying his parents to their shows from the age of 4. He sang songs like Mohammed Rafi's song Kya Hua Tera Wada with his father on stage, and then performed at weddings, parties and religious functions. 

Sonu had shared in an interview that he was a topper at school, and wished to become a scientist. However, as his voice 'opened up' at the age of 15 and it started sounding good, he joined his father for singing. He shared that they used to be paid Rs 50 per show and later Rs 175 for weddings and jagrans.

He saved up from this money to try his luck in Mumbai, and at age 18, arrived with his father in the city. Though Sonu did not have formal training in music, as he had learnt it by hearing CDs and cassettes, he got an understanding of ragas and taal for 4 months in Delhi, enough to avoid 'trouble' from people when they come to Mumbai.

Sonu's father was insistent that Sonu would not sing for shows as that would leave him without any time or aggression to slog it out to become a singer.  Thus, the singer would contact music companies and music directors from a PCO seeking an opportunity to display his talent. 

Sonu and his father had lived in the same cockroach-infested hotel in Bandra when he arrived in Mumbai. After their arrival, the duo met actor-singer Sachin Pilgaonkar and Anu Malik, who had both seen Sonu at competitions when he was a kid. Though both met them warmly, they did not have any work for him. 

His first break was through music director Usha Khanna who made him wait for 7 hours before asking him to sing, but gave him his first song. However, the turning point for him was when he sang a dummy song, which was to be sung by late legend SP Balasubrahmanyam. T-series head Gulshan Kumar liked the dummy version so much that expressed his wish to meet Sonu and the youngster was over the moon when he learnt about it.

Gulshan Kumar was shocked at how 'very small' Sonu was when he was recalled being told that Sonu was 'chota.' However, he promised to support Sonu and gave him multiple songs to sing in the 1993 movie Aaja Meri Jaan, a collaboration that lasted long enough to see Sonu become one of the top singers.

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Published July 30th, 2021 at 10:39 IST

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