Sonu Nigam

He was born in Faridabad in 1973; his father Agam Kumar Nigam was a stage singer, and Sonu was singing Rafi's Kya Hua Tera Wada at his father's shows at four. The family moved to Bombay in 1991 and he recorded Rafi tribute albums for T-Series while waiting for film work; Aaja Meri Jaan (1993) and Bewafa Sanam (1995, Achha Sila Diya) were the first hits, and the television show Sa Re Ga Ma, which he hosted from 1995, made his face known.

Border (1997) and Sandese Aate Hain, for Anu Malik, established him; Pardes, Dil Se (Satrangi Re), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Suraj Hua Maddham), Saathiya, Kal Ho Naa Ho (National Award), Veer-Zaara, Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om and Agneepath (Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin) followed, along with pop albums — Deewana (1999) sold in millions. He trained under Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan and sings in Kannada and other languages. He received the Padma Shri in 2022.

He is outspoken about music rights and the industry, has composed and acted, and continues to tour; his son Nevaan sings.

Sonu Nigam's voice is a trained tenor with a clean, bright top, exact pitch and an ability to shift between the Rafi manner, the Kishore manner and a contemporary pop delivery in the same song. He is the most technically accomplished male singer of his time, and the most versatile since Rafi; the only complaint ever made is that the perfection can sound careful. Kal Ho Naa Ho and Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin answer it.