SONU NIGAM'S MESSAGE !!

To all the fans of Vijay's blog, a very happy Christmas and a great new year to u. Keep blessing and supporting genuine music and genuine music lovers.. Lots of love and prayers. Sonu Niigaam 18/12/09
"I know now Oh Lord, how much You love me, after I see my own self love my son !" (Sonu Niigaam (080708 0830am IST, Bangkok, Millionaire Hilton, room 2328)

Namaste, Salaam, Sat Shri Akaal & Welcome !!

Latest News !! Music now released !! Breaking News (Mumbai Mirror) (Music Out Now) (Simpallaag Ond Love Story) (Music Out Now) (Zila Ghaziabad) (Music Out Now) (8.20) (Malayalam Movie) (Bloody Isshq)(Music Out Now) (Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga - Music Out Now!) (Sonu Nigam's 'Vayuputras' Now Released!) (Chashme Baddoor - Music Out Now!) (I Love NY - Music Out Now) (Shootout At Wadala - Music Out Now) (Ale - Music Out Now) (Bulbul - Music Out Now) (Rangeelay (Punjabi OST)- Music Out Now) (Kaddipudi - Music Out Now) (Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 - Music Out Now)

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SONU NIGAM AT EVENTS

SONU NIGAM AT EVENTS
Sonu Nigam At Ajmer Sharif 12-04-13

Wednesday 30 September 2009


OFFICIAL SONU NIIGAAM NEWSLETTER - 3rd QUARTER 2009
July 1st 2009 - September 30th 2009

Hello all you wonderful people...A big shoutout from Team Sonu Niigaam...Hope you are enjoying life.. As we approach the end of the 3rd quarter of 2009, its time for us to pause for a moment and reflect on all the wonderful memories during these 3 months.This has been by far the most eventful and happening quarter of the year buzzing with superhit releases, path-breaking concerts and lots more..

RELEASES DURING THE QUARTER
Neene Bari Neene

Neene Bari Neene, our first Kannada album was launched on 27th August 2009 in Bangalore under the banner of Times music. The album has 9 sensational romantic tracks composed by Mr. Mano Murthy,with lyrics by Mr. Jayant Kaikini and is our tribute and thanksgiving to all the lovely Kannadigas who have given us overwhelming love and support throughout the years.

Video of Neene Bari Neene - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQFLE448qfA
Video of Baa Nodu Gelathi - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfagIHGWm4E
The album can also be bought online from this link - http://www.kannadastore.com/product_info.php?products_id=3285
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MJ This One's For You
MJ This One's For You was launched as a single on Itunes for free download by Team Sonu Niigaam as a tribute to one of the greatest artistes of all time, Mr.Michael Jackson. The project was the first of its kind because it was the first song ever to be created through social networking. MJ, as we fondly call him, has been one of the biggest sources of inspiration in Sonuji's career and the desire to do this tribute, originated primarily from the latter’s sense of personal loss, added with his sense of responsibility as an artist, to salute and celebrate the glorious life of another. The song features extremely talented artistes whom we discovered within our facebook community itself and was released worldwide on the occasion of MJ's birthday on 29th August 2009 in collaboration with renowned journalist, Ms. Kaveta Chhibber.

Download the song for free from Itunes - http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=329541259
Youtube Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcr43QupKCo
Promotions on kavitachhibber.com - http://www.kavitachhibber.com/main/main.jsp?id=Podcast-Sonu_MJ
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Bollywood Releases
Ishq Hi Rab Hai - Dil Bole Hadippa
Zulfaen Khol Khal Ke - Do Knot Disturb
Don't Say Alvida - Main Aur Mrs Khanna
Chiggy Wiggy - With Kylie Minogue - Blue
Rehnuma - Blue
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Kannada Releases
Ello Maleyaagideyandu - Manasaare
Onde Ninna - Manasaare
Chelusuva Cheluve - Ullasa Utsaha
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MUSIC GURU
"There are various kinds of voices in the world... Every voice has a particular vowel, with or without a consonant, that can help achieve better results if practiced on that.
Singers who have a thin, sharp, KK, Narender Chanchal, kind of tone can be helped by the reeyaaz of the sargams in the sound of HA, HAI, HO, HI, HE etc if they want to attain softer touch in their voice! It has to be sung though in such a way that air is blown from the lungs smoothly but significantly. Remember, long full breathed notes.
Music is the Cosmos' fashion show. Enjoy." - Sonu Niigaam
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SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING THE QUARTER

Explosion 2009
Explosion 2009 was one of the most successful and satisfying tours weve had. The tour kick started on 24th July 2009 in Washington DC, traversed Dallas,Chicago,Atlantic City,Houston,San Fransisco, Denver,Phoenix and concluded on 16th August 2009 in Los Angeles. Also featuring extremely talented performers like Sunidhi Chauhan, Hard Kaur and Gunjan, the group performed to packed houses in all cities and left everyone who attended craving for more. To the absolute delight of the audience, Sonuji paid tribute to Michael Jackson by performing Billie Jean on stage in style, with the famous moonwalk..

The last show in LA was blissful because it was attended by esteemed guests like Jermaine Jackson, Terry Lewis and Christian Audigier among other dignitaries..This led to a wonderful association with Jermaine Jackson, who not only invited Sonuji to perform at the Michael Jackson tribute concert to be held in London next year, but also agreed to sing with Sonuji, in a song composed and written by Sonuji himself for Michael, the details of which will be revealed shortly!!

Some memorable videos from LA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lS_mrrJ5Qw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_HybniRbko
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Association with Big FM
Big 92.7 FM, the radio venture of Reliance ADAG's Adlabs Radio, has appointed Sonuji as its new brand ambassador after repositioning its music offerings to 'Chillax Hits' in Mumbai and Delhi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIz5sFZkWE

Sonuji will feature in a multi-media campaign spanning radio, print, outdoor, television, online and mobile, which will be launched soon and will also be a part of key properties on the station.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgc-EQDPqes
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American R&B Collaborations
Sonuji has recorded six English songs with American music-industry heavyweights in the three months he spent in Los Angeles prior to the Explosion Tour.

He has composed and sung two songs with R&B/ funk chanteuse Chaka Khan produced by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam of Flyte Tyme, the label behind hit albums of Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey; two songs with Emmy-winning arranger and composer Chris Boardman; one with songwriter-producer Jud Friedman, producer for Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand and Rod Stewart; and another with triple-Grammy nominee composer Steve Dorff. The genres of the songs, span pop, soul, R&B, and funk. Release dates of these songs has not been determined yet.
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Merchandise store at Cinsay
Sonuji has joined forces with Cinsay, a media and software company, in a unique collaboration to bring him closer to the millions of fans and consumers in the US.

http://www.cinsay.com/sonu

Quoting Sonuji : "The Internet is clearly the future of entertainment, and I am very excited to be collaborating and working with such a progressive team as Cinsay.In addition to creating original content which will help my fans see me in different situations than they are used to, Cinsay and I are working together to create a line of apparel and merchandise which reflects my passion for performing. I hope fans around the world will enjoy these new designs"

The merchandise can be purchased from our Cinsay Online Store: http://mcssl.com/store/1f5b87ab6d62468fbbdf9bd00185c6/sonu
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Filmfare Award
Sonuji bagged the Best Male Playback Singer - Kannada award at the South Filmfare awards this year for his rendition of the song Yenagali munde saagu from the film Mussanje Mathu.
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Launch of Youtube Channel
Team Sonu Niigaam launched its exclusive Youtube channel this quarter
http://www.youtube.com/sonuniigaamtube

The channel will be used to upload the videos of our singles,broadcast the various facets of our work through multiple playlists and also to promote other genuinely talented and outstanding musicians.
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THE ROAD AHEAD
The last quarter of this year has lots of excitement lined up for all of you, with several concerts in India and abroad, the release of the much awaited album Time Travel,where Sonuji has actually sung with greats,the release of some of the R&B singles and bollywood numbers, campaigns with BIG FM and what not...and Im sure u all have also learnt to expect the unexpected from ur idol...We'll keep you updated through our networks continuously.
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Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/sonuniigaampage
Twitter : http://www.twitter.com/sonuniigaam
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/sonuniigaamtube
Official Website : http://sonuniigaam.in
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Thats it for now guys.. Until the next quarter end, this is Shyama, signing off, hoping that all of us have a very fulfilling quarter ahead...For any queries, please feel free to contact me on shyamagovind@gmail.com.. Cheers!!
Shyama Govind - http://www.facebook.com/sonuniigaam?ref=ts#/sonuniigaampage?ref=ts

Jeeva - Kannada Music Now Released All Over !!


Movie Jeeva - Kannada 2009
Song: Summane Yaake Bande
Singer: Sonu Niigaam & Shruti - Lyrics : Kaviraj

The young sensation Prajwal Devaraj and Ruthwa starring ‘Jeeva’ a debut by choreographer Prabhu Srinivas as director in the banner of P2 Productions Paramesh and Premkumar audio has hit the market on Thursday in a grand function at the Citadel Hotel near Anand Rao Circle in Bangalore. Manoranjan Audio has released the album to the market.

The famous producer of Telugu films MS Raju with noted Kannada producer K Manju released the audio of ‘Jeeva’ that has six songs for a thunderous applause.

One of the two producers of ‘Jeeva’ Paramesh known for systematic approach and complete involvement in the making disclosed that he is waiting for the right time to release the film with precise publicity for the film. I am sure of tremendous success of ‘Jeeva’ he said addressing the gathering.

I was delaying in my work all these days and now I am seeing delay from the producer for a good cause to release the audio and the film pointed ace music director Gurukiran who has introduced two new singers Divya Shimoga and Shruthi in this film. Sonu Nigam, Gurukiran, Hemanth, Kunal Ganjawala, Krish have also sung for this film.

Kaviraj for the first time had written two melodious songs Summane Yaake bandhe…and Seledhe Heegeke Nanna Mana Seladhe…Santosh Naik, Hrudayashiva and Tushar Ranganath are the other lyricists for ‘Jeeva’.

Prajwal Devaraj explained the Pondicherry experience of shooting and spoke high on the camera work of Sabha Kumar. Ruthwa thanked the producers for giving chance in this film. She plays a homely role very close to her heart.

In Short
Starring Prajwal Devaraj, Ruthva, Chandrasekhar
Music Gurukiran Lyrics Kaviraj, Hrudayashiva
Producer Paramesh, Prem Director Prabhu Srinivas
Music On Manoranjan Music - Release 2009
IndiaGlitz

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Assi Vi Tere Hogaye - Sonu Niigaam's Rare Punajbi Song 2004

Featuring Sonu Niigaam

Sonu Niigaam Reacts To Baba Kahn's 'So Fine' Remix


Oh my, the Desi Hits! official remix of Sean Paul's "So Fine" has hit Bollywood! The song is building such a buzz that even legend Sonu Niigaam had something to say about it. And who better to comment on it then this music icon? The world renowned artist had this to say about Baba Kahn, Lomaticc and Sunny Brown's Desi Hits! Official remix of Sean Paul's "So Fine" :

"I love the beat and the energy.. both Sean and Baba have done a wonderful job.. this is the future of music.. Musical children from musical marriages. Desi Hits! is doing an unprecedented job and opened doors for musicians of both worlds to collaborate with each other and make the most of the union..
All the luck and prayers.. Sonu"

Well there you have it, comments from one of the best in the game! There is no denying that Sonu Niigaam's thoughts on a song or remix is highly regarded as he is a true superstar. The 747 Records trio's recreation of "So Fine" has impressed Sonu, Atlantic Records and Sean Paul who said "It added spice to my track." If you haven't already, now is the time to drop your comments on the remix as well.

www.desihits.com
September 29 2009

Sonu Niigaam - 'Nobody can become me’


“Cinema has deprived music of its real glory in India”
says Sonu Niigaam who loves singing in Kannada more than in Hindi

Sonu Niigaam needs no introduction. Regarded among the top singers in the Hindi film industry, the versatile performer has belted out hits in Mungaru Male, Milan and Mussanje Maatu among other Kannada films. Neene bari neene, his newly released music album might even be testament to the special regard he has for his fans in the state. The singer who will be performing in the city after two years, talks about his love for Kannada songs, fatherhood and more in an email interview.

From years of struggling to becoming the No 1 singer, it has been quite a journey. What are the memories that stand out?
The long walks with my father to avoid rickshaws and buses and save money, waiting alone outside studios for music directors, wondering at the loneliness standing in the tiny balcony of my Mayfair apartment house, reading recipes sent by mummy and trying to cook myself, washing clothes, utensils, sweeping the floor etc...running every morning in my two wheeler to make calls to composers and their secretaries is what I remember very fondly.

You have aspirants who want to become the next Sonu Niigaam. How do you feel about that?
Nobody can become me. I couldn’t become anyone. I became myself, so will all the aspirants. They will be inspired by me, like I was by others; they have to work hard and one day realise their own glory.

Now that you are an established name, are you choosy about the songs you want to do?
My fans, in fact, have this grievance against me. But they will know eventually that whatever I did (and didn’t) was the right thing to do in these days and times of music.

What do you look for when you taking up an offer to sing for a film?
The project in totality, the music composer’s affinity and appreciation of my craft, the song and its longevity. When the song is of quality, it’s worth it, even if the movie doesn't do well.

Your acting career hasn’t taken off that well. Do you at times wish you had been choosier?
Well, you can’t regret the days when you didn’t know how to ride a bicycle right? That comes only after falling over and over again especially if you don’t have people to guide you. Movie business is more about positioning and marketing than talent. Why else would no actor in the world have a 100 per cent success ratio? And I am talking about the best of the actors and the biggest of the celebrities. I didn’t know this part of acting then. I thought by giving my best and blindly following the director, I’ll be able to sail through.

But the moment the movie Love in Nepal sank despite great reviews by the best and the worst of the critics, I realised the first lesson of choosing a credible project: To say NO to everything. If something good has to come your way, it’ll come irrespective. My talent and my confidence in myself don’t get affected by the validation of the world. My time and my efforts are too precious to be wasted on a mediocre project.

Are you doing any films now?
I know I’ll act, and that too in a project that’ll have people with my level of sincerity and no bullshit kind of attitude. And when that happens, you’ll hear of it.

You have been in talent shows long before reality shows were the rage. What do you think of the musical talent shows of late?
Talents need platforms to showcase themselves. It motivates them to work harder and learn more. Therefore I stand by them. I am not in favour of the other show that goes on besides the talent show and that is the shameless display of anger and crudeness by the so-called judges and gurus, but then there are all kinds of artistes in the world.

Though you seem to have sung in many languages, you have made an album in Kannada. Why?
I believe in strengthening the independent music business. Cinema has deprived music of its real glory in India. I love Kannada music and enjoy singing it more than my mother tongue Hindi for its sheer melodic structure. Thus, Neene bar neene is a tribute to the music, people and language of Karnataka.

You are performing in the city after two years. Any special preparations/rehearsals you are making for this concert?
Yeah, I’ve been trying to ask people which of my Kannada songs are more popular. I wanna sing some of them here.

What can Bangaloreans look forward to in the concert?
My honesty and sincerity.

Finally, how is fatherhood treating you?
Fatherhood is a feeling that is inexplicable to anyone in words. It has to be experienced. We are also making a point to give our best to our son in terms of our presence and positivity. He has taught me my real relationship with the Paramatma.

The World of Titan Sonu Niigaam- Live in Bangalore show is on October 11 at the Palace grounds (Jayamahal entrance), 6.30 pm onwards. Tickets are available at all World of Titan outlets. You can buy them online from www.livetree.in. For more details, call 64557076.

bangaloremirror.com

Big FM COO Tarun Katial - RAM Has Been Inconsistent In The Last Few Months


Big FM has been creating a lot of buzz in the FM space by roping in Sonu Niigaam as brand ambassador and changing its music positioning to ‘Chillax hits’. The 45 network station network consolidated its network and despite the slowdown succeeded in snapping up local advertising. Being one of the patrons of listenership measuring system RAM since its inception in late 2007, the radio station along with the Association of Radio Operators of India (AROI) is beginning to get vocal about the variance in listenership measurement data.

As the station completes three years of its existence, Big FM chief operating officer Tarun Katial, in conversation with Radioandmusic.com’s Anita Iyer, talks about the challenges of completing three years, changing advertising trends and potential of FM commercial radio in India and importantly, the role of RAM in the radio sector.

Big FM would be completing three years this month. How has the journey been?

There have been quick lifecycle changes in the business and it has been exciting journey to build value for the brand, shareholders, listeners, advertisers in many different environments.

In the past three years, we got access in 200 cities with 45 stations and many advertisers on board. Last year witnessed the slowdown where the true value of radio was discovered and we as radio players, identified the significance of listenership in semi urban and rural India as captive consumers are located there. The advertisers are also looking seriously at semi urban, rural pockets and a platform like radio is coming into play more effectively now than it did a year ago.

Do you mean the slowdown actually opened up more avenues for radio stations?

Definitely. The slowdown got us opportunities in disguise and we started to look at our network in a different way. We concentrated on categories we hadn’t thought of earlier like pesticides, tractors, seed clients etc. The advertising moved from organised large retail chains, FMCG, corporate ones to diverse client list, SMEs (Small and medium enterprises) across different client categories.

We, as a radio company, shifted our mindset from being just a radio platform to providing integrated solutions to clients. There was a strategic shift in our sales prospects where we invested in people, trained professionals, built databases just to build more and more integrated solutions for clients. Our synergy of different business verticals- Big Reach, Big Live, Big Street, has also come

Read More:
http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/interviews/big-fm-coo-tarun-katial-ram-has-been-inconsistent-last-few-months

Saturday 26 September 2009

Competition For Me Means To Keep Myself Upgraded


After a host of foreign concerts and producing his independent music, versatile singer, Sonu Niigaam is back on the Bollywood front, but this time he means business and that is not to sing "crap".

The 36-year-old singer whose 'Chiggy Wiggy' with Australian pop star Kylie Minogue and 'Don't Say Alvida' from Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer Main Aur Mrs Khanna have turned out to be the new chartbusters, said that he consciously cut his Bollywood assignments because he did not want to be associated with low quality music.

"I did not want to work according to anybody's whims and fancies. After 17 years of my career, I think I can take this much liberty to associate myself just with quality music and say no to trash. I have worked hard to be where I am today so I better choose accordingly to protect my reputation," Sonu told PTI.

The singer, who is currently in the midst of a tour in Los Angeles, was in the city as the brand ambassador of Big 92.7 FM to change the music position of the radio station and launch the new "Chillax hits".

"My sensibilities of music matched with the station's. Item numbers come and go but now I want to sing some eternal songs which have a soothing effect on people....Give them moments of relaxation in this fast paced life. The station plans to do so too," Sonu said.

Last year, Sonu was almost absent from the film circuit and produced his independent music. He released an album 'Classically Mild', and then came out with a single Punjabi track called "Punjabi Please". He also released 'Rafi Resurrected', a 2-disc collection of legendary singer Mohammad Rafi songs with music by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

But when asked about his ardent fans who hear so less of him nowadays in Bollywood, the singer said, "This conscious decision is particularly for my fans. I don't want to disappoint them by singing anything and everything," the singer said.

"Personally I don't think I missed on some good music while I was away. I still here same kind of songs barring a few. The last song which I liked was 'Jab Se tere Naina Mere Naino Se' sung by Shaan (Saawariya)," he added.

When asked about his opinion about the current state of music in Bollywood, the singer pointed out towards the new trend of music composers turning into singers (read Shankar Mahadevan, Himesh Reshammiya, Vishal and Shekhar) which is depriving the audience with some great voices.

"Today everything has become a show-business. The songs are being created so that they can later be sung at music concerts. Either composers are singing themselves or they are promoting singers who could sing for them for free at concerts. And at the end of all this, it is the listeners who are suffering," the singer explained.

Sonu also recalled the incident when filmmaker Karan Johar waited for the singer for a more than a month to sing Kal Ho Na Hos title track.

"Karan (Johar) could have let Shankar (Mahadevan) sing the song but he put his foot down and wanted just me for it. I will always owe it to Karan for that eternal song," Sonu said.

The singer who dabbled with acting as well for some time but delivered box office disasters like Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani', Kaash Aap Hamare Hote and Love in Nepal in 2004-2005 also hinted at a possible comeback on the big screen.

"I realised what mistakes I did in the past so I am careful this time. I have been offered some scripts and in the process of reading them," Sonu said without divulging any further details.

After giving some eternal hits like 'Sandese Aaate Hai', 'Saathiya', 'Tanhayee', at this point of career when he has drastically cut down on his Bollywood assignments, the word competition seems to be non-existent for the singer.

"Competition for me means to keep myself upgraded and do better than before. To forget my previous achievements as I think they are of no consequence now. Set newer targets. At the same time there are lot of good singers like Shaan who are great competition. They inspire me to work better than the best," Sonu said.

RITIKA KUMAR/NEW DELHI - SEP 26, 2009
NEWS.OUTLOOKINDIA

Friday 25 September 2009

Sonu Niigaam plunks for Big FM Chillax Music


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIz5sFZkWE
http://www.erosentertainment

Sonu Niigaam: I'm offered sub-standard songs


One of Bollywood's most talented playback singers Sonu Niigaam, is hardly heard these days. He says that he has cut down his work because he doesn't want to sing sub-standard songs.

"There are two-three reasons because of which I decided to cut down on my projects. First was that not many songs offered to me today appeal to me. This is because composers have started singing themselves," said Sonu.

"Most of the times, composers make songs that are apt for their voices. It's all business. I don't hold it against them because everyone has a right to safeguard their interests.

"Music composers have realised that concerts are money spinners. So they make songs that they can sing. I don't want to be part of this craziness where I am given sub-standard songs and the best are taken by the composers themselves. I'm pretty content with what I'm doing," he added.

The singer, who enthralled music buffs with hit numbers like Suraj hua madham, Saathiya and Kal ho na ho among others, says he misses good music.

"I miss good music in totality today. There are hardly any great songs that have come up in the last three to four years. The songs that sounds great instantly, disappear after two-three months... those songs don't stay with the listeners," said Sonu who has a huge fan following not only in India but abroad also.

The 36-year-old singer has been working in the industry for more than 17 years and says that he wanted to give himself a break. "I wanted to reduce my work. There were days when I had sung 11 songs in a day. I used to keep running from one studio to another and in that process I lost myself. So I stopped doing songs which were not very good. I made my work qualitative," informed Sonu who recently became the brand ambassador of 92.7 Big FM.

"I couldn't enjoy life for many years because of work. So now I want to do only quality work. I rather say no to trash. I don't want to spoil my repertoire and that's why you will hear less of me in future. But whatever you hear, you will never say that 'oh that was a trash song'," added the singer.

The versatile singer recently sang the song Chiggy wiggy for Blue and international pop star Kylie Minogue too lent her voice for the same, but they didn't get to meet each other.

"I gave my nod to Chiggy wiggy because of A R Rahman. I didn't even know that Kylie will be singing the song too. I never met Kylie. She was in London when I sang the song in Mumbai. Then when she came here, I was out of India

Sonu Niigaam's Song Is Already A Hit !!


Ever since Yograj Bhat made Mungaru Male three years ago, his films
are always eagerly awaited. The same is the case with his new Kannada film
Manasaare which is produced by Rockline Venkatesh.

The film stars Diganth and Aindrita Ray and has music by Mano Murthy. In fact, music is one of the film's biggest strengths. The song Ello Maleyaagidhe rendered
by Sonu Niigaam is already a hit.

Yogaraj Bhat speaks about Manasaare before the movie hits theatres on Friday.
Are you facing any pre-release tension on the eve of the release of Manasaare?

I don't know how to answer this question. Yes, many directors feel strange before the release of their films but I have never felt that way. Even while writing the scripts, I would think only about the reaction of the audience, that is, whether they are prepared to accept the concept and dialogues.
I have a gut feeling that Manasaare will do well at the Box office. It is not because I am overconfident but because everything has gone smoothly from writing the script to the release of the film.

You were to direct Lagori for Rockline Venkatesh with Puneet Raj Kumar in the lead. What happened to it?

We had the bound script ready for Lagori. Even today I can confidently say that Lagori is the best script written for Puneet. Both Puneet and his brother Raghavendra Raj Kumar were quite excited. But that was the time the recession had set in, and we thought as the film had to be made in a huge budget of around fifteen crores, it would not have been feasible at that point of time. Then I had this story idea which I discussed with Rockline. He immediately told me to go ahead with the project.
I called Pawan Kumar who had co-scripted Lagori with me to start work for Manasaare. As we started writing the script, I laughed at the dialogues. You can call it luck or sheer coincidence, some times when everything turns out good for you.
rediff.com

Wednesday 23 September 2009

Sonu Niigaam's New Photo Shoot 2009


Sonu Niigaam does photo-shoot as he has turns a brand ambassador
For radio station in India
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgc-EQDPqes&feature=email

Big FM Gives primetime Programming Bollywood Twist In Mumbai, Delhi


MUMBAI: Big FM is tweaking its prime time programming in Mumbai and Delhi. Exploiting the Bollywood fervour among listeners yet again, the radio station has introduced a quiz show Big Bollywood Ka Waaris, which gives listeners an opportunity to test their knowledge on the subject.

The station has only recently announced a programming shift to 'Chillax', aiming to destress the overwrought urban listener with suitably chilled programming and music. The station, which has also renewed its relationship with singer Sonu Niigaam as its brand ambassador, is now wooing listeners with Bollywood spiced with the lure of prize money.

Contestants stand to win Rs 27,000 each day and can choose to roll over the game and the money won to the next day to grow the booty. The show will air each morning on the breakfast show –between 9 and 10am in Mumbai and 8 and 9pm on the Delhi Station.

Introduced between the breakfast and evening drive time slots in both metropolises, BIG Bollywood ka Waaris comes packaged as 'truly Bollywood in its offering' with all the essentials like drama, dialogue, thrill and excitement. Each day will see a qualifier round where two contestants will be pitched against each other, the winner moves ahead to play the final rounds.

The show works this way -

Each day there will be one question between 8 and 9 in the morning and 8 and 9 in the evening with 4 options. These questions will be based on the music that is played in those hours and the listener will have to SMS the correct options to 55454. SMS big space the correct option to 55454 to participate. Once the listeners are finalized they will go through the following rounds…

ROUND 1:
9 clues for one answer, the more clues you use, the lesser monies you make
ROUND 2:
2 questions which you answer before the buzzer goes off – 1st question has FIVE correct answers and second question has FOUR correct answers
ROUND 3:
7 Rapid fire questions, which you must answer before the buzzer goes off. Take a call to say “pass” if you want to jump to next question and make sure you answer more n more questions before the buzzer goes off! You make money as follows for each correct answer: For 7 questions 1 – 750, 2 – 1500, 3 – 3000, 4 – 4500, 5 – 6000,6 – 7500 and 7 – 9000
Listeners stand a chance to win an amount up to Rs. 27, 000 each day, but if the he/she is not satisfied with the booty or better still if he believes that no one else can claim his throne, there is the option of coming back the next day and challenging another person at the game and playing again, the money of course rolling over.

Says Big FM senior vice president programming Nirupam Sonu, “Bollywood is a religion in India, and scoring on a Bollywood quiz gives Indians a different thrill. Bollywood ka Waaris promises to get the adrenaline pumping and keep listeners tuned in to the show each day, as they face questions that are a true test of their knowledge. The content and questions have been carefully selected to ensure momentum build up and we are confident of having a large number of ardent and dedicated followers of the game show.”

Its Big Bollywood Ka Waaris
Each day there will be one question between 9 and 10 in the morning and 8 and 9 in the evening with 4 options. – please specify morning in Mumbai and Evening in Delhi
By: RnM Team 23 Sep

Big FM To Play A New Tune


India - Big 92.7 FM is set to launch a new music positioning Chillax Hits, beginning with the Mumbai and Delhi stations, with a music format to de-stress and relax listeners.

It also has a new brand ambassador in singer Sonu Nigam.

Tarun Katial, chief operating officer, Big 92.7 FM, said Chillax Hits promises the listener an "aural treat".

"Our new music positioning is 'easy' to listen to, giving listeners a truly de-stressing experience, qualities which are best epitomised by Sonu Niigaam," he said.

The positioning has been worked out as a result of a research carried out in several markets. In Mumbai and Delhi, Big FM learnt that the preferred choice was soothing and relaxing music throughout the day - contrary to the popular belief that listeners prefer soft music at the end of the day and lively music during the day.

Nirupam Sonu, vice-president of programming at Big FM, said: "We did follow the music as per mood strategy for a long time. As a next step, we will provide a specific genre of music which is 'Easy CHR'."

The music mix will be decided based on weekly testing of songs that fit the 'Chillax' space and the songs that score high on popularity and likability features on the stations' play list.

A marketing campaign will be rolled out in the next two weeks. The first phase includes ads on radio, print, OOH, cinema and digital. Subsequently, a television commercial will be launched.

Sonu Nigam will be part of the campaign, which will be based on the premise of 'music to de-stress people'.

A similar music re-positioning exercise will be carried out in other markets based on the ongoing research.

Tuesday 22 September 2009

'I Have Been Working Really Hard Since I Was Very Young'


Mumbai: For the last six months Sonu Niigaam has been spending a lot of time in the US. He wanted to get away from Mumbai and also spend time with his friends there. Now, post that break, he has returned to Mumbai to fulfill his commitment as the brand ambassador of a radio channel. It's one the few assignments he has taken up in recent times. Apart from this, he has rejected most songs or shows offered to him. He has even turned down friend Ganjendra Singh for a show.
DSonu says, "I'm not in that mental space right now where I want to take up something and be obligated to it. I want to do my own thing at the moment. There has to be something really interesting for me to make a commitment. I might feel differently a year later though."
He admits one of the main reasons for this was that not many good songs were coming his way. "Most music composers are singing for themselves now. They take the best songs in an album. That makes sense commercially because then they can do concerts as well," says Sonu, adding, "I don't want to be at the mercy of anyone. I'd rather do my own thing and work with composers who respect me."
Things changed for him drastically after a bomb blast at his show in Karachi in 2004.
"I asked myself 'was this the only purpose of my life?' I don't want to spend my life counting the number of songs I have done. So I decided to take a breather and travel. First, I set off for the Himalayas and then went to LA where I've been spending time with many of my friends who live there," he says.
From ghazals to bhangra, devotional to film songs and albums, Sonu has done them all. He says, "I have been working really hard since I was very young. Not only because I was ambitious but also because I kept getting a lot of work. Now, I want to be respected for my work
DNA India

Desi Beats Rock On Contestant - Aisha Sayed


Aisha Sayed from Mumbai loves Bollywood music and worships Sonu Nigam, for her the only Rock Idol that exist is Mr. Nigam. She has performed in Mumbai and was also a participant in Indian Idol3. According to her language is not a barrier when it comes to music, she believes that language does not change the meaning of a song, the fusion of Indian Music and Rock is a perfect combination. She does not mind being a part of a band or going solo as long as she gets to sing.
http://www.techtipspro.com

Sunday 20 September 2009

Sonu Niigaam's Meeting With MJ Jr


Bollywood singer Sonu Niigaam is all set to don a new avatar. After entertaining music lovers the world over, he’s now become the face of radio channel, Big 92.7 FM. He says, “I joined hands with the radio channel to help de-stress people through my songs and shows.”

Sonu tells us about his meeting with late popstar Michael Jackson’s brother Jermaine during a recent show at Los Angeles.

“Jermaine came to my show with his Afghan wife, Halima. Strangely, he knew most of my songs, thanks to Halima.” Sonu’s written and composed a song based on MJ’s last heard words, ‘This is it’. “I’ll be singing this song with Jermaine and we’ll perform at the MJ Memorial concert in London in June next year to mark MJ’s first death anniversary.” Though Sonu hasn’t decided if the single will have a video, he says his connection with Jermaine will last long.

“Let’s see where it takes us,” he concludes.

Himadree, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, September 19, 2009

Sonu Niigaam & Me - Blog Promo

Saturday 19 September 2009

Sonu Niigaam Live - Delhi International Arts Festival 2009


As a festival committed to establishing India as a global destination for the arts and at driving cultural tourism, DIAF 2009 has in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India planned the DIAF-ASI Heritage Series. Set to be held across the best known monuments of the 5500 year-old city of Delhi, DIAF-ASI Heritage series will see the likes of Sonu Nigam and Hariharan performing at Red Fort and Purana Qila respectively. A special ghazal evening will be held at the Town Hall in Chandni Chowk. Incidentally, this will be the last performance at Town Hall since the MCD plans to tear down the structure to make way for a multiple level parking lot. The evening at Qutub Minar features the Wadali brothers for a beautiful evening of their well loved numbers. August 15th Park at Red Fort brings you Sonu Nigam on 10th October, while at Purana Qila on 14th October, singer Hariharan belts out the wide range of his most popular numbers.

Read More:
http://www.delhilive.com/events/delhi-international-arts-festival-2009-200909189521

Eid & Navaratri Wishes to All !!




A very warm Eid mubarak to all & Navaratri Wishes from Sonu Niigaam & me
Hope these festivals bring peace & happiness to all in the world !!

Friday 18 September 2009

MJ This One's for you on AVS TV

MJ This One's for you on AVS TV...Thanks to singer Natalie!!
Sonu Niigaam joins some local talent for a tribute to MJ

http://www.avstv.com/tv/single.php?c=1366

Legends Collaborations !!



From a child artist to being one of India's most popular singers
Sonu Niigaam is now looking forward to a collaboration with king of pop
Micheal Jackson's brother Jermaine Jackson !!

Sonu Niigaam's Time Travel - Releasing Soon !!


Time Travel - Journey 1 album with Sonu Niigaam to be released soon
The album has Sonu Niigaam singing popular numbers of Kishore Kumar Mukesh, Mohd. Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor Manna Dey & Asha Bhosle

This album is a tribute to all the huge legends & a new experiment
By Sonu Niigaam. It is a totally new concept never done before in the history Of Indian music, this is indeed is a rare treat & a special Eid & Diwali gift for all Music & Sonu Niigaam Fans around the world !!
So the wait is nearly over
Keep logged in for more details
Time Travel releasing soon in a music store near you !!

1. Prelude - Sonu Niigaam
2. Wohh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb - Khamoshi/Kishore Kumar & Sonu Niigaam
3. Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaaye - Anand/Mukesh & Sonu Niigaam
4. Pukaarta Chala Hoon Main - Mere Sanam/Mohd Rafi & Sonu Niigaam
5. Tum Pukar Lo Tumhara - Khamoshi/Hemant Kumar & Sonu Niigaam
6. Ankhiyon Ko Rahne Do - Bobby/Lata Mangeshkar & Sonu Niigaam
7. Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se - Gumraah/Mahendra Kapoor & Sonu Niigaam
8. Aye Mere Zohra Zabeen - Waqt/Manna Dey & Sonu Niigaam
9. O Mere Dil Ke Chain - Mere Jeewan Saathi/Kishore Kumar & Sonu Niigaam
10. O Haseena Zulfonwale - Teesri Manzil/Mohd Rafi, Sonu Niigaam & Asha Bhosle

Aap Ka Vijay

The Biggest Kannada Pop Album Ever !!


Neene Bari Neene is the solo album of ace singer Sonu Niigaam in Kannada that released in 2009.It is produced by Ashok Kheny and music is by Mano Murthy
Lyrics are written by ace lyricist and writer in Kannada,Jayanth Kaikini.

Sonu Niigaam's Kannada pop album, Neene Bari Neena has been declared the biggest hit
with outstanding music this album has already crossed platinum sales in 1 week
- Times Music

A video has been released for the title song and its quiet a rage among the youths in Karnataka

1 Innu Anisutide 5:49
2 Naa Ninagaagi 5:47
3 Neene Bari Neene 5:45
4 Ninna Hindeye 4:55
5 Beku Beku 5:04
6 Baa Nodu Gelati 5:08
7 Eega Bandiruve 5:06
8 Ideye Ninage Samaya 4:51
9 Haaduntu Namma Naadali 4:49
See video below in Posts !!

Aap Ka Vijay

Bollywood's First Digital Music Release By T-Series & Hungama For The Movie Blue


India's largest music company T-Series has taken yet another giant leap in the world of music. T-series is pioneering the concept of making music available in form of pen drives and micro chips with India's first underwater action thriller Blue starring Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Zayed Khan and Lara Dutta in lead roles. Blue, which has music composed by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman, would be the first Bollywood film to have its music released simultaneously on the physical and digital platforms. T-Series is releasing the music of the film in partnership with South Asia's largest digital entertainment company Hungama Digital Media Pvt. Ltd.

The promos of Blue have already created waves both in India and internationally and the 'Chiggy Wiggy' track featuring international pop star Kylie Minogue is a rage. The digital music release will allow eager Bollywood & Kylie Minogue fans to access the much awaited soundtrack of the film directly on their mobile phones and digital music devices. The music of Blue is now available under the T-Series label globally.

Expressing his delight over the launch, A. R. Rahman said, "It's a great idea for the movie industry and I was very excited when I heard about the digital release of the music. Anything new is exciting for people and those, who believe in owning legitimate music, would be excited by this product. It is also a gate opener for future expansions, because right now the music is going to have MP3 quality and then in future it could have more high quality WAV files like 96 k, 24 bit and people will definitely enjoy probably four times better than a CD quality of music. So this is a great starting point."

This initiative to release the music of the film on the digital platform first is being seen by the Indian music industry as a major step towards combating piracy and illegal downloads. Commenting on this pioneering kind digital initiative for a Bollywood film, Neeraj Roy, MD & CEO, Hungama Digital Media said, "Releasing the music of the film on the digital platform simultaneously has several positive implications for consumers, for record labels and for the Indian music industry. The digital platform will allow Bollywood fans across the world to access the music from a device that is always with them- the mobile phone. It will also ensure content is protected, thereby enabling the industry to mitigate losses incurred by the entertainment industry due to piracy."

Adding to this, Bhushan Kumar, Chairman & Managing Director, T-Series said, "The digital platform has become a widespread medium to consume entertainment. India too is seeing a rapid growth of mobile phone and internet users. Keeping this in mind, the digital platform is perfect for the music release of a film like Blue which has already been popularized, in India and internationally, for the music compositions of A. R. Rahman including the hit single with Kylie Minogue. Amongst the many benefits of the digital music launch, the most significant one for us as a music label is a big step towards giving consumers legitimate content and curbing piracy of our content."

The digital distribution of the music is done by Hungama Digital Media across the internet and mobile.
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2009/09/17/13280/index.html

Tigerstyle All Set To Release Gunjan Singh's Debut Album


With her delicate features and traditional sound, Hindi vocalist Gunjan got her shot at fame while on tour with Sonu Niigaam. The singer has been fortunate enough to gain exposure while featuring alongside other artists, but she hasn't had a chance to be in the spotlight yet. Well now is her chance as Glaswegian producers Tigerstyle are getting ready to release Gunjan's first album ever!

Other well-known producers like Johnny Kalsi, Bandish Project, Bombay Dub orchestra, Blitz and Roach Killa have also worked on the album. And with a line-up like that the album is off to a good start.
A source tells us that there is going to be another duet between Gunjan and Bhangra artist Bikram Singh, and we hear it's much better than the tracks, "Kawan" or "Ik Vaari!"

A video shoot is set to take place very soon and the album should drop at the end of the year. Are you eager to get your hands on Gunjan's debut album? Drop us a line!
http://www.desihits.com/blog/article/tigerstyle-ready-to-release-gunjans-debut-album-20090916

Kiran & 3 Idiots !!


After spending qualitative time with each other, Aamir Khan has come down from a quiet holiday from France. He and his wife had taken time off to recover the loss of child due to Kiran’s miscarriage.

Aamir is back to wrap up the remaining work for ‘Three Idiots’, that includes few scenes and the only romantic song sequence in the movie. Sources are said to believe that Aamir’s wife might be on the sets during the shoot of the song. Kiran would be back in Mumbai on Sept. 20 to be with Aamir on the sets. It is said that she is keen to watch the shooting of the romantic song because she closely wants to observe Aamir and Kareena. Perhaps Kiran has plans to make a romantic movie next.

About the song, director Raju Hirani said they will be shooting the romantic song 21st onwards at various locales in Mumbai with Kareena and Aamir. Sharman Joshi, Madhavan and Boman Irani are also said to be featured briefly in the song. It is a light-hearted romantic song sung by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal, added the director. However he is not sure about Kiran’s plans on coming to the sets.

IndiaGlitz - September 17, 2009

Sonu Niigaam At Launch & Press Conference Of New Music





Event: Sonu Nigam at launch and press Conference
of New Music Positioning Chillax Hits
Celebrities: Sonu Niigaam and Tarun Katial
Venue: Marimba Lounge, Andheri, Mumbai
Date: 16th September, 2009

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Sonu Nigaam Now Brand Ambassador Of Big Fm


Big FM earmarks Rs 10 mn for new campaign with Sonu Niigaam

MUMBAI: Big FM, which has roped in popular singer Sonu Nigaam as brand ambassador for its fresh music positioning, plans to spend Rs 10 million on the first phase of a multi media campaign that includes radio, outdoor, online, mobile and print which will soon be launched.

The campaign, that will feature Niigaam, will kick off in 10 days. A TVC, part of the campaign, will be rolled in the second phase.

The association of the station with Niigaam comes just as the station launches its new music positioning - Chillax Hits - in Mumbai and Delhi, which promises listeners a distinct music format which will de-stress and help them relax, whenever they tune into the station. Big FM too is going the maximum songs way - it plans to play seven songs in back to back format, with an intention of playing 12 to 13 songs per hour. Big FM, that will soon complete three years of its existence, has also undertaken in house research to gauge music preferences of listeners in smaller towns as well. Delhi and Mumbai are the metros that kick off the Chillax experience though.

Other changes too are in the offing at the Mumbai station, although officials are loath to comment. RJ Meera has already joined the station, shifting from Radio Mirchi, and is likely to host the morning Big Chai show with Shrikant, earlier co hosted by Archana Jani.

Announcing the alliance with Niigaam in Mumbai on Wednesday, Big FM COO Tarun Katial said, “BIG 92.7 FM is introducing a new exciting music format - Chillax Hits that promises the listener an aural treat. Our new music positioning represents superlative music that is ‘easy’ to listen to, giving listeners a truly de-stressing experience, qualities which are best epitomised by Sonu Niigaam. Our association with him goes back a long way, right since the inception of BIG 92.7 FM and he was the most natural choice for our brand ambassador. Sonu has offered the country some of the best Chillax Hits and has earned the respect and love of not just people in India, but from Indian’s across the world. We are delighted to have him as our brand ambassador.”

The new format has been decided post detailed research and qualitative studies done in these markets, says the station. The music mix of the Station is being carefully selected to ensure listener delight – this is ensured through weekly testing of songs that fit the Chillax space and only songs that score high on popularity and likability feature on the stations play list. The entire week is being celebrated as the Chillax Week on the Station, well packaged both on air as well as on ground.
Says Niigaam, “The intrinsic value of any genre of music is to relax the listener. Relaxing is a therapeutic act, and Music is the Healer. ‘Chillax Music’ from Big 92.7 FM is the healing station for today’s generation. With stress levels on the rise, ‘Chillax Healing’ is the need of the hour. I look forward to a long lasting music association with Big 92.7 FM”

Sonu Niigaam’s association with Big FM goes back a long way, beginning with him mesmerising Indians with the Suno Sunao Life Banao stationality on Big FM. The jingle played across the length and breadth of the country during the time of launch and caught on quick with audiences.

In the last three years, the station's association with Sonu Niigaam has seen the launch of his music single Punjab Please, exclusively on the network. The song was played across the networks Hindi markets and was a super hit! In the same year, he also hosted the Rock with Sonu – 5 city musical concert which was a super success. In 2008, Sonu Niigaam also graced the launch of Big 92.7 FM’s first international radio station in Singapore called BIG Bollywood 96.3 FM while wishing the Station an excellent future. And today, he gives his very own stamp of approval to the radio station with his brand ambassadorship.

By: Anita Iyer 16 Sep 09 18:16 IST
radioandmusic.com

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Manasaare Ready For Release On Sept 25


The much awaited Kannada movie Manasaareis all set for statewide release on September 25. Directed by Yogaraj Bhat,the filmfeatures actor Diganth and actressAndrita Ray(Aindrita Ray) in the lead roles.

Buzz up!The movie Manasaare has created lot of curiosity because it is directed by Mungaru Malefame Yogaraj Bhat and for long time after the release of Gaalipata, there is not a single release from him. He is considered one among the successful directors of Kannada film industry. After three years after the release of Mungaru Male, Manasaare is his third movie of Yogaraj.

Another speciality of film Manasaare is that Yogaraj Bhat, Mano Murthy, Jayant Kaikini and Sonu Nigam have teamed once again after Mungaru Male. Earlier, this team had rock the film industry with music of the movie Mungaru Male. The song ‘Anisuthide Yako indu…,’ which was sung by Sonu Nigam, has been ever green hit in Kannada film industry.

Recently, the audio of the movie Manasaare was released into the market and it was sold out like a hot cake. Sonu Nigam has again showered the rain through the song ‘Ello Maleyagiyendu…’ in the movie Manasaare. The song is very melodious and has successfully won the heart of audience.

However, actor Diganth, who is considered as hero of failure, is hoping that this movie would get him hero image. Even actress Andrita Ray has lot of expectations from the movie Manasaare. She is waiting to see whether audience will accept her through this movie.

Meanwhile, it should be mentioned that most expected movies in Kannada have been failing at the Box Office one after the other. Let us wait and see whether the movie Manasaare will be successful.

Sonu Niigaam's Nightlife & Music


Join the 'Lord of the Chords' Sonu Niigaam at Madinat Jumeirah. Tickets start from Dhs175 for what promises to be a magical evening.

Asia's No 1 Singer-Icon, aptly titled "The Lord Of The Chords", will be performing along with his 30-member troupe in a 4-hour non-stop musical concert. Directed & formatted by Sonu and specially choregraphed with Bollywood dancers, promising to be an unforgettable evening...An ultimate musical journey!!

A singer who defies definition. An entertainer who exceeds expectations. A performer who is simply, par excellence. Sonu Niigaam has been defined by many commendable adjectives over his prolific career, but his new avatar, which will be embodied in an unforgettable performance in Dubai, necessitates the exceptional sobriquet, “Simply The Best...Lord of the Chords”.

Sonu’s diverse musical repertoire puts him in a distinctive position. He has redefined the image of the Bollywood vocalist, both in the studio and on stage. As it is one of his favorite venues globally, Sonu now gears up to return to Dubai for his 9th consecutive year in concert, presented exclusively by OME (an all time record by any international artist performing in this region) – events applauded and acclaimed as the most spectacular and entertaining events, having entertained over 55,000 of the Emirates’ musical aficionados.

It has a unique format and song performances, specially choreographed with Bollywood dancers, as never presented by him ever in any of his stage shows in India and abroad”.

The event is planned to be a 4-hour non-stop journey through Bollywood melodies, promising to be an unforgettable evening. A state-of-the-art setup of stage, sound, light and screen installations are being specially designed for the event, with a view to give an optimum view to every spectator in the prestigious Madinat Jumeirah Indoor Arena and enable an up-close-and-personal experience between Sonu and his audience.

Join the 'Lord of the Chords' Sonu Niigaam at Madinat Jumeirah Fri Oct 09 . Tickets start from Dhs175 for what promises to be a magical evening.

Promoter details : Name: OME-Oberoi Middle East Events
Telephone: 050 698 4599
Travel: Jumeirah Beach Road

Entry Charges: Dhs2000 - V VIP (Reserved Seating) limited seats, Dhs1000 - V VIP (Reserved Seating) - Limited seats, Dhs500 - VIP, Dhs250 - Gold, Dhs175 - Silver (Balcony) limited seats
Opening hours: 9.30pm-1.30pm

Monday 14 September 2009

Remembering Nusrat Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - A Tribute With The CBSO


Qawwali Maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan comes to Birmingham next month as part of a spellbinding tour with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

The two will pay homage to the late great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in a project that follows on from last years Mohammed Rafi tribute tour between the 75-piece symphony orchestra and Sonu Nigaam. We spoke to Rahat to find out why he was so keen to be part of the project…

Q; Rahat you’re back in the UK for the ‘Remembering Nusrat’ tour in October. How much are you looking forward to it?

A: Well, I have been to the UK before with Nusratji and my group. But this time is a bit different as I am very excited to be a part of this show. I’m really looking forward to working with Tim (composer Tim Pottier). I am really happy with the work he has done and am sure that the show is going to be a great success. I am really very excited about this event. I have never done anything like this before and am really looking forward to seeing how the audience will react to it.

Q: Why do you think there’s still this fascination with Nusratji so many years after his death?

A: Well he was one of the greatest Sufi singers of all time. He had the most unique voice. People used to call him the ‘Voice from Heaven’. He won many awards in his time and he will never be forgotten.

Q; What was it about the project that made you want to get involved?

A: When Tim came to Pakistan to see us I was shocked yet very impressed with the work he had done on the Dum Mast Qalandar song. It inspired me and that has made me want to work on this project. It felt right.

Q; You’ve already spoken about Tim Pottier and his role in bringing you into the project. He helped bring the sound of Mohammed Rafi back to life last year with Sonu Nigaam. Are you confident he will do justice to Nusratji?



A: When Tim came to Pakistan to see us with a sample of ‘Dam Mast Qalandar’ I was really surprised but in a nice way. The CBSO have very talented and accomplished musicians and I think they will understand the music of Nusratji and bring something new to it. I am really looking forward to it and have no doubt that it will be spectacular.

Q: What do you think the CBSO brings to the array of Nusratji songs chosen for the tour?

A; I just feel that we are going to experience something very special and rare.

Q: You’ve often been cited as the modern-day version of your uncle. How does this comparison stand with you?

A: I find this very strange. Many people have said the same but I always feel that no comparisons can be drawn between Khan saab and me! I just hope that I can do his music and legacy justice with my performance.

Q: How are preparations for the tour going? Have rehearsals begun yet?

A: All is going well. We came to the UK last month for a press conference which was very good. I’m happy to see how much interest there is in the event. Tim Pottier will be coming to Pakistan soon and that’s when all the work is going to begin. We will be rehearsing a lot, nearly 7-8 hours a day.

Q; You started your singing career at a very young age, why were you so keen to get involved in Qawwali?

A: Well, Qawwali has been in the family for nearly 200-300 years. I have grown up around it and have a great love for it. I was very lucky to be trained under the great Khan saab and hope that I can carry this legacy on.

Q: What memories do you have of your uncle?

A; Khan saab was a wonderful and dedicated Sufi singer. He loved all styles of music and was very interested in expanding his knowledge. I learnt a lot from him.

Q; You’ve branched out into Bollywood and Hollywood – what do you say to those who accuse you of betraying Qawwali?

A: I will never betray my roots. All the songs that I have sung for Bollywood and Hollywood have all been inspired from Qawwali. I have just released a CD called Revival of Qawwali and it has works from some of the greatest poets of Sufism like Ghalib and Bhulleh Shah. It is wrong to say that I have betrayed Qawwali because everything for me starts from there. But one needs to be open minded and that is what creating music is all about.

Q: What do you think the future hold for Qawwali music?

A: Qawwali music has a very bright future. It will never become old. The basic message of Sufism is Peace, Love and Unity. All nations and religions are one and we should learn to love and respect one another.

Remembering Nusrat: A Tribute to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanUstad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Group in concert with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Symphony Hall, Birmingham: Friday 2 October 2009

Source: The Asian Today Online – Asian News

Sunday 13 September 2009

Cocktails, dinner and more...


Living it up at The Living Room at C’est la Vie were the party hearty people who responded to the cocktail-dinner invitation of Vida Samadzai, who Aushima Sawhney and Sonu Sood was glowing in an emerald green figure-hugging dress.

She warmly welcomed each and every guest, as did Vie’s Basab Paul and wife Anu, into the abode of what looked like a warm living room at home with soft lighting, comfy lounge sofas, pretty paintings and a TV screen flashing music video images. But you didn’t want to look at the screen but rather focus your attention on all the colourful people in the room.

The sound of music was in the air, played by the DJ, and not by the musicians present — we’re talking about Sonu Niigam in a white suit and ghazal great Talat Aziz accompanied by his artist wife Bina. In casual chic mode was Sonu Sood who spent quality time with Aushima Sawhney who bounced back on the party scene after a while. Meanwhile, Bunty Walia was seen getting cosy with a friend.

Shweta Vijay, Jennifer Kotwal and Jagmohan Mundhra, who chatted with US Consul General Paul Folmsbee and Afghan Consul General Mardan Ali Qasemi, were among the other guests present, sipping cocktails and having a bite of their chicken and olive pizzas, asparagus bundles and lamb kebbeh. Sinful desserts were the perfect end to this semi-sinful night.

TNN 13 September 2009

Friday 11 September 2009

For The Very First Time In Florida's History - Sonu Niigaam Live !


Yes its true - For The Very First Time In Florida's History !!
Sonu Niigaam will sing Live In Concert In Bollywood Explosion 2009
Sonu Niigaam will be performing live at the stadium in south florida
History will be made, its the biggest event of the year !

Come and enjoy with friends and family
promoted by Johnny and Tonny

Sonu Niigaam & Me Exclusive: The M J's Tribute Moved To London!


Jermaine Jackson and World Awards Media are moving THE TRIBUTE In Memory Of Michael Jackson to London. The tribute concert originally planned for September 26, 2009 in Vienna in front of Schoenbrunn Palace will now be held in June 2010 London. An exact date and location is currently being negotiated. All Vienna ticket holders will receive a refund for the tickets they have purchased for the planned concert at Schoenbrunn Palace. A voucher for the concert in London is not possible as there will be different price categories.

“Many artists and performers who I have spoken to personally told me that it would be a great honor to be part of this memorial concert for my late brother – an artist who influenced the music world like virtually no other. However, due to the short time frame it was not possible for many of them to change their schedule so that they could be on stage in Vienna on September 26, therefore we decided, after careful consideration, to change the date of the tribute concert to June 2010 – just a few weeks before the first anniversary of his untimely death”, is how Jermaine Jackson explained the decision. Further he stated: “Now we have 8 months to put this monumental show together and not just 8 weeks. Despite the short amount of time we would have been able to stage a great show, in keeping with Michael’s high standards, but numerous stars were just not able to change their schedules to make a live appearance at the Vienna event possible”.

The stage concept of an imperial theater for THE TRIBUTE for the Vienna show will be exactly the same for the London event and a gigantic crown will be the center of the stage. We intend to have the venue in London for THE TRIBUTE to have a capacity of at least 70,000 people.

“I also would like to take this opportunity to thank Vienna’s Deputy Mayor, Renate Brauner, for her strong support for this event, even though she was keenly aware of the challenges of the event and its dimensions” Jermaine stated. “However, Michael originally wanted to start his comeback in London. After visiting London earlier this week, I think it is only fitting that we stage THE TRIBUTE there”, Mr. Jackson added.

An additional reason for moving to London are the bizarre press reports filling virtually all the Austrian media regarding the event. Jermaine Jackson: “How artists who have won 10 Grammy Awards and sold millions of records around the world, and are able to sell out large stadiums are are termed “B-list artists”, made fun of and generally disrespected, is something I just cannot understand. If these artists are not welcome in Vienna, London is more than happy to have them”.

The promotional value that the City of Vienna has had, but now will lose is massive. According to the media evaluation of one of Britain’s leading PR agency, Taylor Herring, the worldwide media coverage for THE TRIBUTE press conference in London last Wednesday was virtually unparalleled, with over 1 billion contacts – exactly 1,118,217,556. The TV coverage of THE TRIBUTE reached over 272,118,000 people and included reports on CNN, BBC News, Channel 4 News, ITV News and Reuters Television. The online coverage was no less impressive with 824,958,673 Unique Users, including BBC News Online, CBS News, The Sun Online, MSN, AOL video, CNN video and the Guardian.co.uk. 21,140,883 Print media readers were reached by reports on THE TRIBUTE in Great Britain, including all leading periodicals such as The Sun, Daily Star and the Evening Standard, with stories on the concert in Vienna. They were virtually positive in tone. Standard, with stories on the concert in Vienna. Virtually all were positive in tone.
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Jermaine Jackson - Why The Event Will Be In London !!
Dear fans, ladies and gentlemen,
The past few months have been a very difficult time for the Jackson family. The sudden, unexpected death of my brother Michael was not only a terrible shock for his closest relatives, but for his millions of fans around the world. I, and everyone in Michael’s family, will be forever grateful for the support and love that we have received from so many people during these past two-and-a-half months.

After the Memorial Service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles it was clear to me that many fans did not get the opportunity to properly say goodbye to the artist and wonderful human being, Michael Jackson. More than two million people wanted to be part of the ceremonies in Los Angeles to say goodbye and celebrate the life of Michael Jackson, but only approximately 20,000 had the opportunity to do so at the Staples Center. For this reason I knew I had to organize a tribute concert in honor of my brother in order to bring his unforgettable music to life once again and to show the world what a wonderful human being it has lost.

A little more than five weeks ago I began, together with my partners in Vienna, to work on the Tribute Concert. As you can imagine staging a show of this monumental dimension in less than eight weeks is a daunting challenge. We have worked virtually around the clock to produce this show for the millions of fans around the world. Despite all the obstacles we succeeded in organizing the entire production of a concert in front of beautiful Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna to insure that a show of international magnitude could be held.

I personally have spoken to many international artists and invited them to attend THE TRIBUTE and perform one of Michael’s songs. Several leading artists immediately agreed to participate in this unique tribute show. Many others told me personally that it would be a great honor to be part of this memorial concert for my late brother – an artist who influenced the music world like virtually no other. However, due to the short time frame involved it just was not possible for many of them to change their schedule so that they could be on stage in Vienna on September 26th.

We have therefore decided, after careful consideration, to reschedule THE TRIBUTE concert for my brother to June 2010 and to stage this very special music event in London. Here, over 70,000 fans will have the opportunity to experience the life and music of my beloved late brother. We will hold the concert in the city that he himself chose for his comeback concerts but, due to his tragic death, he was not able to do.

Instead of eight weeks we now have eight months to prepare and some of the stars who would not have been able to participate in the Vienna concert, but expressed their wish to participate in this event, will be able to perform live on stage in London in June 2010.

It would make me very happy so see as many of you as possible at THE TRIBUTE In Memory of Michael Jackson in London. It will be a memorable evening for millions of fans and a worthy and dignified celebration of the greatest entertainer who ever lived – my brother, Michael Jackson.

Sincerely yours
Jermaine Jackson
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Ticket sales for THE TRIBUTE in London will begin shortly after a final date has been set, but no later than December 1, 2009. Prices will start at 44 GBP
(approx. 50 Euro).

Jermaine's Tears Show Strain On Grieving Jackson Family


LONDON — Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine broke down in tears Wednesday as he described how difficult it was for his family to keep the late superstar's legacy alive while grieving their loss.

In London to promote a Michael Jackson tribute concert he is staging in Vienna on September 26, elder brother Jermaine wiped tears from his eyes as he reflected on the strains upon the family.

"We haven't had our time yet. We're trying to find our time to just be a family, pick up the pieces and move on," he told reporters at Kensington Palace.

"At the same time we realise that Michael just didn't belong to us any more, he belonged to the world and we have to continue to -- to give the world what they want. It's very tough," the 54-year-old said, breaking down.

"I'm just sad that I've lost a wonderful brother who was very, very dear to myself. I'm still mourning, still trying to find closure myself."

Jackson announced that Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly and Maroon 5 were trying to make it to the tribute concert at Schoenbrunn Palace, with some 65,000 fans set to attend. The show will be televised.

He also said he would be performing a duet with the voice of his late brother.

"We're going to save it for a surprise. We don't want to reveal how it's done," he said.

"Michael will return to us for one song. It will be a magic moment for all who loved his music."

He also hinted that other members of the Jackson family may take to the stage.

"I've invited all of them and you never know, once the music hits then they will probably come up there and do what they know how to do," he said.

Among the stars already announced on the bill are Mary J. Blige, Akon, Chris Brown, Natalie Cole, actress Angela Bassett and boy band US5.

Organisers said Brown would only be able to perform if a judge gives him permission to leave the United States.

The singer was sentenced last month to five years of probation and 180 days of community service for his February assault on his former girlfriend, Barbadian pop star Rihanna.

"People make mistakes but he's a wonderful performer and during these times, people need support," Jackson said of Brown.

Stressing that his brother was adored around the world, Jackson said Bollywood stars Adnan Sami, Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan, plus Lebanese singer and beauty queen Haifa Wehbe, would be appearing.

"There was a question of doing it at the Lincoln Memorial in (Washington) D.C. but we felt that Europe would be the best place," he added.

Michael Jackson died on June 25 aged 50 at his home in Los Angeles. Inquiries into the cause of his death are continuing.

Jermaine Jackson said he could not comment on the investigation but stressed that if any "foul play" was involved "it will be dealt with accordingly".