'Legacy is the biggest façade': Award-winning Indian singer Sonu Nigam

In an era where songs rise and fall at the speed of a trending reel, there are few voices that stand the test of time, and Sonu Nigam’s is most definitely one of them. With 782 credits under the music department on IMDb, his is a name that transcends generations. From Kal Ho Naa Ho to his most recent remix of Bijuriya, Nigam’s songs are felt and sung word for word by fans across decades. And on December 27, the singer is all set to shake up the Dubai stage once again — this time, as a heartfelt tribute to one of India’s greatest musical legends, Mohammed Rafi.

For the special concert, Nigam will dedicate the evening to his idol and mentor with a three-hour set featuring over 50 of Rafi’s timeless classics. For the singer, who grew up worshipping Rafi’s music, the show is a spiritual homage to the man whose voice shaped generations and continues to define the very soul of Indian music.

Photo: Shihab/KT

During his recent Dubai visit, Nigam sat down with Khaleej Times to reflect on Rafi’s influence on his music trajectory, the discipline it takes to find and keep success, and the enduring magic of music that refuses to fade with time.

Edited excerpts from an interview:

What keeps you coming back to Dubai?

I believe in destiny, and I truly feel I have a karmic connection with Dubai. I first came here in 1994, and so much has changed over the years — decades, actually. There’s also a huge diaspora here that genuinely loves our music. You naturally gravitate towards places where you feel loved, right? The people here are real music aficionados. They appreciate good music, be it old or new. The city’s spirit is also so festive, and that’s why I feel my destiny keeps pulling me back to Dubai.

Have you been keeping track of the changing arts and culture scene here? Do you jam with Arab artistes?

Yeah, it’s booming now, especially in the last few years. I would love to someday, but I haven’t made an effort towards it yet. I’m hoping that someday something good comes my way. But till then, I’m really, really caught up with my work. God has been very kind to me.

Photo: Instagram/@sonunigamofficial

Speaking of the old and the new, you’ve had a string of hits recently like Bijuriya and Pardesiya. Every mainstream Hindi song we hear seems to be yours! How are you responding to this phase?

I’m just absolutely grateful because success can mean so many different things at different stages of your life. When I first tasted success at 19, back in 1992–93, it was all so new to me — I was just a child then. I literally grew up in this industry, and as a human being, I’ve learned so much along the way. At this stage in my life, all I feel is gratitude. Every morning, I wake up and thank God, because I never imagined I’d last this long. I’ve been performing on stage for 48 years now and I never take that for granted. I work hard on my craft and throughout the day, I’m just thanking God and the Universe.

Your song Bijuriya became a hit back in 1999 and now it’s been remixed for a film. How do you feel about these remixes, especially when it’s your own song being redone by you?

Actually, everything has its own timing. Me and Azeem Dayani, who’s a music curator for Dharma Productions, were sitting at my place and talking about something very emotional, we both were crying together! So, just to make things lighter, I told him, “You know, you must do something with Bijuriya.” And he said, “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about this!”

At the same time, Varun Dhawan claims he thought of the idea too. He said, “I was thinking the same thing. I’ve always loved Bijuriya. Back in school, I used to dance between classes and show your steps to my friends!” So I think things fell into place organically. Something that I made for myself in 1999 is now for the world. It was my pop album back then; now it’s for a film. And a whole new generation is also responding and loving it equally.

Many people feel nostalgic about old Bollywood music, the 1990s, early 2000s. What do you think is missing today?

See, I’ll tell you something that people don’t often address, we all feel attached to the music we heard when we were teenagers or in our 20s. Today’s teenagers will feel the same nostalgia 20 years from now. No music is good or bad, superior or inferior. Good, bad, and average music has existed in all times.

We just have to be open-minded — respect the past, accept the present, and welcome the future. Definitely, people like Mohammed Rafi saab were pioneers. They set such high standards that they became our guardian angels. But at the same time, God has created everyone with some uniqueness. We have to look for that and appreciate it.

Speaking of the icon Mohammed Rafi, what’s your earliest memory of his music?

Rafi saab happened to me just like my parents did, I never decided one day that I’d call my father “Dad” or my mother “Mom”. It just happened seamlessly. My parents had a deep love for music. My mother was a beautiful singer too, with a great musical sense. Rafi saab was deeply respected in our family, he was placed on a very high pedestal. So, the respect for him came organically. The first song I ever sang on stage was Kya Hua Tera Wada in 1977. I was four.

Mohammed Rafi

I don’t just call Rafi saab my guru. He’s my peer, my saint, the one I’ve worshipped throughout my life. I must have sung about 6,000 songs by now, I’ve got 21 songbooks, each with 250–300 pages. Not a single song I’ve sung without remembering him. There cannot be a single track in my life that I’ve sung on a mic without remembering him. That’s what he means to me.

You’ve also said music is equally about adapting to what’s to come. You’re on Instagram reels, making trending videos. Is that your way to balance the old with the new?

Truly, I don’t do too much. In fact, my phone doesn’t even have Instagram or Facebook — I give it to my office. My reel with Varun Dhawan went viral, yes, but they came to me and said, “We’ll make a reel, do whatever you feel like”. I don’t plan these things; there are people with better brains than me for that. I invest my time in my practice and fitness.

People send me only relevant information I need. I don’t want to know what everyone else is doing because then I’ll stop doing what I have to. I have to focus on my game, not on other people’s games.

When I came to Bombay in 1991 — it was Bombay then — I stopped watching cricket. Before that, I used to watch all the matches, but after I moved, I decided, I don’t want to watch other people’s games; I want to focus on my own. If I spend time watching theirs, I’ll end up wasting eight hours that I could use to practise. So, even today, I just watch my own game.

That’s a powerful philosophy. You’ve had such a long journey, you mentioned 48 years on stage. What do you look forward to now as an artist?

God has given me so much. I’d be a thankless person to keep asking for more. I’d rather focus on my wellbeing, my mental balance, and my riyaz. I do a lot of riyaz because I’m not a formally trained singer — I didn’t learn music from childhood, I’m learning even now.

I also make sure I stay fit because my concerts are high-energy. So, I make sure I do my weight training and stamina work. Riyaz is my duty. God has given me the gift of music, so it’s my duty to respect it. I know there’ll be a time when age will catch up, but till then, I’ll work hard to delay that decline.

Do you ever think about your legacy?

Legacy is the biggest façade. People work so hard for their legacy that they forget to live in the present. What good is a legacy if my present is unhappy or too busy to enjoy life?

Look at Rafi saab, Kishore Kumar ji, Lata ji — their work will live for hundreds of years, but does that matter to them now? What matters is whether they were happy while creating that work. Sonu Nigam shouldn’t worry about legacy, Sonu Nigam should be happy today. Who cares if people remember me tomorrow or not? My responsibility is to lead a healthy, balanced, positive life. I don’t want to go crazy chasing money, fame, or material things. I don’t even wear fancy watches. I’m rich if I’m happy.

Lastly, you’ll be performing in Dubai on December 27. What can fans expect?

So much hard work is going into this show. I wish I could stay back longer in Dubai but I’ll have to leave immediately because I’m doing something very special for this show. I’ve thought of something, which is very overwhelming but I can’t reveal it yet. I don’t know what my emotional state will be on stage; I might cry because Rafi saab is not just my guru, he’s my emotion. So yes, I might cry on stage doing that little thing I’ve planned. 

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