Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik | |
---|---|
![]() Yagnik in 2023 | |
Born | Kolkata,West Bengal,India | 20 March 1966
Occupation | Playback singer |
Spouse |
Neeraj Kapoor (m.1989) |
Children | 1 |
Awards | Full list |
Musical career | |
Genres | Filmi |
Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 1980–present |
Alka Yagnik(born 20 March 1966) is anIndianplayback singerwho works predominantly inHindi cinema.One of the most prominent singers of 90s eraBollywood,she has receivedseveral accolades,including twoNational Film Awards,twoBengal Film Journalists' Association Awardsand a record sevenFilmfare AwardsforBest Female Playback Singer[note 1]from a record of thirty-six nominations.
Yagnik is one of the most prolific female playback singers and artists, and has sung a large number of female solos in her Bollywood career.[1]In her career spanning over four decades she has sung songs for more than thousand films and recorded over 22 thousand songs in over 25 different languages.[2][3]Twenty of her tracks feature inBBC's list of top forty Bollywood soundtracks of all-time.[4]She is ranked No.1 on theYouTube's Music Charts & Insights list of top global artists as of June 2024. She has been on the chart for years, with around 360-400 million views per week, around 18 billion views per year, an all-time unmatched record.[5]
Yagnik has been recognised as the most streamed artist in the world byGuinness World Recordswith 15.3 billion YouTube views in 2022, with which some 12.3 billion or 80% are registered users from India, she is also the most listened to artist in Pakistan garnering 683 million views. The record book further reported that, "Kolkata-born Yagnik, 56, has been the most popular artist on the platform for the past three years, with 17 billion streams in 2021 and 16.6 billion in 2020."[6] She has sung several Pakistani and Nepali songs.She sang for slumdog millionaire, elephant whispers(french album), collaborated with kaveesh the band.An Arabic remake of her song dilbar was made. American rapper Armani white worked in the remake of baazigar twice. Her song Chamma chamma was used in moulin rouge.Her songs such as choli ke peeche,Eli re eli, tujhe yaad na meri aayi,sapne saajan ke and many more have Been used as samples for several Pakistani and western songs.
Early life
[edit]Yagnik was born inKolkataon 20 March 1966 to aGujaratifamily.[7]Her father's name is Dharmendra Shankar.[8][9]Her mother Shubha was a singer ofIndian classical music.In 1972 at age six, she started singing for Akashvani (All India Radio), Calcutta.[7][10]At age 10, her mother brought her toMumbaias a child singer. She was advised to wait until her voice matured, but her mother remained determined. On a subsequent visit, Yagnik got a letter of introduction toRaj Kapoorfrom his Kolkata distributor. Kapoor heard the girl and sent her with a letter to noted music directorLaxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar.Impressed, Laxmikant gave her two alternatives – an immediate start as a dubbing artist or a later break as a singer; Shubha chose the latter for her daughter.[2][11]Yagnik mentioned that she was a bright student but didn't like studies.[8]
Career
[edit]Trained in the classical style, Yagnik began singingBhajansfor Akashvani (All India Radio), Calcutta[10]at the age of six. Her first song was for the filmPayal Ki Jhankaarin (1980). This was followed byLaawaris(1981) with the song "Mere Angane Mein", followed by the filmHamari Bahu Alka(1982). She got her big break with the song "Ek Do Teen" from the filmTezaab(1988). She has said that she had a high fever on the day she recorded "Ek Do Teen".The song won her the first out of sevenFilmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer.[12]In addition toHindi,she has sung in more than twenty-five languages, includingAssamese,Bengali,Gujarati,Malayalam,Marathi,Manipuri,Odia,Punjabi,Bhojpuri,TamilandTelugu,[13]besides singing 15 Pakistani songs.[14]She has also performed in live concerts around the world. In an interview withMid-Day,Yagnik told that she records five songs daily during her time.[15]
In 1993, Yagnik sang a seductive song "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai"withIla Arun.The song created controversy because of the lyrics written byAnand Bakshi.She got a second Filmfare award for the song, which she shared with Ila Arun.[16]
In 1994, she sang another seductive song "Din Mein Leti Hai" from the filmAmaanatwith co-singerKumar Sanuand Ila Arun, composed byBappi Lahiriand lyrics by Anwar Sagar.[17]Besides the duet version, she also sang the female version of the song with Ila Arun.[18]She has performed several shows with Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal.[15]
Throughout the 90s Yagnik andKavita Krishnamurthywere singing most of the songs for heroines.[19]
Yagnik worked on private albums like "Tum Yaad Aaye" in 1997 in close collaboration with award-winning lyricistJaved Akhtarand composerRaju Singh,"Tum Aaye" in 2002 with Javed Akhtar and singerHariharanand "Shairana" in 2003 with Javed Akhtar and singer-composerShankar Mahadevan.She has also performed the Hanuman Chalisa and various devotional songs. Her song "Chamma Chamma"fromChina Gatewas featured in the song "Hindi Sad Diamonds" from the soundtrack of the filmMoulin Rouge!.[20]
In 2012, she along withSonu Nigamsang a song 'Shiksha Ka Suraj' as part of the National Literacy Mission of India for which she was felicitated by Union Minister For Human Resource DevelopmentKapil Sibal.[21][22]Also in 2012, on the occasion of 100 years of Hindi Cinema, her song "Taal Se Taal Mila" from the movieTaalwas voted as the best song of the century in a poll conducted by DesiMartini, Hindustan Times and Fever 104.[23]Also, her song "Choli Ke Peeche" from the movieKhalnayakwas voted as the hottest song of the century in a poll conducted by Sanona.[24]
Yagnik has also been involved in various projects to empower girls.[25]In 2014, Yagnik again teamed up with Sonu Nigam to sing the song "Phool Khil Jayenge" for child health awareness.[26]She also sang a song titled "Maine Li Jo Angdai" for the albumWomen's Day Special: Spreading Melodies Everywhere.It was composed by Farid Sabri, Harish Chauhan, and Gurudatt Sahil; and penned by Sudhakar Sharma.
In 2015, she sang 'Agar Tum Saath Ho'; she explained that the music director of the song, A.R. Rahman, wasn't present in the studio but gave her instructions on aSkypevideo call and told her she should sing the song her own way.[27]
Yagnik shares the title for the greatest number ofFilmfare Awardswith Asha Bhosle (seven) by a female playback singer.[28]She has sung 2,486 Hindi songs in 1,114 films. She is the fifth most prolific Bollywood singer of all time after Asha Bhosle (7886 songs),Mohammed Rafi(7405 songs),[29]Lata Mangeshkar (5596 songs) andKishore Kumar(2,707 songs).[citation needed]She is the third topmost female playback singer after Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle who has sung the maximum number of female solos in her Bollywood career.[1]
Artistry
[edit]Yagnik credits her mother as her first guru, who began singing at the age of four.[12]Besides her mother, Alka learned singing fromKalyanji-AnandjiandLaxmikant–Pyarelal.[30]Although she has sung many genres of songs but according to Alka, her voice suits the romantic genre best.[31]Alka has acknowledged veteran singerLata Mangeshkaras her inspiration,[31]She has sung romantic, sad, peppy, seductive and item number songs.[18][32] She started singing at the age of 4 Most of her duets were with Kumar Sanu, followed byUdit Narayanand Sonu Nigam.[33]She sang maximum numbers of romantic songs with Kumar Sanu and flamboyant numbers of songs with Udit Narayan[33]and she is known with Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan, as the trinity of 90s playback singing.[34]
In the media
[edit]Yagnik is cited as "the queen of playback singing".[33]On Mother's Day 12 May 2019, Alka became the most-streamed Indian artist-mom onSpotify.[35]The Times of Indiacited her as 'honey-voiced singer'.[36]Hindustan Timesmentioned her as "magical voice".[37]Mid-Dayincluded her in the list of notable 90s playback singers.[38]One of the most well known and leading contemporary singerSunidhi Chauhanonce said that she can't even dream of getting where Lataji, Ashaji and Alkaji (Alka Yagnik) have reached.[39]
Personal life
[edit]Yagnik marriedShillong-based businessman Neeraj Kapoor in 1989, with whom she has a daughter named Syesha.[40]
She lost her hearing ability in 2024.[41]
Discography
[edit]Filmography
[edit]Besides singing, Yagnik also judged several singing reality shows on television.[42]
Year | Name | Notes | Channel | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | Sapne Sajan Ke | Yagnik also appeared in film Sapne Sajan Ke in a song 'Yeh Dua Hai Meri' with co-singerKumar Sanu. | — | — |
2006 | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs | She made her first television debut with the show. | Zee TV | [42] |
2014 | Comedy Nights with Kapil | On 25 May 2014 she appeared as a special guest along withKumar Sanufor the popular TV show Comedy Nights with Kapil. | Colors TV | [43] |
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs | She had done Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs as a judge in first Season and fifth Season as a Maha Guru (also in previous 2 seasons). | Zee TV | [44] | |
2016 | Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! | In November 2016, she appeared in a Hindi comedy serial Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! withKumar Sanuin a special one hour episode. | &TV | [45] |
2017 | Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai | Yagnik also appeared as a guest in Hindi serial 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' | STAR Plus | [46] |
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs | She came with her co-singerUdit Narayanand sung many duets songs of 90s era. | Zee TV | [47] | |
2018 | Rising Star | She appears as a guest and gave a special tribute to late actressSridevi | Colors | [48] |
Indian Idol | She appeared in 10th season of Indian Idol with co-singerKumar Sanu. | Sony Entertainment Television | [49] | |
2019 | The Kapil Sharma Show | She appeared in The Kapil Sharma Show with other two judges for the promotion of her show 'Superstar Singer'. | [50] | |
Superstar Singer | In 2019, she appeared in Superstar Singer as a Judge inSony TV. | [51] | ||
2020 | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs | Besides Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu appeared as judges after 30 years. | Zee TV | [52] |
She also appeared inStar Voice of Indiaas a judge.[7]She appears as a guest with Udit Narayan in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs.[53]
Awards and nominations
[edit]Yagnik has won several accolades including twoNational Film Award for Best Female Playback Singerfor her songs: "Ghoongat Ki Aad Se" fromHum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke(1993)[54]and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" fromKuch Kuch Hota Hai(1998).[55]She has won a record sevenFilmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer[note 2]for her songs: "Ek Do Teen"fromTezaab(1988),[56]"Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai"fromKhalnayak(1993),[57]"Zara Tasveer Se Tu" fromPardes(1998),[58]"Taal Se Taal" fromTaal(2000),[59]"Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se" fromDhadkan(2001), "O Re Chhori" fromLagaan(2002) and "Hum Tum" fromHum Tum(2005) from a record thirty-eight nominations.[60]Additionally she has won twoBengal Film Journalists' Association Awards.For her contribution in the field of music, Yagnik was bestowed with theLata Mangeshkar Awardin 2019.[61]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^Tied withAsha Bhosle.
- ^Tied withAsha Bhosle.
References
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External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1966 births
- Living people
- Gujarati people
- Bengali singers
- Singers from Kolkata
- Bollywood playback singers
- Assamese playback singers
- Bengali-language singers
- Malayalam playback singers
- Marathi-language singers
- Punjabi-language singers
- Tamil-language singers
- Telugu playback singers
- Urdu playback singers
- Women musicians from West Bengal
- 21st-century Indian singers
- 20th-century Indian singers
- 20th-century Indian women singers
- 21st-century Indian women singers
- Filmfare Awards winners
- Screen Awards winners
- Zee Cine Awards winners
- Best Female Playback Singer National Film Award winners
- International Indian Film Academy Awards winners