| 2006 was a good year both when it came to movies being successful and music across different genres being popular. There were some singers who came up number of hit tracks. On the other hand there were some who just a song apiece to their credit which were good enough to place these singers on a pedestal. In the end, there were some very good popular/critically acclaimed number that were enjoyed by lovers of Hindi music across the globe!
1. Himesh Reshammiya
He was the SINGER OF THE NATION in 2005! And he carried on the good luck and great support from his fans even into 2006. In the way he got as many brickbats as bouquets, as many fan mails as hate emails, as many good press as not-so-good, but the songs sung by him still managed to grace the top of the charts on a regular note. Some of his many big hits like 'Aashique Ye Meri' [36 China Town], 'Zara Jhoom Jhoom' [Tom Dick and Harry], 'Ae Meri Zohrajabeen' [Phir Hera Pheri], 'Humko Deewana Kar Gaye' [Humko Deewana Kar Gaye], 'Aap Ki Khatir' [Aap Ki Khatir], 'Ahista Ahista', 'Allah Kare' [Ahista Ahista], 'Junoon Junoon' [Rocky- The Rebel] and many more are ample examples of that! Himesh Reshammiya may have put his foot in mouth on an occasion more than one but one hopes that doesn't deter his focus from delivering another dozen odd mass appealing numbers in the New Year!
2. Sonu Nigam
Quality took over quantity for Sonu Nigam in 2006. Though Himesh Reshammiya was clearly on a roll an entire year with stiff competition from KK, Kunal Ganjawala and Shaan, Sonu Nigam still managed to come up with the title song of 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' which is undoubtedly the best sung song of the year. The pain, anguish and helplessness of a couple in love was brought out so well in the track that it was placed at the beginning of the album in spite of a sad theme. Sonu clearly seemed to excel in sad-n-soft songs in the year gone by as he reserved some of his best work for Anu Malik's 'Jaan-E-Mann'. Hear 'Saud Dard Hai' and 'Ajnabi Shehar Hai' and you would know why!
3. KK
If you can't make out who is the singer for a particular song, chances are more than 99% that it is going to be KK! A man who has come a long way since his debut years back, he brings with him sheer variety in each of the songs he sings which makes his voice highly unique and different every time it is heard. He is the one who can sing 'Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai' [Woh Lamhe] with as much aplomb as 'Bas Ek Pal' [Bas Ek Pal]. Also, he seems to be high UP there when it comes to singing for films coming from the Bhatt camp. Isn't that the reason why 'Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai' [Gangster] and 'Teri Yaadon Mein' [The Killer] are enjoyed even today when months have passed since they were heard first?
4. Atif Aslam
Just one song in 2006 brings Atif Aslam in the Top-5 singers of the year. In the years before, his 'Woh Lamhe' [Zeher] and 'Aadat' [Kalyug] had been immensely successful. But the number that made him a household name in the second half of 2006 was 'Tere Bin', a song from a small film called 'Bas Ek Pal' that went on to do big business when it came to music! A perfect song that deserves 10/10 in all departments, be it rendition, lyrics or music, it catapulted Atif to such a high position in the world of music that everything that he does now would be looked at keenly. Now that's what one calls after-effects of fame!
5. Zubeen Garg
Unlike Atif Aslam, Zubeen Garg was heard in more than just a solitary song but his 'Ya Ali' [Gangster] has been his most critically and commercially acclaimed song of the year! Zubeen has been struggling for years when it comes to Bollywood playback singing but 'Ya Ali' has been his ticket to the big league. Watch out for Zubeen as this classically trained singer has a lot more colors to show than just 'sufi-rock' rendition!
6. James
Thank you Bhatts. And thank you Anurag Basu and Pritam. Because if not for you all, music lovers may not have got an opportunity to hear the voice of a singer who belonged all the way to Bangladesh. One thought that 'Bheegi Bheegi' [Gangster] was the only kind of song that James could sing since he excelled in this painful rock rendition. But lo! Soon came 'Chal Chale' [Woh Lamhe] and realization struck that he had so much more to offer. If 'Bheegi Bheegi' was plain sorrow, 'Chal Chale' was akin to a walk in the clouds!
7. Kailash Kher
When Kailash Kher sung, the nation danced! And together we all said - 'Chak De Phatte'! The song was such a huge hit that it made everyone aware about a small little film called 'Khosla Ka Ghosla'. Smart strategy applied by UTV to promote the number extensively with a music video woven around it made 'Chak De Phatte' a famous song in campus fests, discs, pubs, marriages and other festive processions alike! A winner track!
8. Shafqat Amanat Ali/Shankar Mahadevan
Together they sung 'Mitwa' and Shafqat Amanat Ali & Shankar Mahadevan were soon a pair! The two singers brought a kind of variety that was required for this thoughtful sufi/rock/Indian classical fusion number. A superhit track that is gracing numerous year-end compilation albums of 2006, 'Mitwa' makes sure that 'Love Will Find A Way'! Shafqat also had the soulful rendition of 'Yeh Honsla' from 'Dor to his credit which he sung with Salim Merchant that made an interesting theme song for the movie.
9. Shaan
Shaan may have sung a dozen odd good songs this year but the one that stood out was 'Chand Sifarish' [Fanaa]. This was the song that made his voice almost unrecognizable as came up with a rendition that was quite different from what one identifies him with. A chartbuster of the year, it may well have introduced Shaan as Aamir Khan's new voice!
10. Kunal Ganjawala
2006 may not have been an year where Kunal Ganjawala enjoyed a 'Bheege Honth Tere' [Murder], but he did have to his credit some beautiful melodies that unfortunately weren't as successful as they deserved. Otherwise how can one explain a brilliant song like 'Tumse Yun Milenge' [Ankahee] going highly unnoticed while 'Tum Jo Mile' [Ahista Ahista] forced to abort its way up in the charts due to a premature end of the film at the box office. One hopes Kunal enjoys a much better 2007! AND NOW THE FEMALE SINGERS | When new female singers announced their arrival in 2006 | By Joginder Tuteja, January 3, 2007 - 09:06 IST
| When it came to females crooning Bollywood numbers in 2006, it was clearly a case of newcomers knocking hard on the doors of big league. While 'seniors' like Alka Yagnik, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal were sitting firmly at the top, relative new entrants like Tulsi Kumar, Anushka, Kavita Seth, Shilpa Rao and Nihira showed that they too had in them to make their presence felt in this industry that had opportunities for one and all. Result? A happy music lover who got to hear variety of voices and songs!
1. Sunidhi Chauhan
Sunidhi Chauhan enjoyed a BIG BANG in entire 2006 as she delivered one quality song after another on a consistent note. Some became highly popular while some didn't but the young lady proved that she had it in her to take on the mightiest of challenge by singing sheer variety of songs. So what if she feels shy of her 'Ye Mera Dil' [Don] in spite of it being a hit, she has an original super-duper 'masala' song of the year in the form of 'Beedi' [Omkara] to her credit. In the same vein she also has some superb sentimental songs like 'Dheemey Dheemey' [Bas Ek Pal], 'Humko Chhoone Paas Aayiye' [Zindaggi Rocks] and 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota' [Yun Hota To Kya Hota] which met with varied degrees of success but were high on quality quotient nonetheless. Sunidhi truly rules from the top!
2. Shreya Ghoshal
It's a heartening sight to see yet another young female singer taking such big strides in the Bollywood playback singing scene. Her journey to the top has followed almost similar pattern as that of Sunidhi Chauhan. In quick time, she has caught fancy of top composers and boasts of beautiful songs like 'Pal Pal' [Lage Raho Munnabhai], 'Barso Re' [Guru], 'Jaaneman' [Aryan] and 'Aa Paas Aa' [Ankahee], each of which comes with different shades.
3. Alka Yagnik
Class was apparent yet again as veteran Alka Yagnik got all her years of experience into force as the voice of 'Umrao Jaan'! She was flawless in 'Salaam', 'Pehle Pehle' and 'Jhute Ilzam' which were some of the best sung but sadly ignored songs from this Anu Malik soundtrack. Still, she had a big song to her credit as the title song for 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' which turned out to be chart topper.
4. Alisha Chinoy/Mahalaxmi Iyer
Together, the duo of Alisha Chinoy & Mahalaxmi Iyer got the night on fire with an erotic-n-thrilling 'Aaj Ki Raat'! Sensuality hadn't been brought to fore in such sheer magnificence as was in the case of this lounge number from 'Don'. She may have been on the music scene for decades now but Alisha Chinoy continues to rule when it comes to songs with sensual undertones. This was evident when she crooned for 20 something Sophia Chaudhary, a highly erotic song - 'Bad Boy' [Pyaar Ke Side Effects].
5. Anushka Manchanda
Wanna have some fun and hit the dance floor? Or you just want to have some great time with babes on the beach? Then hop on to the hip-hop number 'Golmaal' [Golmaal] that was sung with aplomb by VIVA singer Anushka Manchanda! A Hinglish song that was rendered seamlessly by young Anushka, it became hit around the time the film released but went on to be chartbuster as months passed by. Today, it is one of the most enjoyed urban songs due to its funky rhythm and an excellent rendition. Then came 'Zindaggi Rocks' which lent Sushmita Sen a true blue rock star image thanks to Anushka's lively rendition of the title track. Anushka rocks in the song!
6. Tulsi Kumar
She may as well be yet another singer to make news in the New Year. First to come was Anu Malik's title song version of 'Humko Deewana Kar Gaye' which was all sugar-n-saccharine in true Bollywood ishtyle! She came across as a very good singer for someone who had just started her playback career a few months back. Later when Himesh Reshammiya version of the title song came [a bigger hit], she even featured in its music video and soon became a household name. 'Sarfaroshi' [Tom Dick and Harry] was yet another popular number to her credit in a few weeks time and it started becoming clearer that Tulsi Kumar would certainly be enjoying a good run in Bollywood.
7. Rekha Bharadwaj
She just had one song in the year and she was superlative in her rendition. Rekha Bharadwaj who has sung exclusively only for her husband till date (musician-filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj), sang 'Namak Issak Ka' in 'Omkara'. Think of an item number and Sunidhi Chauhan strikes your mind. But Rekha redefined item singing in Bollywood with her intentional rustic rendition of the song, perfectly justifying the setting and ambience of the film. Though the song was not as popular as the other item number in the film (Beedi Jalaile), it was an aural delight and a rare gem in its own way. Rekha perfected the avadhi dialect and got all the nuances correct. Her vocals just made Bipasha Basu all the more sensual in the item song.
8. Kavita Seth
In spite of being situational, 'Mujhe Mat Roko' made such a stunning impact in the Gangster that one went back to the album to check it out again. The name Kavita Seth flashed and one knew that it marked the arrival of a talented singer who could do wonders if tried in different genres. A song set in the film's climax that could move any viewer/listener into tears, 'Mujhe Mat Roko' was a cry into the arms of someone you love! Not many might be aware that Kavita made her debut in 2005 with a less-known but extremely well-sung and mesmerizing song 'Maula' in Vaada.
9. Shilpa Rao
Just like Kavita Seth, Shipa Rao too made a powerful impact in Bollywood on the basis of a solitary number. 'Tose Naina Lage' from 'Anwar' has been her claim to fame and composer Mithoon promises that this classically trained singer can come up with a Western pop number with as much aplomb as a melody fused in Indian classical music. Watch out for her in 2007!
10. Nihira
Nihira is the third relative newcomer after Kavita and Shilpa to have made composers sit up and take notice of her talent in the year gone by. In a star studded affair called 'Salaam-E-Ishq', she got an opportunity to sing a duet with Shaan, 'Mera Dil', and made quite an impression in this peppy melodious song. Unlike Kavita and Shilpa, she may not have had to prove her mettle with classical based songs but a popular number like 'Mera Dil' means she has arrived in the big league | SOURCE:INDIAFM |
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