Sonu Nigam on AR Rahman's singing: He is not a trained singer, his voice might not be great

Sonu Nigam and AR Rahman have enjoyed a remarkable partnership in the Indian music industry since the 1990s. Their collaboration spans nearly three decades, producing numerous hits that showcase their unique musical synergy. While Sonu is celebrated primarily as a singer, Rahman is renowned for his exceptional skills as a composer. Despite Rahman's contributions as a vocalist in popular tracks such as 'Khwaja Mere Khwaja', 'Tere Bina', and 'Rehna Tu', Sonu recently expressed some candid thoughts about Rahman's singing abilities.


In an interview with O2 India, Sonu Nigam stated that AR Rahman is “not a trained singer,” but he acknowledged the beauty of Rahman's voice. He remarked, “The tone of his voice is very nice,” and noted that Rahman himself would agree that he isn’t a great singer. Sonu elaborated on this by saying, “He knows his texture is very beautiful but he has never claimed to be a great singer. He is a great composer so obviously he is always in sur.” He emphasized the importance of being in tune, stating, “What is the point of a good voice texture if one is not in sur? His voice might not be great but he is always in sur because he is AR Rahman.”
Despite these comments about Rahman's vocal skills, Sonu also highlighted the composer’s generosity and creativity. He reminisced about an experience while working on the song 'Inn Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein' from the film 'Jodha Akbar'. Sonu shared that Rahman allowed him to compose a small segment of the song, which was a significant moment for him. “He allowed me to compose that part,” Sonu said proudly, recalling how he spontaneously created this section after Rahman asked how he would sing it. To Sonu's delight, Rahman appreciated his contribution and decided to keep it in the final version of the song.

Their collaboration began with the film 'Daud' in 1997, where Sonu was surprised by Rahman's approach to creativity. Unlike many composers of that time who provided strict directions, Rahman offered Sonu the freedom to express himself musically. This set the tone for their future projects, including iconic songs like 'Satrangi Re' from 'Dil Se' (1998) and the title track of 'Saathiya' (2002).