Indian music industry’s controversy kid, Mika Singh was born as Amrik Singh in Durgapur, West Bengal to Ajmer Singh Chandan, a trained classical singer and Balbir Kaur, a Punjabi folk singer. He is the youngest of six Mehndi brothers, of whom Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi is the oldest. Music was always a part of his formative years and he began playing the harmonium at twelve and the guitar at fourteen.
He began by singing kirtans and Gurbani and released his first solo song “Sawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag” in 1998. The song was well received, which gave young Mika the confidence as a singer, though he turned to his roots as a bhangra pop singer, following his older brother Daler Mehndi’s footsteps. He released albums like “Dunali” (2004), “Ishq Brandy” (2005) and “Something Something” (2006). This was also the time when Mika, like other well known pop singers, turned their attention towards the Hindi film music scene.
One of his first songs was “Dil Mein Baji Guitar” (“Apna Sapna Money Money”, 2006). Though the music style employed in the song wasn’t what he was used to, it turned into a surprise hit. Another rather popular, non-Punjabi style song sung by him was “Ae Ganpat” (Shootout At Lokhandwala”, 2007). With “Mauja Hi Mauja” (“Jab We Met”, 2007), Mika returned to Punabi folk music, which he feels most comfortable singing. “Singh Is Kinng” (“Singh Is Kinng”, 2008), “Talli Ho Gayi” (“Ugly Aur Pagli”, 2008), “Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye” (“Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye”, 2008) and “Hadippa” (“Dil Bole Hadippa”, 2009) are some of the other film songs he is known for. In 2010, he acted and sung in a Punjabi film “Mitti” (2009), which speaks of how the youth is the force that will drive the nation, especially Punjab, forward. The latest Hindi movie he sung for is “Mausam” (2011).
Less..
