When Sonu Nigam said, 'AR Rahman is NOT a great singer’

Sonu Nigam and AR Rahman

Sonu Nigam once opened up about his long-standing professional equation with composer-singer AR Rahman. He offered a candid take on AR Rahman’s vocal abilities while celebrating his musical brilliance. Speaking to O2 India, Sonu called Rahman a “great composer” but clarified that he does not believe Rahman is a “great singer”. The statement had sparked a huge discussion among music lovers.

Sonu, who has collaborated with Rahman on several acclaimed tracks over the decades, explained that Rahman himself has never positioned his voice as his strongest asset. Speaking about the Oscar-winning composer, he said, "Obviously, he is not a very trained singer. The tone of his voice is very nice. He wouldn’t call himself a great singer, so what can we say? He knows his texture is very beautiful, but he has never claimed to be a great singer."

While asserting that technical training may not be Rahman’s core strength, Sonu emphasised that what truly matters is the ability to stay perfectly in tune. He added, "He is a great composer, so obviously, he is always in sur. The main thing is to be in sur. 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."

Sonu also recalled an interesting moment from the recording of the Jodhaa Akbar song Inn Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein. Demonstrating Rahman’s confidence in fellow artistes, Sonu said the composer once allowed him to create a portion of the track. According to him, lyricist Javed Akhtar had sent a few extra lines after Rahman had already completed the song’s composition. Rather than reworking the segment himself, Rahman asked Sonu how he would approach it musically.

Sonu shared, “He allowed me to compose that part.” When Rahman heard what Sonu came up with, he approved it instantly. “He must have tweaked a couple of things, but he allowed me to work on this portion… He is quite secure. He is not someone who will say that I have to do it,” the singer added.

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Together, Sonu Nigam and AR Rahman have delivered some of Indian cinema’s most iconic songs, including Satrangi Re (Dil Se), Ishq Bina (Taal), Guzarish (Ghajini), Chhoti Si Aasha (Roja), and Aayo Re Sakhi (Water).