Aalap Raju (born 6 June 1979) is a playback singer and a bass guitar player[1] from Chennai, India. His rendition of "Enamo Aedho" from the movie Ko composed by Harris Jayaraj topped the music charts for several months in 2011 and won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – 2011. He has sung for music directors like Harris Jayaraj, Thaman, G.V Prakash, Deepak Dev, D.Imman, Sreekanth Deva and many more. His other noticeable songs include "Vaayamoodi Summa Iru Da" from Mugamoodi, "Engeyum Kadhal" from Engeyum Kadhal, "Endhan Kann Munnae" from Nanban, "Kadhal Oru Butterfly" and "Akila Akila" from Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, Anjana Anjana from Vandhan Vendran, Kuthu Kuthu from Ayyanar, "Nenjodu Cherthu" from Yuvvh, "Theeyae Theeyae" from Maattrraan, "Jal Jal Osai" from Manam Kothi Paravai, and "Maya Bazaar" from Yennai Arindhaal.

Aalap Raju
Born (1979-06-06) 6 June 1979 (age 45)
Genres
  • Pop
  • indie
  • rock
  • jazz
  • fusion
Occupations
Instruments
  • Bass guitar
  • acoustic guitar
Years active2010–present

He is also a well-known bass guitar player, have collaborated for all top composers in Kollywood, Mollywood and all the way to Bollywood. His noticeable Bollywood collaboration was with Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy for the movie Raazi He had played bass guitar for the only track in the album called ‘Dilbaro’ . He has played more than 1000 Live gigs including commercial film, fusion and TV shows.

Early life

edit

Music was something that was natural to him since he hails from a musical family. His parents, J. M. Raju and Latha Raju, are playback singers in Malayalam while his grandmother, late Smt. Santha P. Nair and grandfather, late K. Padmanabhan Nair were well known names in the Malayalam music industry in 60s and 70s. Though in his school days he wanted to become a professional cricketer and represent India in the International level, his under graduation days at SVCE (Chennai) had other plans for him. His college mates inspired him to take up singing and bass guitar in parallel in his last year. Months of practice made Aalaap a self-taught musician in playing bass guitar and singing, Aalaap's name spread through the most prestigious cultural events in India especially 'Saarang' (hosted by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai) where he was awarded 'Best Instrumentalist' for his bass guitar playing. And that was the starting point of numerous recording sessions and live performances in India and abroad. His singing took more prominence once Ennamo Yedho and Engeyum Kadhal released in 2011, composed by Harris Jayaraj. Aalaap now concentrates on singing and bass guitar playing equally in studios and live.[2]

Career

edit

As a singer and bass guitar player, Aalaap has performed with several prominent artists such as Dr. T.V. Gopalakrishnan, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Frank Dubier, etc., and has recorded with noticeable composers such as Ilayaraja, Harris Jayaraj, Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Mani Sarma, G.V Prakash, Thaman, Deepak Dev etc.

He has been part of the prestigious Europalia Festival '13 (hosted by ICCR India: Indian Council for Cultural Relations), as a bass guitar player for Dr. L. Subramaniam covering countries like Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Latvia and Iceland.

Aalaap was part of a Neo-Carnatic-Funk band called Project YUJ, a four piece line up composed of electric mandolin, electric bass guitar, keyboards and acoustic drums. Yuj, a Sanskrit word that means to join or to concentrate, is indicative of the group's manifesto – to bring out and fuse its multitude of influences into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The group members' diverse musical backgrounds and formidable chops allow for flights of improvisational freedom and virtuosity while still maintaining accessibility and musicality. At present, there are not many groups in India that are really trying to improvise and authentically fuse all of these disparate styles while staying true to the vital aspects of each. Project YUJ fills that space!

He was also part of a duo multi-genre band called Rahlaap along with playback singer Rahul Nambiar. Rahlaap has released their self-titled multi-genre album. Available in music portals like iTunes, Amazon, Hummaa, etc.

Aalaap is now an active member of bands like MAKKA (feat. Playback singers Ranjith Govind and Rahul Nambiar), his own line up called Aalaap Raju & Band (ArB) and Sean Roldan & Friends.

Awards

edit

Discography

edit
Year Film Song Language Music Director Co-Singers
2010 Bale Pandiya "Happy" Tamil Devan Ekambaram Various
Engeyum Kadhal "Engeyum Kadhal" Harris Jayaraj Devan Ekambaram, Ranina Reddy
Ayyanar "Kuthu Kuthu" S. Thaman Bruce Lee, Velmurugan
2011 Thambikottai "Unakkanka Uireyvaithen" D. Imman Sriram Parthasarathy, Shweta Mohan
Ko "Enamo Aedho" Harris Jayaraj Prashanthini, Sricharan, Emcee Jesz
Rangam (D) "Endhuko Emo" Telugu Prashanthini, NC Karunya, Sri Krishna, Malavika, Sreeram Chandra, Sunitha Upadrashta, Sricharan, Emcee Jesz
Vanthaan Vendraan "Anjana Anjana" Tamil S. Thaman
"Thirandhen Thirandhen" Shreya Ghoshal
Vachadu Gelichadu "Anjana Anjana" Telugu
"Ichale Ichale"
Soolam "Simhanthania" Bharadwaj
Nanban "Endhan Kan Munney" Tamil Harris Jayaraj
Kandireega "Naakodithey" Telugu S. Thaman Naveen, M. L. R. Karthikeyan, Ranjith, Ranina Reddy, Dharshana
Mudhal Idam "Pappara Pappara" Tamil D. Imman Priya Subramaniam, Ananthu
Kaantham "Tamizhanban" Prathap
Kattupuli "Thaamarai Pookkaley" Vijay Verma
Businessman "Katakulla Mumbai" S. Thaman Ranjith, Rahul Nambiar, Naveen
"Aamchi Mumbai" Telugu
"Aaj Mumbai" Malayalam
"Sir Unnu"
Music Beyond Genres "Aankh Mein Aab Hai" Hindi Rahlaap
"Mil Baitaein Hain Yaar"
2012 Yuvvh "Nenjodu Cherthu" Malayalam Sreejith S & Sachin
Snehithudu (D) "Toli Adugaina Padalede" Telugu Harris Jayaraj
Oru Kal Oru Kannadi "Kaadhal Oru" Tamil Hemachandra, Sunitha Sarathy
"Akila Akila" Chinmayi, Sharmila
Ninnu Choosthe Love Vasthundi "Ennallugano" Telugu
Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal "Mazhai Pozhiyum" Tamil G. V. Prakash Kumar G. V. Prakash Kumar, Megha
Manam Kothi Paravai "Jal Jal Jal Oosai" D. Imman Surmukhi Raman
Thadaiyara Thaakka "Kelamalae" S. Thaman Rita
Sridhar "Siruvan Sirumiyai" Rahulraj
"Oh! Oh! My Friend"
OKOK (D) "Just Like" Telugu Harris Jayaraj Hemachandra, Sunitha Sarathy
"Akhilaa Akhilaa" Chinmayi, Sharmila
Mugamoodi "Vaayamoodi Summa Iru Da" Tamil Krishna Kumar
Mask (D) "Gadiyaram" Telugu
Maattrraan "Theeyae Theeyae" Tamil Harris Jayaraj Franco Simon, Charulatha Mani, Sathyan, Suchitra
Brothers "Neeve Neeve" Telugu Franco Simon, Charulatha Mani
101 Weddings "Muthodu Mutham" Malayalam Deepak Dev
Sundattam "Naru Naru Narumugaye" Tamil Britto Madhumitha
2013 Sillunu Oru Sandhippu "Adi Aathi" Faizal Anitha
Pani Vizhum Nilavu "Enna Pannuvaen" L V Ganesan
Chandamama "Yaarodi" Srikanth Deva Srimathumitha
Nagarpuram "Mazhaiyae Mazhaiyae" Arhul Dhev
Machan "Yenachu Yethachu" Srikanth Deva
Aadalam Boys Chinnatha Dance "Poradalaam Poradalaam" Sachin Jigar
Buddy "Ukulele" Malayalam Navneeth Sundar B.Shrinivas
Endrendrum Punnagai "Vaan Engum Nee Minna" Tamil Harris Jayaraj Harini, Devan Ekambaram, Praveen
2014 Vaayai Moodi Pesavum "Udaigiraen" Sean Roldan
Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram "Kaana Kanneerilae" Malayalam
Ennathan Pesuvatho "Adada Adada" Tamil D. Imman
2015 Yennai Arindhaal... "Maya Bazaar" Harris Jayaraj Krishna Iyer, Priya Subramanian, Velmurugan
Indru Netru Naalai "Indru Netru Naalai" Hiphop Tamizha Shankar Mahadevan
Inimey Ippadithan "Thaedi Odunaen" Santhosh Dhayanidhi Santhosh Dhayanidhi
2016 Vetrivel "Adhuva Idhuva" D. Imman

References

edit
  1. ^ "Smooth jazz show". The Hindu. 4 December 2006. Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Aalaap Raju". Last.fm.
  3. ^ "Enamo Aedho". entertainment.oneindia. Retrieved 9 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Vijay and Richa win big at Edison awards". Behindwoods. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
edit