Celebrating the ultimate stage queen today! Happy Birthday, Sunidhi Chauhan!
From soulful melodies to bangers, is there anything Sunidhi Chauhan hasn’t
sung? With over 3,000 songs and three Filmfare Awards to her credit, she has carved a legendary space for herself in the Hindi music industry. Undoubtedly one of India’s finest playback singers, Sunidhi began her career at just 13 with the film ‘Shastra’. Her major breakthrough came in 2000 with the sizzling track ‘Mehboob Mere’ from the film ‘Fiza’, which earned her another Filmfare nomination. Today, beyond playback singing, Sunidhi is also a celebrated live performer, drawing massive crowds to concerts across the globe.
As Sunidhi Chauhan celebrates her 42nd birthday today, here’s a lesser-known highlight from her incredible journey. Did you know she was the first Indian singer to collaborate with Enrique Iglesias?
Sunidhi’s Global Breakthrough with Enrique
Sunidhi Chauhan was introduced to music by her father, whom she credits for her powerful voice. She has often expressed a fondness for western music, revealing that she enjoys performing songs with a western touch. Confident in the global appeal of her voice, Sunidhi believes that her exposure to international music has refined her skills, though she never forces a western vibe onto her songs.
Her international debut came in 2010 when she collaborated with Spanish pop star Enrique Iglesias on a special Indian version of his song ‘Heartbeat,’ titled ‘Heartbeat (India Mix)’, released as part of the Special Indian Edition of ‘Euphoria’. This marked the first time an Indian singer officially collaborated with Enrique.
Speaking about the experience, Sunidhi in an interview said, “Working with Enrique was a great experience. I have always appreciated Enrique's music. So when I was offered to collaborate with him, I accepted it happily.”
The song ‘Heartbeat’ features Hindi lyrics, folk melodies, and a variety of Indian musical elements. For this cross-cultural collaboration, the singer duo worked with lyricist-composer Shamir Tandon and Enrique Iglesias’s co-writer Mark Taylor. When asked why Sunidhi Chauhan was chosen, a close associate of Shamir Tandon shared that she was the first and only choice because of her versatility in both Hindi and English and “she also has that oomph factor.”
Tune in to the song here:
(Credit: YouTube- Enrique Iglesias)
This landmark moment made Sunidhi Chauhan the first Indian singer to collaborate with Enrique Iglesias, showcasing her versatility on a global platform.
