New Delhi: Singer Sonu Nigam made headlines once again after pausing his concert midway in Bengaluru when a student allegedly insisted in a “rude” tone that he sing in Kannada. The incident took place during his performance at East Point College, where Nigam addressed the audience directly, expressing disappointment at the student’s approach while reiterating his affection for the Kannada language and the people of Karnataka.
In a viral video from the event, Nigam is seen explaining that although he has sung in many languages throughout his long career, some of his most cherished songs are in Kannada. “I’ve performed in many places, but Karnataka has always welcomed me with warmth and made me feel like family,” he said. “But I was upset when a boy, who is not even as old as my career, rudely demanded that I sing in Kannada.”
Linked behaviour to intolerance
Nigam went on to connect the student’s outburst with broader issues of intolerance, drawing a parallel to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. “This kind of irrational behaviour is what leads to tragedies like what happened in Pahalgam. Please understand who is standing in front of you. I love you all,” he said.
Reaffirming his respect for the state, Nigam added that he always makes it a point to include Kannada songs in his shows, even when performing abroad. “Whenever someone calls out for Kannada, I make sure to sing a line or two out of love and respect,” he told the crowd, urging everyone to “be kind.”
Sung in 32 languages
Sonu Nigam is widely known for his Hindi film songs but has also built a strong fan base in Karnataka thanks to his work in the Kannada music industry. Over his three-decade career, he has performed in 32 languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, English, Assamese, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Nepali, Tulu, Maithili, and Manipuri.
