Sonu Nigam on creating a world record at Sydney Opera House: I still can't come to terms with what happened
Talking exclusively to us in Australia, singer Sonu Nigam on successfully pulling off two back-to-back shows at the Sydney Opera House
Singer Sonu Nigam created history after performing two back-to-back shows at the Sydney Opera House and becoming the first solo musician to have achieved the feat. Talking exclusively to HT City in Australia about performing for almost eight hours at the renowned venue, the Padma Shri recipient says, “I still can't come to terms with what happened on June 10. It feels like a huge paradigm shift, something transformed within me. It was like the churning of the ocean or the Samudra Manthan in the ancient Bhagvat and Vishnu Puran.”
Being ready for the big day demanded enormous prepping. Nigam explains, “A lot of mental and spiritual affirmation went into it. I knew that the evening audience, which made the show sold out in four days, was the reason the afternoon show had to be scheduled. So, I had to ensure that the evening audience didn’t get even 1% less than what they deserved. At the same time, the afternoon audience deserved the whole Sonu Nigam that they came for. So, I had to give my 200% in both shows. I stopped talking or venturing out a few days before the shows. I worked out normally, slept well and stayed in prayer mode. And I surrendered. The first show went like a dream. Before the second show, I had to erase any sign or ecstacy of the previous concert. I had to bring myself to zero once again in about 90 minutes to keep my emotional graph sorted.”
The singer received multiple standing ovations during the two shows and it left him overwhelmed because it’s not a usual occurrence at the Sydney Opera House. Mention this to him, and he says, “Opera houses generally are very formal venues, especially the world-class ones like the Sydney Opera House. People observe a certain amount of decorum, which they did for most of the time in both my concerts. But certain songs and certain moments compelled them to give standing ovations. I could barely contain my tears.”
Incidentally, both Nigam and the venue are 50. Recalling the moment he stepped on the stage for soundcheck and saw the venue for the first time, Nigam says, “I just stood there, in admiration and humility. So many great musicians and performers have blessed that stage over the last five decades. Before the sound test, I decided to sing a few lines without the microphone (he sang Kal Ho Naa Ho) to relish the world-class acoustics of the Sydney Opera House. It was so alive.”
