Aalap Raju
Aalap Raju is an eminent playback singer and a mellifluous bass player from Chennai, India. Born (6 June 1979) and brought up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He won a Filmfare Award in the year 2011 for Best Male Playback Singer for Enamo Aedho from the movie Ko, composed by Harris Jayaraj. His Soul – soothing musical interpretation of Enamo Aedho earned him the top spot not just in the music charts but also in the hearts of music fanatics. Hailing from a family with rich musical heritage, Aalap had melodies ensconced in his very veins.
His parents Latha Raju and J.M Raju are playback singers in the Malayalam industry. His grandparents Smt. Santha P. Nair and late K. Padmanabhan Nair were also renowned names in the Malayalam music industry. Aalap, an aspiring cricketer during his school days, always wanted to represent his country at the international circuit but his days in Loyola College, Chennai during his under graduation showed him that life had other plans for him. Peer pressure from close friends led him to take up singing and playing bass guitar.
Months of dedication and hard work, and there he was, a self-taught musician whose name spread like wildfire through India’s most acclaimed cultural platforms especially ‘Sarang’ organized by IIT Chennai where he was awarded as the ‘Best Instrumentalist’. Dulcet melodies bring grace to the soul, peace to the heart, flight to curiosity and eternal life to everything in this world and beyond, and that is exactly why despite his humble beginnings he found his way into international stardom with numerous recordings and performances in both India and abroad.
He has sung for famous music directors like Sreekanth Deva, Thaman, G.V Prakash, D.Imman, Deepak Dev, and Harris Jayaram to name a few. Some of his best symphonies include Engeyum Kadal, Vaaya moodi summa iru da from Mugamoodi, Endhan Kann Munnae from Nanban, Kadhal Oru Butterfly and Akila Akila from Oru kal Oru Kannadi, Nenjodu Cherthu from Yuvvh, Anjana Anjana from Vandhan Vendran, Endhukom Yemo from Rangam, Jal Jal Osai from Manam Kothi Paravai, and Maya Bazaar from Ennai Arindhaal. Aalap, now a household name in the industry, has shared the stage with several prominent artists such as Frank Dubier, Dr. T.V. Gopalakrishnan, Dr. L. Subramaniam, etc.
He has more than 300 concerts to his credit which makes him stand out amongst others. Countries like Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Latvia, and Iceland have been struck off his bucket list as he was part of the prestigious Europalia Festival 2013. He participated in the festival as Dr. L. Subramaniam’s apprentice and performed as a bass player. He is also a vital member of a Project called YUJ which is basically a Neo-Carnatic Funk band with the soul motto of improvisational music and accessible musicality. This rare virtue is lacking in many other Indian musical groups which essentially makes YUJ a cherished amulet to the loving Indian Audience.
Their expert improvisation and authentic fusing techniques integrate disparate styles while staying true to the vital aspects of music making them a unique and integral part of the Indian Musical Industry. He is also a core member of Rahlaap, a duo multi-genre band featuring Rahul Nambiar. Rahlaap recently emerged with their maiden self-titled multi-genre album which is available on various platforms such as iTunes, Hungama.com etc. His ethereal Malayalam song Nenjodu Cherthu for Yuvvh took the world by storm by gaining over 1.4 million views on YouTube in just 4 months of its release. All in all, amidst the miasma of sadness that engulfs this world, his music has been a treat for the ears and ambrosia to the eyes.
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