Raju Singh (Full name: Rajinder Singh Panesar) is an Indian film score composer, session musician, singer and a guitarist. His first collaboration was with Malkit Singh of Hai Jamalo fame. Together with Adesh Srivastav they released an album called I Love Golden Star which was quite a rage in the underground circles in Britain. Some of his early compositions include of shows are Dekh Bhai Dekh, Filmi Chakkar, Aahat, Boogie Woogie and CID.
Early life
Rajinder Singh Panesar, aka Raju Singh, was born on 3 April 1969 in Mumbai, India. Son of Gursharan Kaur Panesar and Charanjit Singh Panesar; his father hails from Amritsar and Mother from Ferozepur, Punjab.
Singh's family lived in Juhu, Mumbai. He attended St. Xavier's High school, Vile Parle and completed college from Mithibai college in 1986. Raju Singh has been an integral part of the music industry from a very young age of 16 years when he would play the Bass guitar for the veteran music director R.D. Burman. Learning from the masters from such a young age has imbibed in Raju a deep understanding of the role of music in films. Singh's school friends remember him as a guitar and drummer boy. Singh did his first album an Instrumental Tracks Power Of Music with his friend Aadesh Shrivastav in the year 1987 under the label of Venus.
He attended Sangeet Mahabharati founded by Pt. Nikhil Gosh and Complete Theory of Trinity College of London. The first instrument he learned to play was the guitar, followed by tabla and piano. His guitar teachers were Mr. Bonny D’ Costa, Mr. Dilip Naik, Mr. Mendes and Mr. Das, Late Mr. Bismak . He learned Tabla from Late Mr. Eknath Pimpley and Late Mr. Prakash Gore. His Piano teacher was Mr. Mendes. Singh can play the Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Tabla and Piano.
Looking back to his childhood Singh says, "I used to accompany my dad to the studio and often watch him play with the likes of S D Burman, R D Burman & Laxmikant–Pyarelal, this created a strong desire to be one amongst them. After returning home I used to play in front of the mirror and dad used to secretly watch me and when I was done he used to appreciate my work. His words helped me build myself in music."
As a child, Singh used to accompany his teacher Mendes to an NGO near Worli every Sunday and they used to spend time playing different types of instruments with many other musicians. Singh says "This practice taught me an important lesson, the lesson of humility which proved to be useful in every walk of life.
Career
As a musician, Singh started playing for Uttam Singh who introduced him as a guitarist for the song Mere Pyar Ki Umar for the movie Waaris, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Manmohan. Initially he started off as a guitarist with R D Burman and had the honour to be a part of his last movie 1942: A Love Story then slowly progressed on to become an arranger, music director, composer and scorer for Bollywood movies later composing and directing for television and advertising. One of the famous hits is Soniyo from Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Gungunati Hain from Satta.
Discography
As a composer
Soundtracks
Albums
Film scores
As a singer
Others
Films
As composer for background score
Web Series/Short Film
Jingles Advertisement
Ashok Masala
Honda
Hindutwa Newspaper
T-Series Washing Powder
Praful Sarees
Protection Toothpaste
Baba Zarda
Shakti Company
Rani Oil
Wheel
Red Label Tea
Tata Tetley Tea
Bharat Petroleum
Prestige Whisky
Afro Asian Games (2003) IIFA Awards Hello Chips T-Series Concorde Fans Surya Namak Lizole Detergent Essel Premium Basmati Rice Ok Saboon Spirit Sanitary Packs Free Of Mind Add Gel Snuggy Doodh Doodh Coke – Hritik Xenon Cell One Veera (2002) Chaini Chaini Mehek Smiling Doll Excotica
Channel Anthem
EL TV
ZEE TV
Sony TV
Channel 9
B4U
SET Max
GURJARI
LASHKARA
Sony Mix
SAB
Personal life
Singh is married to Sherley Singh with two children Joshua Singh and Rachel Singh. Joshua, also a musician, was a ukulele player and drummer for the band Spud in the Box from 2013 to 2017 and Rachel is currently studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.