The music world is reeling from a piece of shocking news. Zubeen Garg, a beloved singer, is no longer with us. He passed away in a tragic accident while scuba diving in Singapore. His sudden demise has left fans heartbroken.
Zubeen was a true giant in the Assamese music scene. Yet, his incredible voice reached far beyond, gracing Hindi cinema and many other languages too. People are still trying to grasp this unexpected loss.
– Photo: Instagram
A Natural Gift for Music
Zubeen Garg, born on November 18, 1972, in Tura, Meghalaya, was a singer, writer, composer, and poet. He was named after the famous musician Zubin Mehta. His father, Mohini Borthakur, was a magistrate who also wrote songs and poems under the name Kapil Thakur. His mother, Illy Borthakur, was a talented singer. Clearly, Zubeen’s love for music and his talent were a gift from his parents.
Singing in Over 40 Languages
Zubeen Garg’s vocal range was truly astounding. He primarily sang in Assamese, Bengali, and Hindi films. But his musical magic extended to about 40 other languages and dialects. These included English, Goalpariya, Kannada, Karbi, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Mising, Nepali, Odia, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Tiwa. His talents weren’t limited to singing; he could play many instruments. He was skilled with 12 instruments, including Anandlahari, Dhol, Dotara, Drums, Guitar, Harmonica, Harmonium, Mandolin, Keyboard, Tabla, and various percussion instruments.
– Photo: Instagram
From Local Hero to Bollywood Star
Zubeen Garg kicked off his professional music journey after winning a gold medal. This was for his Western solo performance at the Youth Festival in 1992. That same year, in November, he released his first Assamese album, ‘Anamika’. It was a big step into the music world. He followed up with his hit Bihu album, ‘Ujaan Piriti’, before heading to Mumbai in 1995. He soon became the highest-paid singer in the Assamese music scene.
In Mumbai, the “City of Dreams,” Zubeen quickly made his mark. He released his first Indipop single album, ‘Chandni Raat’. He then recorded many Hindi albums and remix songs, like ‘Chanda’ (1996), ‘Jalwa’ (1998), ‘Yu Hi Kabhi’ (1998), ‘Jaadu’ (1999), and ‘Sparsh’ (2000). He even got to sing in films such as ‘Gaddaar’ (1995), ‘Dil Se’ (1998), and ‘Doli Saja Ke Rakhna’. But it was his soulful rendition of ‘Ya Ali’ from the 2006 film ‘Gangster’ that truly shot his popularity through the roof.
– Photo: Instagram
A Family Touched by Sudden Loss
The tragic accident in Singapore on Thursday, September 19, brought Zubeen Garg’s life to an abrupt end. Sadly, this isn’t the first time sudden tragedy has struck his family. Back in 2002, his younger sister, Jonki Borthakur, also a well-known actress and singer, passed away. She was in a car accident in Sonitpur district in February 2002 while traveling for a stage show with fellow artists. Zubeen honored her memory by releasing an album called ‘Jixu’ that same year. His other sister is Dr. Palme Borthakur. The echoes of past and present sorrow weigh heavily on everyone who admired his artistry.