Raghav

Last updated

Raghav
Raghav - Behind The Scenes Pic 1.JPG
Background information
Birth nameRaghav Mathur
Born (1981-04-02) April 2, 1981 (age 43)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Origin Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Genres
OccupationSinger
Years active2003–present
LabelsA&R/V2, Universal, Cordova Bay, Ultra, Mathurmatics
Website raghav.com

Raghav Mathur (born April 2, 1981), known professionally as Raghav, is a Canadian singer. He has released three studio albums: the debut Storyteller in 2004, Identity in 2009, and The Phoenix in 2012. His most known commercial success was with "Angel Eyes" which peaked at number 7 in the UK in 2005. His singles "So Confused", "Can't Get Enough" and "It Can't Be Right" also reached the UK top ten in 2004. Raghav continued to have success on Canadian charts in 2010s with subsequent hits like "So Much" with Kardinal Offishall, "Fire", "Top of the World", "Woohoo" and "Until the Sun Comes Up" (featuring Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan and US artist Nelly. In an interview with Calgary Herald in 2017, Raghav says his upbringing in Calgary plays a crucial role in his musical development. [1]

Contents

The singer was drawn to hockey and singing when he was growing up. In 2004 after releasing his first album called Storyteller, he became a global superstar and most of his fans were from India, Africa, and parts of Europe. He was popular in North America among mainly the South Asian community after his first album. Most of Raghav's success has been outside his hometown, Calgary. [1] He travels and tours extensively for performances. [1] In an interview in 2018, he said he was a big fan of Michael Jackson and Amitabh Bachchan. [2]

Beginnings

Raghav was born in Toronto, Ontario, to Hindu parents from India. His parents soon moved to Calgary and Fort McMurray, Alberta, where he grew up. [3] Raghav attended Sir Winston Churchill High School, and at the age of 15, music became a heavy feature in his life. Alongside Indian influences at home, he became heavily influenced by R&B. By the time he was 16, he wrote a song that was awarded by the National Songwriters Association of U.S.A. [4] At 17, he moved to Los Angeles, California, United States to develop his vocal skills with Seth Riggs who has trained, amongst others, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. [3] A year later, he moved to Liverpool, England where he studied at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. [3] During his time in college, he joined R&B band 11/7 which was nominated for a Mobo Award for Best Unsigned Artist. [3]

Career

Raghav signed for A&R/V2 Records in 2003 and started working with the DJ and producer, 2Play. This led to the production of his breakthrough single: "So Confused". The song was released in 2004, and reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart. [5] The next release, "Can't Get Enough", entered the same chart at number 10. [5] In August 2004, another collaboration with 2Play followed, releasing "It Can't Be Right" which reached number 8. [5] Raghav released one more track under his name; "Let's Work It Out" (UK number 15) [5] before his debut album Storyteller was released in September 2004. His final release off the album was "Angel Eyes", inspired by a melody from "Murder She Wrote", by Chaka Demus & Pliers, and featured Jucxi and Frankey Maxx. The track reached number 7 in the UK chart. [5] The album also included Kardinal Offishall for the song "Sooner or Later", where he introduced the song and had his own verse in it.[ citation needed ]. Raghav's worldwide tour of 2005 saw him perform in venues such as Karachi, New York City also Africa, Australia, Canada, and many other countries. Raghav's Storyteller has sold 1.6 million copies worldwide. [3] Raghav has been featured (along with songwriter D'Vinci) in the 2007 single "Lonely" by rapper Iceberg Slimm.

In 2009 Raghav announced that he had signed a recording contract with Universal Music India and subsequently released his second album Identity . The album was exclusively released in India. The lead single, "My Kinda Girl" was released as a downloadable track from his website raghav.com for overseas fans and featured hip hop musician, Redman. The album also featured a tribute song called "Quincy Jones" which was dedicated to the American record producer Quincy Jones.

In 2010, Raghav signed his first North American record deal with Canadian label Cordova Bay and released his third album The Phoenix . The first single from the album was the Labrinth-produced "So Much", which was commercially released in Canada and features Kardinal Offishall. The song was nominated for "R&B/Soul Recording of the Year" at the 2011 Canadian Juno Awards. The song was released in conjunction with a Hindi song entitled "Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya" which featured a sample from the song "Hold Yuh" by Gyptian. The second single off the album called "Fire", was commercially released in Canada and peaked at number 38 on the Canadian Billboard Hot 100 and No. 14 on CHR (Mediabase) making it Raghav's most successful single in North America to date. A viral video of the song was released on YouTube on August 23, 2011. He performed his song, "Top of the World" on Breakfast Television on March 22, 2012.

In early 2012, he collaborated with A. R. Rahman and Shilpa Rao for the song "Ishq Shava" from the 2012 Indian film Jab Tak Hai Jaan . He collaborated with him again for the song "Mawalli Qawalli" for the film Lekar Hum Deewana Dil. In September 2012, Raghav was signed to Ultra Records in New York City. Ultra released Raghav's single "Fire" in the US and worldwide in January 2013.

In July 2013, Raghav and rapper Tom E were featured in the single "One More Round" by Michael Mind, as well as on "Celebrate" by Apache Indian about a month later. On October 9, 2013, Raghav released a lyric video of his single "Woohoo" on his YouTube page [6] followed by "Take Me Away" in 2014. [7]

In 2015, he released "Until the Sun Comes Up" featuring Indian film actor and playback singer Abhishek Bachchan and US artist Nelly.

In 2016, he released the single "Do you Like", produced by UK producer Steel Banglez and featuring Moelogo.

In September 2018, Raghav announced he had partnered up with JioSaavn to release "Maayera" on their Artist Originals platform. It has exceeded 10 million streams globally and spent 15 weeks straight in the top 15 of the streaming charts in India.

In the year 2020, Raghav collaborated with Jio Saavn and released a single called sufi. [8]

In March 2022, Raghav Mathur released a video song named Teri Baaton from his album named Storyteller and this song features Raghav and some of the best fan creations of the song. [9]

Raghav Mathur collaborated again since his Storyteller album with the producer Mushtaq. In May 2023, Raghav released the single 'Desperado' with Tesher as featured artist and the accompanying music video. [10] Even actress Madhuri Dixit delighted her fans in Instagram by sharing a reel of Desparado. Produced and masterminded by Mushtaq and performed by Raghav, this track has seamlessly blended Bollywood and Western music - a trademark of the duos long lasting collaboration.

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
YearAlbum TitlePeak chart positions
CAN UK
2004 Storyteller —36
2009 Identity ——
2012 The Phoenix ——

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
YearSingle TitlePeak chart positionsAlbum
CAN UK
2004"Can't Get Enough"
(feat. Iceberg Slimm)		—10 Storyteller
"Let's Work It Out"
(with Jahaziel)		—11
2005"Angel Eyes"
(feat. Jucxi & Frankey Maxx)		—7
2008"My Kinda Girl"
(feat. Redman)		—— Identity
"Humrahee"——
2010 "So Much"
(feat. Kardinal Offishall)		93— The Phoenix
"Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya"——
2011"Fire"38—
2012"Top of the World"82—
2014"Woohoo"76—Non-album release
"Take Me Away"——
2015"Until the Sun Comes Up"
(feat. Abhishek Bachchan & Nelly)		——
2018"Maayera"——
2020"Sufi" [11] ——
2023"Desperado"
(feat. Tesher)		——
As featured artist
List of singles, with selected chart positions
YearSingle TitlePeak chart positionsAlbum
CAN AUT GER SWI UK
2003"So Confused"
(2Play feat. Raghav and Jucxi)		————6 Storyteller
2004"It Can't Be Right"
(2Play feat. Raghav and Naila Boss)		————8
2013"One More Round"
(Michael Mind Project feat. Tom E and Raghav)		—538040—

Songs from Indian films

YearTrack TitleCo-SingerFilmMusic Director
2011"Hey Na Na Shabana"Solo Hum Tum Shabana Sachin–Jigar
2012"Ishq Shava" Shilpa Rao Jab Tak Hai Jaan A. R. Rahman
2014"Aaya Khwaab Ka Mausam"Solo Kochadaiiyaan
"Mawali Qawwali" Tanvi Shah Lekar Hum Deewana Dil
2024"Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (Title Track)" Tanishk Bagchi, Asees Kaur Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Tanishk Bagchi
"Killer Killer"Sachin-Jigar, Asees Kaur Murder Mubarak Sachin-Jigar

Awards

Nominations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Touch</span> 1998 single by Rascalz featuring Kardinal Offishall, Checkmate, Thrust and Choclair

"Northern Touch" is a Canadian hip hop single, which was released in 1998 by Rascalz in collaboration with Checkmate, Kardinal Offishall, Thrust and Choclair. It is one of the most important individual songs in the history of Canadian hip hop, which almost singlehandedly transformed the genre from a largely ignored underground movement into a viable commercial endeavour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kardinal Offishall</span> Canadian rapper and record producer (born 1976)

Jason Drew Harrow, better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall, is a Canadian rapper and record producer. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador", he has been regarded as one of the country's most prominent hip hop producers during the 2000s and is distinctive for his reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.

Kareem Blake, better known by his stage name Choclair, is a Canadian rapper. He was one of the most successful rappers in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Choclair has been nominated for six Juno Awards, winning four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estelle (musician)</span> British musician (born 1980)

Estelle Fanta Swaray is a British singer, rapper and actress. She is known for her eclectic blending of musical genres including R&B, soul, reggae, grime, hip hop and dance. She has collaborated with prominent American artists including Chris Brown, Kanye West, will.i.am, Nas, Akon, Tyler, the Creator, Robin Thicke and Rick Ross, among others.

Wesley Johnson, known by his stage name 2Play, is an English musician, record producer, and former mixed martial artist.

<i>Fire and Glory</i> 2005 studio album by Kardinal Offishall

Fire and Glory is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, released November 15, 2005 on EMI/Virgin Records, exclusively in Canada. Two hit singles were released from the album, "Everyday (Rudebwoy)" and "Feel Alright".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solitair</span> Musical artist

Sheldon Pitt, better known by his stage name Solitair, is a Canadian rapper and record producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is a founding member of the now defunct Black Jays record label and production team. Solitair has been producing hip hop and R&B for nearly 20 years, and has produced for Nina Sky, Glenn Lewis, Cham, Maestro, Rascalz, Kardinal Offishall, Ivana Santilli, Jully Black, Choclair, and Sugar Jones among others.

<i>Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1</i> 2001 studio album by Kardinal Offishall

Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 is the second studio album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall. It was released on MCA Records, his first album for a major label. It is a recompilation album, which includes older songs and demos that he used to get signed. The lead single, "BaKardi Slang", became his first single to appear on a Billboard chart. The second single, "Ol' Time Killin'", was a minor hit. The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics.

<i>Not 4 Sale</i> (Kardinal Offishall album) 2008 studio album by Kardinal Offishall

Not 4 Sale is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, released September 9, 2008 on Kon Live/Geffen Records. It is his second international major-label album after Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1, released in 2001. It was a critical success, and included the top five Billboard Hot 100 single "Dangerous", and the minor hit "Numba 1 ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dangerous (Kardinal Offishall song)</span> 2008 single by Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon

"Dangerous" is a song by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall featuring American singer Akon. Produced by DJ Kemo and hAZEL, it was the first single from his fourth album, Not 4 Sale. It was released to radio in March 2008, and on iTunes on April 1. On the week of May 13, at the American iTunes Store, the song was offered as a free download. The song won the award for Single of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards. In January 2023, the single was certified 4× platinum by Music Canada and 3× platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BaKardi Slang</span> 2000 single by Kardinal Offishall

"BaKardi Slang" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall. Produced by Solitair, it was the first single from his second album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. The single was released in Canada in 2000, before being re-released in the U.S. the following year. It became his first single to appear on a Billboard chart, as well as his first Top 40 hit as a solo artist in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful (Akon song)</span> 2009 single by Akon

"Beautiful" is the third single from Akon's third studio album, Freedom. The song features American pop singer Colby O'Donis and a rap verse from Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall. "Beautiful" was released to radio on January 6, 2009. The song has also been released in other three international versions, with different featured artists replacing both Colby's vocals and Kardinal's rapping: in Portuguese with Brazilian singer Negra Li, in Dutch with Dutch singer Brace, and in Spanish with Mexican singer Dulce María. The original version peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, the original version peaked within the top ten of the charts in Israel and the United Kingdom.

Baby Blue Soundcrew was a Canadian DJ group from Toronto, Ontario, specializing in hip-hop and R&B music. The group was composed of Kid Kut, KLC, C-Boogie, and Singlefoot. They are notable for releasing two commercially successful compilation albums in 2000 and 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Money Jane</span> 2000 single by Baby Blue Soundcrew featuring Kardinal Offishall, Sean Paul, and Jully Black

"Money Jane" is a song recorded by Canadian DJ group Baby Blue Soundcrew featuring Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, Jamaican musician Sean Paul, and Canadian singer-songwriter Jully Black. It was released by Universal Music Canada in 2000, and was the first single from the group's debut studio compilation album Private Party Collectors Edition; a remix was included on Offishall's 2001 album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. "Money Jane" is a Canadian hip hop and dancehall song with lyrics about a wealthy woman who provides financial and material support for her male companion. The song is noted for its influence on Toronto's hip hop music scene, and is credited with launching Paul's international music career.

<i>Hitmixes</i> 2009 EP by Lady Gaga

Hitmixes is the second extended play (EP) by American singer Lady Gaga, released on August 25, 2009. Featuring remixes of songs from Gaga's debut album, The Fame (2008), the album was only released in Canada, by Universal Music Canada. Hitmixes features mixes from various musicians, including RedOne and Space Cowboy, who previously worked with Gaga. The EP hosts 1980s-influenced and house remixes. Hitmixes received positive reviews from the Calgary Herald and Blare Magazine, and peaked at number eight on the Canadian Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kardinal Offishall discography</span> Canadian rapper

Canadian rapper and record producer Kardinal Offishall has released five studio albums, one extended play (EP), thirty-three singles, and five mixtapes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clear!</span> 2009 single by Kardinal Offishall

"Clear!" is a 2009 non-album single from Kardinal Offishall. The song was produced by Supa Dups and Kardinal Offishall himself. Fatman Scoop is featured at the beginning of the song with him yelling "Kardinal!" The song contains a sample of "Think " by Lyn Collins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Much (Raghav song)</span> 2010 single by Raghav featuring Kardinal Offishall

"So Much" is a 2010 single by Indo-Canadian singer Raghav featuring Canadian hip hop artist Kardinal Offishall and produced by Labrinth from Raghav's third album entitled The Phoenix. "So Much" was released on the record label Cordova Bay and was a Top 40 feature on many Canadian mainstream music stations. and at MuchMusic pan-Canadian music station. It is also available on iTunes.

Parichay is an Indo-Canadian singer, composer, and music producer. He has released four albums and collaborated in Bollywood film songs.

Mushtaq Omar Uddin, also known simply as Mushtaq, is an English music producer, singer, songwriter, and former lead vocalist for British hip hop group Fun-Da-Mental when he was known at the time by his stage name MC Mushtaq.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Raghav returns home to tell his story at National Music Centre". calgaryherald. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  2. ↑ Pandita, Nirtika (October 13, 2018). "Angel Eyes in town". The Asian Age. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biog " Raghav". August 23, 2010. Archived from the original on August 23, 2010.
  4. ↑ Raghav Discography Archived December 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Modda, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 448. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  6. ↑ "Raghav – Woohoo (Lyric Video)". October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Raghav – Take Me Away (Official Video)". July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via YouTube.
  8. ↑ "Our industry has been at the forefront of pain for some time: Raghav Mathur". Hindustan Times. May 19, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Raghav Mathur Refreshes Memories with 'Teri Baaton' Celebratory Video Release". ANI News. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  10. ↑ Ravindran, Malavika (May 1, 2023). "urban asian". urbanasian.com. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Our industry has been at the forefront of pain for some time: Raghav Mathur". Hindustan Times. May 19, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Raghav Awards" . Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Artists unite to celebrate British Asian Music". Archived from the original on January 10, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  14. ↑ Anusha, Nava (October 11, 2018). "BritAsia TV Music Awards 2018 Winners". desiblitz.com. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.