Sharon Prabhakar

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Sharon Prabhakar
Sharon Prabhakar1 (cropped).jpg
Background information
Born (1955-08-04) 4 August 1955 (age 69)
Delhi, India
Genres Playback singing, Indipop
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
Years active1982present [1]
Website sharonprabhakar.com

Sharon Prabhakar (born 4 August 1955) is an Indian pop singer, actress and public speaker.

Contents

Personal life

Prabhakar was born to a Punjabi father who was a public servant, and a Christian mother who was a music teacher. Along with her brother and sister, she had a mixed upbringing, growing up speaking both Punjabi and English.

When she was in her twenties, she married Bryan Mascarenhas, though they later divorced.

In 1986, Prabhakar married Alyque Padamsee, with whom she has a daughter, Shazahn Padamsee. [2] The couple have since separated.

Background

In the past, Prabhakar has been referred to by India Today as one of Bombay's most talented folk singers with a style reminiscent of Joan Baez. [3] By the mid-1980s, she achieved recognition and fame for singing in popular overseas styles in Hindi language. [4] According to an article in The Hindustan Times , even before artists such as Alisha Chinai, Baba Sehgal and Daler Mehndi were described as Indi-pop, she was the original pop star of Hindi music that wasn't related to films. [5] She achieved popularity in Hindi pop and disco. [6] During her career, she has shared the stage with Celine Dion, represented India abroad and sung for members of the White House. [7]

Music career

1980s to 1990s

Prabhakar had involvement in the production of Obsession '77, an album by psychedelic and hard rock band Atomic Forest. [8]

In 1980, her album Feeling Good was released on the Polydor label. [9] [10]

Sharon also had sung an English song for a Kannada movie. The song is I wake up in the middle of the night for the movie : Udayavagali cheluva namma Kannada naadu Record Label The Gramophone Company of India Limited Record number :7EPE 11504

2000s

In 2007, her album Dilrooba was released via Raga to Rock. [11] In January 2019, Prabhakar was performing at the SoBo Festival. She invited politician Milind Deora to come up on stage and perform with her. Milind is a musician in his own right and a blues guitarist. [12]

Discography

SinglesIndian releases
TitleRelease infoYearFormatNotes
Chal Disco Chal
"Chal Disco Chal", "Dekho Dekho" / "Daku Daku", "Mere Habib"
Multitone Records Ltd. 2222 81419817-inch EPwith Musarrat Nazir
"What A Wonder It Will Be" / "Don't Ever Leave Me"Polydor 2067 83919817-inch singlewith Bashir Sheikh
"Aaj Ki Raat" / "Chhupke Kaun Aya"Outernational Sounds OTR 620197-inch singleSharon Prabhakar only on side A
Usha Uthup only on side B [13]
AlbumsIndian releases
TitleRelease infoYearFormatNotes
Feeling Good Polydor 23929211980LP
Chal Disco ChalPolydor 2392 9961981LPwith Musarrat Nazir,
Peter Moss and Deepak Khazanchi
Musical Multiplication TablesMulti-Sound 2392 5671981LP
What A Wonder...Polydor 2392 9521981LPwith Bashir Sheikh
Disco MastanaMultitone 2393 8501982LP
London Calling
(The Best From The West - Hindi Disco Hits)
Multitone 2393 8931983LPwith Salma Agha and Nazia Hassan
Shabash Sharon EMI ECSD 2982
His Master's Voice ECSD. 2982
1984LP
Pyar Chhalke Music for Pleasure MFPE 10511985LPwith Bappi Lahiri
Shararat Master's Voice PSLP 1401
Odeon PSLP 1401
1986LPmusic by Anand Milind
Suno SunoMusic India CDNF0431988compact disc
Burning Padmini Music PP - 3041996compact disc [14]

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981 Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya Sonali
1988 Akarshan Shalu
1995 Rock Dancer JayaAlso Playback singer
2008 Saas Bahu Aur Sensex Jasbir Brar
2019 Bombairiya Nandini's mother

Web series

YearTitleRolePlatformNotes
2020 Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain Ananya and Amairas' mother ALTBalaji and ZEE5 Season 3

References

  1. "Sharon Prabhakar". IMDB. Retrieved 21 July 2009.[ unreliable source? ]
  2. The Times of India , 14 April 2002 - Sharon Prabhakar: In search of the self
  3. India Today, Volume 31, Issues 39-52 - Page 18
  4. The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: South Asia : the Indian subcontinent, Edited by Alison Arnold - Page 428
  5. The Hindustan Times , 8 May 2013 - It was Shazahn’s idea: Sharon Prabhakar - Nirmika Singh
  6. How to Arrange a Wedding, Neeta Raheja, Adishwar Puri - Page 119
  7. The Times of India , 14 April 2002 - Sharon Prabhakar: In search of the self
  8. Record Collector - Fallout Boys
  9. Discogs - Sharon Prabhakar, Discography, Albums
  10. Wind of Fire: The Music and Musicians of Goa by Mário Cabral e Sá - Page 197
  11. AllMusic - Sharon Prabhakar, Dilrooba (CD - Raga To Rock #29819)
  12. Mid-Day , 30 January 2019 - Milind Deora plays the guitar with Sharon Prabhakar at SoBo fest
  13. Discogs - Sharon Prabhakar, Discography, Singles & EPs
  14. Discogs - Sharon Prabhakar, Discography, Albums