There are singers, there are performers and then there are those that are deftly able to combine the two. Award-winning Bollywood crooner Jubin Nautiyal certainly falls in the latter category.
The Dehradun-born singer, who won an award for his melodious rendition of Raataan Lambiyan (long, long nights) from the film ‘Shershaah’, kicked off his UK tour in London with a high-octane show at the OVO Arena in Wembley over the Bank Holiday weekend.
“Are you ready, Wembley?” – and he got back a roar from the audience in response, who had been kept waiting for longer than scheduled for the tunes to begin to flow. But once Nautiyal flashed his boyish smile and got going with one of his most famous numbers, Tujhe Kitna Chahein Aur Hum from the film ‘Kabir Singh’, all was forgotten as the crowd began singing and swaying along.
What followed was a non-stop flow of his iconic Bollywood hits, including Kaabil Hoon and Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata, matched with an infectious energy that had him jumping along the beats of his live band. Every time he brought out his own guitar, the crowd responded with cheers at the prospect of another one of his romantic melodies.
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Besides his own popular numbers, the performer in Nautiyal knew his British Indian audience well and switched on a massive karaoke song-along when he launched into a medley of some of the most memorable classics of Hindi cinema like Mere Sapnon Ki Rani and Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye.
From Gazab Ka Hai Din and The Humma Song to Dil Galti Kar Baitha Hai, the singer smoothly ticked off popular numbers, interspersed with some poetry and also managing a quick wardrobe change along the way – complete with his trademark head gear. While the Arena was far from packed, the kinetic energy Nautiyal exuded from the stage resonated all over – quite literally as the seats vibrated to the high-powered beats.
After London and Leicester, there’s only Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, to go but the musical vibes of his concert tour promise to ring out for long after with his fans.
*Info: Jubin Nautiyal, Manchester
