Rekha Bhardwaj

Born in Delhi, Rekha Bhardwaj’s musical journey began at home, where she was constantly immersed in music. Her father always encouraged her mother and siblings into singing ghazals mostly . Mehfils were a regular feature at their home. With deep roots in Hindustani Classical Music since a young age, she found her first teacher in her elder sister and later received formal training at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. During her college years, she started learning from Pandit Amarnath Ji, the senior-most disciple of Ustad Amir Khan saheb of the Indore Gharana. After Pandit Ji’s demise in 1996, she continued learning from her Guru Behen, and Pandit Ji’s senior most disciple, Amarjit Kaur. Her career as a playback singer began when she moved to Mumbai with her husband Vishal Bhardwaj, a film-maker and music director. She lent her voice to his compositions as and when required, and her breakthrough came with the song “Ek Woh Din Bhi The" from the film Chachi 420. The song “Namak Ishq Ka” from Omkara in 2006 became the turning point in her career and then, there was no looking back. Her unique style of singing has enhanced many compositions, including “Genda Phool” from Delhi 6, "Kabira" and "Ghagra" from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, “Aise Kyun - Ghazal Version” from Netflix's Mismatched Season 2, and the recent hit “Nikat” from the movie Kill. Her collaborations with musical maestros like A.R. Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Pritam, Sachin-Jigar and Amit Trivedi have cemented her status as one of the industry's most revered voices. With “Rootha Yaar”, from the film Safed, she made her debut as a music composer. Rekha is a passionate performer. She also has acclaimed independent albums like "Ishqa Ishqa," "Naman 2," and "Kabir Chaura Sufi Chaura" to her credit. Her exceptional talent has garnered numerous accolades, including a National Award and Filmfare Awards for Best Playback Singer. She continues singing for young composers, along with working on an album of songs composed by her.