Raghupati Dwarakanath Dixit (born 11 November 1974)[1] is an Indian singer-composer, producer, and film score composer who is the frontman for the Raghu Dixit Project, a multilingual folk music band. Dixit prominently works in Kannada cinema as soundtrack composer.

Raghu Dixit
Dixit performing at a concert, 2010
Dixit performing at a concert, 2010
Background information
Birth nameRaghupati Dwarakanath Dixit
Born (1974-11-11) 11 November 1974 (age 50)
Mysore, Karnataka, India[1]
GenresFolk, fusion
OccupationsSinger, composer, singer-songwriter, music producer
Years active2005–present
MembersRaghu Dixit
Naresh Nathan
Joe Jacob
Naveen Thomas
Past membersWilfred Demoz
Adarsha Ramakumar
Joseph Vijay
Karthick Iyer
Darbuka Siva
Jithin Das
Bruce Lee Mani
Rzhude David
Anirban Chakravarthy
Sandeep Vashista
Rahool Pophali
Bryden Lewis
Pulkit Rungta
Athith K
Achyuth Jaigopal
Nitesh Nataraj
Narayan Sharma
Pranav Swaroop B N
Websiteraghudixit.com
Raghu Dixit as photographed in an audio release for the band Nee

Dixit's music is an amalgamation of Indian ethnic music and styles from different parts of the world.[2] His songs include "Mysore se aayi," "Jag Changa," "Antaragni," "Hey Bhagwan," "Har Saans Mein," "Gudugudiya," and "Khidki." Dixit has produced music for contemporary dance and theatre productions including the Indian contemporary dance group Nritarutya, of which, his wife, Mayuri Upadhya, is the artistic director.[3]

Music

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Dixit's self-titled debut album was launched by the music director duo Vishal–Shekhar on their new independent record label Vishal & Shekhar Music which collaborated with Counter Culture Records for this release. Raghu Dixit was the first artist on this new label. The album was also released on world music label Wrasse Records and Sony/ATV on 20 September 2010. The album reached No. 1 on the iTunes World Music charts in the UK.[4] The title music for the show Splitsvilla was also composed and sung by Raghu Dixit. In the season one finale of The Dewarists, the Raghu Dixit Project collaborated with songwriter Rewben Mashangva on the song "Masti Ki Basti".

Collaborating with artists Dixit met during his previous concerts in the UK, the Raghu Dixit Project released their second studio album, Jag Changa. The album released on 23 November 2013. The album consists of eight tracks,[5][6] in Kannada, Hindi and Tamil languages. In an interview with Vishnupriya Bhandaram of The Hindu, he mentions, "Every 200 kilometres in this country, languages change, the dialects change and the food changes, lives and lifestyles change and my music is unique and probably the USP is that it's sung in a vernacular tongue… its adds mystery."[7]

Films

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In 2008, he debuted as a music director in the Kannada film industry with Psycho.[8] He also composed and sang a song in the Bollywood movie Quick Gun Murugan. His new Kannada films, Just Math Mathalli and Kote, released soundtracks which were a big hit with audiences.[citation needed]

Dixit made his Bollywood debut with the film Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge in 2011.[9] In 2013 he debuted in Malayalam recording with Bijibal for North 24 Kaatham.

Concerts

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Raghu Dixit on stage at Shrewsbury Folk Festival 29 August 2016

Dixit has played many shows all over the world including in the United States, the UK, Korea, Japan, Russia, Hong Kong and India. He has performed at many music and cultural festivals, including Anwesha at IIT Patna, Alcheringa at IIT Guwahati, Incident at NITK-Surathkal, Aarohi at VNIT Nagpur, FIESTA at Infosys, the Glastonbury Festival,[10] Mood Indigo, Jayciana at SJCE, Dhwani at College of Engineering Trivandrum,[11] Spring Fest at IIT Kharagpur,[12][non-primary source needed] MANZAR at Institute of Chemical Technology,[13] the Shrewsbury Folk Festival, at the Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in New Delhi and at MVJ College of Engineering in Bangalore.

In 2010, he appeared on BBC TV's Later... with Jools Holland which led to one of his songs becoming an instant download hit, and since then he has made several appearances at festivals in the UK and in Europe. In the early months of 2011, he gave a concert as part of London South Bank's 'Alchemy' Festival. He also visited the Andrew Marr Show to perform "Waiting for a Miracle" for a Raghu Dixit Session on BBC Radio 3.[10][14]

In April 2012, he performed for Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, at a Diamond Jubilee Pageant marking 60 years since her accession to the throne in 1952.[15]

In 2024, he performed at Bangalore Times concert.[16] In 2024, he performed at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[17]

Personal life

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Raghu Dixit grew up in Mysore to a Kannadiga mother and Tamil Brahmin father. He did a master's degree in microbiology and worked briefly in the industry.[18]

Controversy

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Dixit was accused of hugging and kissing an unidentified singer after an ad hoc recording while he was signing her cheque, which was made public by Chinmayi Sripaada, a friend of the singer, on 10 October 2018 on Twitter. In response, Dixit issued an apology on Twitter that same day that he completely misread the situation and that he would apologise to the singer again in public.[19]

Discography

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As composer

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Year Film/album Language Notes
2008 Psycho Kannada
2009 Quick Gun Murugan Hindi One song
2010 Just Math Mathalli Kannada
2011 Kote
Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge Hindi
2014 Bewakoofiyaan
2016 Aviyal Tamil One song
2017 Happy New Year Kannada
Chef Hindi * Five Songs
2018 Koode Malayalam
B. Tech Telugu ZEE5 Web Series [20][21]
2019 Gully Boy Hindi *One song
2020 Garuda Kannada
Love Mocktail
2021 Ninna Sanihake
2023 Vallavanukkum Vallavan Tamil
Orchestra Mysuru Kannada

As playback singer

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Year Film/album Language Song Music Director
2008 Minchina Ota Kannada "Hey Premi"
"Oh Geleya"
V. Manohar
Psycho "Ee Tanavu Ninnade"
"Preethiya Manshanthiya"
Himself
2009 Karanji "Ninna Hallige Bandu" Veer Samarth
Quick Gun Murugan Hindi "The Murugan Song" Himself
2010 Just Math Mathalli Kannada "Munjane Manjalli"
"Baanina Haniyu"
"Ee Kanninalli"
"Just Maath Maatalli"
Shankar IPS "Sale Sale" Gurukiran
2011 Kote "Yelavo Doorutha"
"Jagave Banna Banna"
Himself
Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge Hindi "Har Saans Mein"
2013 North 24 Kaatham Malayalam "Porumo" Govind Menon
Veera Kannada "Mahalu" Hamsalekha
Tony "Navu Kooguva" Sadhu Kokila
2014 Bewakoofiyaan Hindi "Bewakoofiyaan Title Track" Himself
2015 Siddhartha Kannada "Ninnida Dooraagi" V. Harikrishna
Son of Satyamurthy Telugu "Chal Chalo Chalo" Devi Sri Prasad
Srimanthudu "Jaago"
2016 Badmaash Kannada "Hare Rama"
"Rama Ravivara"
Judah Sandy
1944 "Prathi Yedeyalli" Rajesh Ramnath
Nannaku Prematho Telugu "Don't Stop" Devi Sri Prasad
Janatha Garage "Rock On Bro"
Aanandam Malayalam "Khule Rasthon Pe" Sachin Warrier
2017 Beautiful Manasugalu Kannada "Soruthihudu Maneya Maligi" Bharath BJ
Trigger "Kannada" Chandru Obaiah
April Na Himabindu "Iduvarege Badukidella" Bharath BJ
Rajahamsa "Janaganamana" Joshua Sridhar
Happy New Year "Adda Bidde Madesha"
"The Party Anthem"
Himself
Chef Hindi "Shugal Laga De"
"Darmiyaan"
2018 Tholi Prema Telugu "Break The Rules" S. Thaman
Koode Malayalam "Paranne" Himself
Gultoo Kannada "VTU We Love You" Amit Anand
Samhaara "Raakshasi" Ravi Basrur
Sankashta Kara Ganapathi "Sankashta Kara Ganapathi" Ritvik Murulidhar
Attempt To Murder "Pade Pade" Ravidev
Jeet Singh
Krishnarjuna Yudham Telugu "Urime Manase" Hiphop Tamizha
Imaikkaa Nodigal Tamil "Neeyum Naanum Anbe"
2019 Gully Boy Hindi "The Train Song" Himself along with MIDIval Punditz, Karsh Kale
2020 Arishadvarga Kannada "Gadiyaarake Muppirade" Udit Haritas
Love Mocktail "Oh! Oh! Love Aagoithalla"
"Kanna Haniyondhu"
Himself
2021 Thimmarusu Telugu "The Thimmarusu" Sricharan Pakala
2023 Orchestra Mysuru Kannada "Sulla Chandira" Himself
"Maadappa"

Filmography

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Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Notes Ref
2008 Psycho Musician
2010 Just Math Mathalli Music director Special appearance
2017 Chef Himself Hindi film
2022 Raymo Himself uncredited
2023 Orchestra Mysuru Himself
Baang Daddy [22][23]

Award

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  • Dixit was awarded "Best Newcomer" at the 2011 Songlines Music Awards.[24]
  • Favorite Singer Award at the 2008 SFM Kalaa Awards[25]
  • Best Alternative Act at the UK Asian Music Awards[26]
  • Best Live Performer – GIMA Music Awards 2014[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b Dixit, Raghu (19 March 2016). Weekend with Ramesh Season 2 – Episode 25 – March 19, 2016 – Full Episode (in Kannada). Zee Kannada. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Raghu Dixit interview in Kannada | Vishva Kannada". vishvakannada.com. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Naache Mayuri". The Hindu. 12 January 2012. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Raghu Dixit Album Hits No. 1 on iTunes, Amazon World Music Charts". Indiecision. Nh7.in. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  5. ^ "Jag Changa". iTunes Store. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Jag Change". Songdew. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  7. ^ Bhandaram, Vishnupriya (28 March 2012). "Music knows no language". Hyderabad, India. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  8. ^ "'Psycho' – a unique thought". IndiaGlitz. 24 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  9. ^ "Yash Raj Films' new banner to launch seven actors in 3 movies". Business of Cinema. 2 April 2011. Archived from the original on 20 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  10. ^ a b "Raghu Dixit: Indian music with a western twist". BBC News. 15 April 2012.
  11. ^ "Let the revelry begin…". The Hindu. 6 March 2013.
  12. ^ "The Raghu Dixit Project". facebook.com.
  13. ^ "The Fusion Night". Mansarict. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  14. ^ "Raghu Dixit Session, World on 3 – BBC Radio 3". BBC.
  15. ^ "Raghu to perform for the Queen of England". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Raghu Dixit to perform live on Bangalore Times concert". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  17. ^ Monalisa, Monika (20 July 2024). "Raghu Dixit to perform at 2024 Paris Olympics". The New Indian Express.
  18. ^ "Raghu Dixit Interview - Part 1 - Thamarai.com". 24 November 2010. Event occurs at 0:56-1:29 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ "Singer Raghu Dixit accused of sexual harassment, says he 'completely misread' the situation". The Times of India. 12 October 2018.
  20. ^ "ZEE5 launches its third Telugu original –B.Tech on Nov 15". MediaNews4U. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  21. ^ "B. Tech review: Tharun Bhascker's Zee5 webseries takes a familar [sic] premise and turns it into magic". Firstpost. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Makers of 'Baang' unearthed the dormant actor within me: Musician Raghu Dixit". The New Indian Express. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Started enjoying as soon as I got on the set: Raghu on acting debut". Hindustan Times. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Culture Diary: Raghu Dixit Awarded". The Indian Express. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  25. ^ "Raghu Dixit, Nandita win at SFM Kalaa Awards". Radio and Music. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  26. ^ The Raghu Dixit Project won the Best Alternative Act at the UK Asian Music Awards/, archived from the original on 1 October 2020, retrieved 29 September 2014
  27. ^ Raghu Dixit gets Wizcraft honour for Best LIVE Performer, the Global Indian Music Academy, 20 January 2014
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