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Renowned Indian singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice has been heard in hundreds of Bollywood films and whose influence extended to the West, has died at the age of 92.
Bhosle died of multi-organ failure in a Mumbai hospital on Sunday, the Associated Press reported. Her son Anand Bhosle said the funeral services would be held on Monday.
“Their extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, has enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts around the world,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media on Sunday. “Whether her heartfelt melodies or lively compositions – her voice carried timeless brilliance.”
India’s most versatile voice
One of India’s most popular and versatile ‘playback singers’, Bhosle is credited with over 12,000 recorded songs in a career that spanned eight decades. She came from the famous Mangeshkar musical dynasty: her older sister Lata Mangeshkar, who was considered India’s “Queen of Melody”, was also a celebrated playback singer – a vocalist whose singing is used in Bollywood films. Mangeshkar died in 2022, also at the age of 92.
Bhosle is best known for her musical partnership with composer RD Burman, her long-time collaborator and later husband. Together they recorded Bollywood hits like “Dum Maro Dum” and “Piya Tu Ab To Aja”.
A two-time Grammy-nominated artist, Bhosle was known to Western audiences through her collaborations with Boy George (“Bow Down Mister”), Michael Stipe (“The Way You Dream”) and the Gorillaz, who enlisted Bhosle for “The Shadowy Light” on their new album “The Mountain”:
Inspiration for Cornershop
Bhosle was also the inspiration behind British band Cornershop’s 1997 hit “Brimful of Asha,” Cornershop’s Tjinder Singh wrote on social media on Sunday.
“The world and all of India are in mourning today. We don’t know whether a candle has gone out or been lit – such was the reputation of Asha Bhosle.”
