Leslee Lewis

Lewis is one of the first Indian composers to have introduced the Indian audiences to rock and pop music. Lewis's creative side comes as an inherited value from his father, P. Raj, noted choreographer from the film industry.

• Name — Leslee Lewis • Birth Name — Leslee Peter Lewis • Born — 20 June 1960 • Birthplace — Mumbai, India • Genre — Indi-pop, filmi, rock • Occupation — Singer, composer, producer • Instrument — Guitar, bass, keys • Years Active — 1987–present • Associated Acts — Colonial Cousins, Hariharan

Leslee Lewis is the son of P. L. Raj, a prolific film choreographer. He was educated at Bombay Scottish School, Mahim As a child, Lewis was greatly influenced by The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton and with further working on his musical capabilities bagged the opportunity of recording with renowned music directors. He played guitar at the Cafe Royal, Oberoi Towers, Mumbai and recorded with Kalyanji–Anandji, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, R. D. Burman and Louis Banks.

From 1987, he composed advertising jingles and was nominated for awards from the Indian Academy of Advertising Film Art (IAAFA). In 1989 received an award for his work. He went on to make some famous jingles such as Doodh-Doodh-Doodh (Piyo full glass), Mango Fruity fresh and juicy, Thums up taste the thunder, Santoor Santoor, etc.

Lewis remixed Asha Bhosle's album Rahul and I and composed songs for Janam samjha karo, O mere sona, Piya Tu- ab toh aaja. He also composed and produced the music for Paree Hu Main by Suneeta Rao, Bombay Girl by Alisha Chinai and for KK's album Pal. He composed songs such as "Bombay Girl" and "De De- Mujh Ko" for Alisha Chinai. He also launched Indipop boy band A Band of Boys and gave music for their hit songs such as "Meri Neendh", "Gori" and "Aa Jaa Meri Jaan". In 1998, Lewis recorded his first solo album, Haseena. He composed the score for the Hindi films Mela and Jahd and the Tamil films Modhi Vilayadu and Chikku Bukku.

• Illustration — Lewis at the launch of his album 'Tanha Sa Hoon' Lewis first worked with ghazal singer Hariharan in 1992, creating a jingle. They formed Colonial Cousins in 1996 and recorded an album, Colonial Cousins. They were the first Indian duo to be featured on MTV Unplugged. It won the MTV Indian Viewers' Choice award and Billboard Award for the Best Asian Music Group. They released the albums The Way We Do It (1998) and Aatma (2001) and composed the soundtrack for the Tamil films Modhi Vilayadu and Chikku Bukku.

• Dhuan (Suneeta Rao Album) (1991) • Bombay Girl (1994) • Colonial Cousins (1996) • Haseena (1998) • The Way We Do It (1998) • Pal (1999) • Aatma (2001) • Meri Neend (2002) • Gori (2002) • Elements (2002) • Ye Bhi Woh Bhi (2002) • Once More (2012)

• Year — Film — Language — Song — Composer(s) — Writer(s) — Co-artist(s) • 1999 — Rockford — English — "Feels So Good" — Colonial Cousins — Hariharan • 2000 — Mela — Hindi — "Dekho 2000 Zamana Aa Gaya" — Leslee Lewis — Dharmesh Darshan — Hariharan, Aamir Khan • 2005 — Anniyan — Tamil — "Kannum Kannum Nokia" — Harris Jayaraj — Kabilan — Andrea Jeremiah, Vasundhara Das, Ranjith • Aparichit — Hindi (dubbed) — "Gora Gora Aankh" — Mehboob Kotwal — Vasundhara Das • 2006 — Sainikudu — Telugu — "Byla Bylamo" — Harris Jayaraj — Chandrabose — Anushka Manchanda, Sunitha Sarathy • 2008 — King — Telugu — " King Title Song" — Devi Sri Prasad — Ramajogayya Sastry — Mamta Mohandas, Devi Sri Prasad • 2009 — Modhi Vilayadu — Tamil — "Vellaikaari" — Colonial Cousins — Vairamuthu — Hariharan • "Sikki Mukki" — Surmukhi Raman • 2010 — Darling — Telugu — "Hosahore" — G. V. Prakash Kumar — Ananth Sreeram — K.K. • 2015 — Online Binline — Marathi — "Oho Kai Zhala" — Leslee Lewis — Hariharan, Shreyash Jadhav • 2019 — Kaappaan — Tamil — "Hey Amigo" — Harris Jayaraj — Vairamuthu — Jonita Gandhi