Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Leslee Lewis
View on Wikipedia
Key Information
Leslee Peter Lewis (formerly spelled Leslie and Lesle; born 20 June 1960), popularly known as Lezz Lewis, is an Indian singer and composer known for his work with Hariharan as the duo Colonial Cousins.[1] They won the MTV Asia Viewer's Choice Award and then the U.S. Billboard Viewer's Choice Award for 'Colonial Cousins', their debut album.[2] He conceived and created all the music for Coke Studio, MTV India debut season.[3]
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. L. Raj, noted choreographer from the film industry.
With an aim to give the audiences a taste of varied music flavours, he has been successful in keeping his originality intact with advertisement jingles, film music and other forms of modern music.
Early life
[edit]Leslee Lewis is the son of P. L. Raj, a prolific film choreographer.[4] 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.
Biography
[edit]Jingles
[edit]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.[5]
Mainstream music
[edit]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.
Colonial Cousins
[edit]
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.[6] It won the MTV Indian Viewers' Choice award and Billboard Award for the Best Asian Music Group.[6][7] They released the albums The Way We Do It (1998) and Aatma (2001) and composed the soundtrack for the Tamil films Modhi Vilayadu[8] and Chikku Bukku.
Discography
[edit]As composer
[edit]Albums
[edit]- 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)
Films
[edit]- Rockford (1999 - English)
- Mela (2000 - Hindi)
- Apna Asmaan (2007 - Hindi)
- Modhi Vilayadu (2009 - Tamil)
- Chikku Bukku (2010 - Tamil)
- Poshter Boyz (2014 - Marathi)
- Online Binline (2015 - Marathi)
As singer
[edit]| 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 |
| 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 |
Awards and achievements
[edit]- 1997: MTV Asia Viewer's Choice Award for Colonial Cousins in Radio City Hall - New York
- US Billboard Viewer's Choice Award - Las Vegas
- Awarded 'Indian of the Year 2017[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Leslee Lewis composes for his first Bollywood flick IBN Live; 13 November 2007
- ^ Chitra, Swaminathan (11 November 2010). "The Cousins come calling". www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Coke Studio will be a revolution in Indian music industry: MTV head Aditya Swamy & Leslee Lewis". Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ Lesle Lewis - Biography Archived 19 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine ; 17 June 2011
- ^ "Lesle Lewis tells Health & Nutrition about his struggle, his relationship and his undying passion for music : MagnaMags". magnamags.com. Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Colonial Cousins to regale Bangaloreans". The Hindu. 23 September 2004.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Artist biography: Hariharan" Archived 2 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Indianmusicinfo.com. Retrieved 28 January 2011
- ^ "Colonial Cousins' debut in Tamil". The Hindu. 25 July 2009. Archived from the original on 31 July 2009.
- ^ "Brands Academy Organized Mega Event "Indian of the Year" - New Delhi". Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
External links
[edit]Leslee Lewis
View on GrokipediaEarly life and influences
Family background
Leslee Peter Lewis was born on June 20, 1960, in Mumbai, India.[1][5] He is the son of the renowned Bollywood choreographer P. L. Raj (born Devraj Peter Lewis Raj), whose prolific career in Hindi cinema during the 1950s and 1960s provided Leslee with early immersion in the vibrant creative environment of the Indian film industry.[6][7] His mother, Devyani, was a dancer, further enriching the family's artistic atmosphere and exposing Leslee to performance arts from a young age.[6] Leslee grew up alongside two sisters, Greta Lewis and Eliza Lewis, in a household shaped by his parents' professions, which fostered his innate inclinations toward the performing arts through frequent interactions with dancers, musicians, and filmmakers visiting their home.[6][5] This family dynamic, centered in Mumbai's bustling entertainment scene, offered him direct exposure to dance and choreography, influencing his early appreciation for rhythmic and visual elements in creative expression.[8] Throughout his life, Leslee has been known by variations of his name, including the earlier spellings Leslie and Lesle, and the popular moniker Lezz Lewis, reflecting his evolving public persona in the music industry.[5]Education and early career
Leslee Lewis attended St. Mary's High School in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, where he completed his early education at a boarding school.[9][5] During his school years, Lewis developed a strong interest in music, influenced by Western rock icons such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton, which ignited his passion for rock and fusion genres.[9][10] These influences led him to his first professional experiences, including playing guitar at Cafe Royal in the Oberoi Towers, Mumbai, where he began performing and honing his skills as a young musician.[9] In the 1980s, Lewis started session work as a guitarist, recording with prominent Indian composers including the duo Kalyanji–Anandji, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, R. D. Burman, and jazz pianist Louis Banks, marking his entry into the professional music scene.[9][11] His family's connections to Bollywood, through his father P. L. Raj, a noted choreographer, provided early access to Mumbai's music circles and facilitated these initial opportunities.[5] Throughout his youth, Lewis experimented with blending Indian melodic elements and rhythms from his surroundings with Western rock structures, laying the groundwork for his later fusion innovations.[9]Professional career
Jingles and advertising
Leslee Lewis launched his career in advertising music in 1987 by founding Ze-Bop Musik Pvt Ltd, a company dedicated to composing jingles for television commercials, marking his entry into the Indian advertising industry.[5][11] This period built on his prior session work as a guitarist, honing the technical skills essential for creating concise, impactful audio pieces.[12] Over the following years, Lewis became renowned for crafting iconic jingles that captured brand essences through catchy melodies and lyrics. Notable examples include the "Doodh Doodh Doodh" campaign for Amul milk, emphasizing nutritional benefits with a playful rhythm; the "Taste the Thunder" tagline for Thums Up cola, infusing energy and boldness; and the "Fresh and Juicy" jingle for Frooti mango drink, highlighting its vibrant appeal.[5][13] These compositions were widely aired on Indian television, contributing to their cultural resonance in the late 1980s and 1990s. In recognition of his excellence, Lewis received the Indian Academy of Advertising Film Art (IAAFA) award in 1989, following four consecutive nominations for his innovative advertising music.[10][5] Lewis's approach innovated by blending Indian classical influences with Western pop and rock elements in short-form ads, a technique that distinguished his work and positioned him as a pioneering jingle specialist in India.[9] This fusion helped modernize Indian advertising soundscapes during the late 1980s and 1990s, introducing contemporary rhythms to a traditionally conservative medium.[12]Film and solo compositions
Lewis's entry into film composition began with the 1999 English-language film Rockford, where he contributed songs including "Yaaron". He followed with the 2000 Bollywood film Mela, providing the music for the hit song "Dekho 2000 Zamana Aa Gaya," featuring vocals by Hariharan and Aamir Khan.[14][15] This track, blending upbeat pop rhythms with celebratory lyrics, marked his expansion into Hindi cinema soundtracks.[16] He later expanded into Tamil cinema, composing the full soundtrack for Modhi Vilayadu (2009), which incorporated fusion elements with songs like "Vellaikkari" sung by Hariharan.[17] Similarly, for Chikku Bukku (2010), Lewis crafted a pop-infused score that continued his signature style of melodic hooks and rhythmic drive.[18] In 2019, he contributed the song "Mehabooba" to the Tamil film Kaappaan, performing alongside Jonita Gandhi under Harris Jayaraj's overall musical direction.[19] Beyond films, Lewis explored solo artistry with his debut album Haseena in 1998, a collection of 10 tracks that fused pop sensibilities with subtle Indian influences, including the title song evoking romantic longing.[20] Earlier, in 1996, he ventured into remixing with Rahul & I (Personal Memories), a collaborative project reimagining Asha Bhosle's classic hits—such as "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja"—into energetic dance versions, pioneering the remix trend in Indian music.[21] His compositional brevity, honed through years of creating jingles, translated effectively to the concise storytelling required in film songs.[9] Throughout these works, his style evolved to integrate rock guitars, pop structures, and Indian percussion, creating a distinctive fusion that bridged Western and indigenous sounds in both film and independent projects.[22]Colonial Cousins
Colonial Cousins is an Indian musical duo formed in 1996 by composer and guitarist Leslee Lewis and vocalist Hariharan, blending elements of Indian classical music with rock and pop to create a pioneering fusion sound.[2][23] The partnership built on their earlier collaboration in 1992, when Lewis and Hariharan worked together on a jingle, and Lewis's prior experience with solo remixes of Bollywood tracks like "Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja" influenced the duo's innovative pop fusion approach.[9][24] The duo's self-titled debut album, Colonial Cousins, released in 1996 under the Magnasound label, marked their breakthrough, featuring nine tracks that showcased Lewis's guitar-driven compositions paired with Hariharan's versatile vocals.[23][25] Hits such as "Krishna Nee Begane Baro," a fusion rendition of a traditional bhajan, and "Sa Ni Dha Pa" propelled the album to commercial success, making it one of the first Indian pop records to gain international recognition.[26] The album's unique sound earned the duo the MTV Asia Viewers' Choice Award and the US Billboard Viewers' Award in 1996, highlighting their impact on global fusion music.[27] Following the debut, Colonial Cousins released The Way We Do It in 1998, expanding their fusion style with 12 tracks that further integrated rock rhythms and Indian melodies, including the title song "The Way We Do It."[28] Their third album, Aatma (2001), delved into spiritual themes, drawing from classical Indian traditions with songs like "Guiding Star" and "Mata Pita," blending devotional elements with funk, jazz, and rock influences.[29][30] In the late 1990s, the duo undertook live performances and tours across India and internationally, captivating audiences with their energetic fusion sets and selling out shows that solidified their acclaim as pioneers of original Indian fusion.[26][31] After Aatma, the duo paused their joint projects, but reunited for occasional performances, including the album Once More in 2012 and multi-city tours in the 2020s, such as the 2024 Bollyboom India Reunion Tour.[2][32]Production and later projects
Following the success of Colonial Cousins, which blended Indian classical elements with Western pop and opened opportunities in broader music production, Leslee Lewis expanded into producing innovative formats that fused genres and promoted emerging talent. In the 1990s, he pioneered Bollywood remixes, creating the album Rahul and I (1996) with Asha Bhosle, which reimagined classic film songs in contemporary styles and helped popularize the remix trend in India.[9] Lewis launched the Indipop boy band A Band of Boys in the early 2000s, composing music for their debut album Yeh Bhi Woh Bhi (2002) and subsequent releases, including hits like "Meri Neend," "Gori," and "Ishq," while providing ongoing guidance to shape their sound and career trajectory.[33] A major milestone came in 2011 when Lewis served as curator and music producer for the inaugural season of Coke Studio @ MTV India, conceiving and creating all original music for nine episodes featuring 51 tracks recorded in single takes under intense conditions—he reportedly slept just two hours nightly for 40 days. The season showcased fusions with artists such as Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan, KK, and Kailash Kher, blending mainstream and folk performers with a house band to revive non-film music, ultimately achieving platinum status with Sony BMG.[34][35][36] Through his MTV collaborations, Lewis contributed to broader music programming, including early Indipop initiatives that introduced Western rock and pop production techniques—such as live studio jamming and genre-blending arrangements—to Indian television shows in the 2010s, influencing formats beyond Bollywood dominance.[9] Post-2019, Lewis has focused on global fusion projects, including blending Broadway and Bollywood in stage productions like Beauty and the Beast, while mentoring young artists such as singer Kavya Jones, whom he integrated into his band in 2018 to nurture her development alongside established performers.[9] In his solo career, he released the EP The White Album in 2022, featuring six romantic tracks, and a six-song series titled Phir Se Rock & Roll in 2023. He continues to perform live, including the Leslee Lewis — The ’90s Experience concert tour as of 2025.[37][2]Discography
Albums
Leslee Lewis's album discography reflects his evolution as a fusion musician, blending Indian classical elements with Western pop, rock, and electronic influences. His solo and collaborative works emphasize melodic compositions and vocal performances, often featuring guest artists to enhance thematic depth. The debut album of the Colonial Cousins duo, featuring Lewis alongside Hariharan, was released in 1996 and marked a breakthrough in Indian fusion music. Titled Colonial Cousins, it achieved platinum status in India, signifying significant commercial success through widespread radio play and live performances. The album comprises nine tracks that explore themes of spirituality and emotion, with notable songs including "Krishna Nee Begane Baro," a reimagined classical piece, and "It's Gonna Be Alright," which showcases upbeat rhythms.[27][38]| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sa Ni Dha Pa | 5:06 |
| 2 | It's Gonna Be Alright | 6:53 |
| 3 | Krishna | 5:50 |
| 4 | Adrain's Angel (Lost In the Desert Fair) | 4:42 |
| 5 | Indian Rain | 6:34 |
| 6 | Feel Alright | 5:59 |
| 7 | Let Me See The Love | 6:22 |
| 8 | Baba | 6:07 |
| 9 | Jaa Re | 6:12 |
| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Way We Do It | 3:59 |
| 2 | Feels So Good | 4:58 |
| 3 | Stay Back Tonight | 4:19 |
| 4 | Funky Freedom | 6:01 |
| 5 | Jaa Re Jaa | 3:31 |
| 6 | Lady | 4:35 |
| 7 | Virtual Reality | 4:28 |
| 8 | Visions | 4:55 |
| 9 | Rhythm Of The World | 4:50 |
| 10 | Once In A Lifetime | 4:45 |
| 11 | Chasing The Dream | 4:28 |
| 12 | If I Could | 4:35 |
| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guiding Star | 5:35 |
| 2 | Mata Pita | 3:20 |
| 3 | Dheem Dheem Dhirena | 3:40 |
| 4 | Dil Mein Tu | 6:33 |
| 5 | I Love You Girl (For Divya When I'm Gone) | 5:14 |
| 6 | Sri Rama | 5:48 |
| 7 | Kai Zhala | 4:40 |
| 8 | Turn Around - Angel Eyes | 4:48 |
| 9 | Aatma | 5:02 |
| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haseena | 4:33 |
| 2 | Bhiga Bhiga | 5:34 |
| 3 | Pyar Ho Gaya | 5:07 |
| 4 | Deewana Hoon Dilruba | 5:31 |
| 5 | Azadi (What U Waiting For) | 5:20 |
| 6 | Dil Tera Ho Jaye | 4:45 |
| 7 | Gori | 5:10 |
| 8 | Byla Bylamo | 4:50 |
| 9 | Paree | 5:00 |
| 10 | Meri Neend | 4:40 |
| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tere Bina Love | 3:02 |
| 2 | Paas Aao Na | 3:36 |
| 3 | Jannat Ki Raat | 4:04 |
| 4 | Dil Ne Yeh Kaha | 2:05 |
| 5 | Aadhi Raat Whiskey Aur Tu | 3:57 |
| 6 | Aashiq Hoon Tera | 1:42 |
