Versatile Indian singer Sonu Niigaam says he will perform with Michael Jackson’s brother Jermaine during the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend in Toronto, as a tribute to the late King of Pop on the eve of his second death anniversary. The duo will perform Sonu’s composition, which has been chosen as a tribute song for Michael, who died June 25, 2009, by his family.
“Yes, I am performing with him (Jermaine), the MJ tribute song that is getting released by Universal America next week. It is called ‘This Is It’. I wrote and composed the song and he sang it for me in Los Angeles. It is the first ever tribute song in the world post MJ’s sad demise that is endorsed by a member of Michael Jackson’s family,” Sonu told IANS. Their performance will be a part of the IIFA Rocks, a music and fashion event which will sponsored by Grey Goose on the second day of the three-day Bollywood extravaganza in Toronto, starting June 23. “We were fortunate to have met with Michael Jackson in 1996 when we brought him to India for his concert. With IIFA in Toronto, we will be commemorating Michael Jackson’s second death anniversary with a performance by his brother Jermaine Jackson on the IIFA Rocks stage. He will be joined by Sonu Niigaam,” Sabbas Joseph, one of the founder directors of Wizcraft International Entertainment, told IANS. Sonu is a huge Michael Jackson fan, and he has admitted in the past that his style of singing the hit number “Ye dil deewana” was majorly influenced by the international pop superstar. Jermaine, MJ’s elder brother, had last visited India in October 2009 for 10 days to record an album with composer-singer Adnan Sami.