# Clinton Cerejo

Clinton Cerejo is an Indian singer and composer.

## Personal life

Clinton Cerejo was born into an academically inclined family with no known musical background. His father was an engineer at L&T and his mother is a French professor. His elder brother is a software professional and his younger sister is an editor for medical journals in the United States. He completed his graduation in Commerce from Poddar College in Mumbai and was on his way to pursue a degree in M.B.A before his friends convinced him of his musical talent.
During his younger days, he was influenced by great producers such as Quincy Jones, Trevor Horn, Arif Mardin, Stevie Wonder, Babyface, Hugh Padgham, Peter Gabriel, Roland Orzabal, and Roy Thomas Baker. Clinton married Dominique Cerejo, who was his college friend and is now an established singer.
He is married to fellow singer Dominique Cerejo and has two children, Evania Cerejo and Noah Cerejo.

## Career

During his time at college, he would often have jam sessions with his friend Siddharth Haldipur (of music director duo Sangeet-Siddharth fame). It was on one such session that Amar Haldipur (Siddharth's father), who is a famous arranger and violinist, noticed Clinton and took a liking to his voice. Amar introduced Clinton to Anand Modak, the music director of a Marathi film Mukta and soon he was performing his first song in a recording studio. It was an English song for a Marathi film, picturised on an African-American.
After a series of sporadic recordings, he started lending his voice to many advertisement jingles. During this period he worked with Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Lezz Lewis, Ranjit Barot & Louis Banks. Some of his contemporaries at that time were KK and Kunal Ganjawala, who went on to become playback singers. Clinton and Kunal sang a lot of jingles together.
Realizing that his voice was not versatile enough to be a successful jingle singer, he started looking at other areas of interest.
A. R. Rahman, while working in an adjoining studio, happened to overhear one of Clinton's vocal arrangements for a song and when they met a month later, offered Clinton the opportunity to work with him. Soon his work was noticed by many and other projects followed.
Eventually Clinton went on to work with many leading Indian music composers performing various roles in the music department. Later on he composed various songs which were featured in Coke studio. One of the famous songs is "Madari", sung by Vishal Dadlani and Sonu Kakkar.

## Discography
### As composer
#### Films

| Year | Album | Notes |
| 2011 | Pyaar Ka Punchnama | 2 songs |
| 2012 | Kahaani | Background Score |
| 2012 | Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu | Background Score |
| 2015 | Tevar | Background Score |
| 2016 | Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh | Original songs, Background Score |
| 2016 | Te3n | Original songs, Background Score |
| 2016 | Jugni | Original songs, Background Score |
| 2019 | Badla | 1 song, Background Score |
| 2019 | Section 375 | Background Score |
| 2020 | Yaara | Released on ZEE5 Background Score |
| 2021 | Chehre | Background score |
| 2021 | Bob Biswas | Released on Zee5 2 songs along with Bionca Gomes, Background score |
| 2022 | Love Hostel | Released on Zee5 2 songs along with Bionca Gomes, 2 instrumentals, Background Score |
| 2022 | Dobaaraa | 1 song along with Bionca Gomes, Background Score |
| 2023 | I Love You | Released on JioCinema 3 songs along with Bionca Gomes, Background Score |
| 2023 | Blind | Released on JioCinema All songs along with Bionca Gomes |
| 2023 | Jaane Jaan | Released on Netflix Background Score along with Bionca Gomes |
| 2024 | Bhakshak | Released on Netflix Background Score along with Bionca Gomes |
| 2025 | Dhoom Dhaam | Released on Netflix All songs along with Bionca Gomes |

#### Non-film work

| Year | Album | Notes |
| 2005 | Jawani Diwani (Hindi) | Clinton composed the title track for this album which was sung by Bobby Moon |
| 2012 | "Madari-Coke studio" | Composed the song |
| 2013 | Reunion Song | Composer for Google India Google Search Advertisement |
| 2016 | Jammin | Inquilab Mera Khwab by Sanam and Clinton Cerejo Ishq Abhi Bhi By Clinton Cerejo And Sanah Moidutty Tonight We Dance by Clinton Cerejo & RaagaTrippin |
| 2018 | Jammin Season 2 | Kya Karoon? And Mehram by Clinton Cerejo and Prakriti Kakar Naina Thug lenge By Clinton Cerejo And Salman Ali Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga and Safar by Clinton Cerejo & Gajendra Verma |

### As music producer (For other composers)

| Year | Album | Album Artist |
| 2006 | Omkara | Vishal Bhardwaj |
| 2007 | Come One Come All | The Fine (band) |
| 2009 | Kaminey | Vishal Bhardwaj |
| 2010 | Ishqiya | Vishal Bhardwaj |
| 2011 | 7 Khoon Maaf | Vishal Bhardwaj |
| 2012 | Mauje Naina | MTV Coke Studio season 2 |

### Singer

| Year | Album | Songs | Language | Composer | Lyricist |
| 1999 | Taj Mahal | "Thirupachi" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2000 | Kandukondain Kandukondain | "Smayiyai" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2000 | Alaipayuthey | "Endendrum Punnagai" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2000 | Alaipayuthey | "Pachchai Nirame" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2000 | Alaipayuthey | "Maangalyam" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2000 | Thenali | "Thenali" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2001 | 12B | "Anandam" | Tamil | Harris Jayaraj |
| 2001 | One 2 Ka 4 | "One 2 Ka 4" | Hindi | A. R. Rahman |
| 2002 | Vasu | "Sportive Boys" | Telugu | Harris Jayaraj |
| 2002 | King | "Saturday Sunday Holiday" | Tamil | Dhina |
| 2003 | Darna Mana Hai | "Homework" | Hindi | Salim–Sulaiman |
| 2003 | Boys | "Secret of Success" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2003 | Boys | "Please Sir" | Tamil | A. R. Rahman |
| 2003 | Bhoot | "Ghor Andhere" | Hindi | Salim–Sulaiman |
| 2003 | Naaga | "Nayudori Pilla" | Telugu | Vidyasagar & Deva |
| 2004 | Manmadhan | "Thathai Thathai" | Tamil | Yuvan Shankar Raja |
| 2005 | Kanda Naal Mudhal | "Pushing It Hard" | Tamil | Yuvan Shankar Raja | |
| 2005 | Neal 'n' Nikki | "I'm in Love" | Hindi | Salim–Sulaiman |
| 2005 | Neal 'n' Nikki | "I Just Wanna Spend My Life With You" | Hindi | Salim–Sulaiman | |
| 2005 | Ek Ajnabee | "Tere Liye" | Hindi | Vishal-Shekhar | Sameer |
| 2006 | Omkara | "Beedi" | Hindi | Vishal Bhardwaj | Gulzar |
| 2006 | Kalvanin Kadhali | "Ivan Kattil" | Tamil | Yuvan Shankar Raja |
| 2006 | Happy | "Chal Chal Re" | Telugu | Yuvan Shankar Raja |
| 2007 | Sunday | "Sunday Theme" | Hindi | Amar Mohile |
| 2007 | Partner | "Do U Wanna Partner" | Hindi | Sajid–Wajid | Sanjay Chhel |
| 2008 | Vaaranam Aayiram | "Oh Shanthi" | Tamil | Harris Jayaraj |
| 2008 | Yuvvraaj | "Dil Ka Rishta" | Hindi | A. R. Rahman |
| 2009 | All the Best: Fun Begins | "Kyun" | Hindi | Pritam |
| 2009 | Wake Up Sid! | "Kya Karoon" | Hindi | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Javed Akhtar |
| 2009 | Siva Manasula Sakthi | "Eppadio Matikittaen" | Tamil | Yuvan Shankar Raja |
| 2009 | Ride | "Rangula lokam" | Telugu | Hemachandra |
| 2009 | Luck | "Aazma – Luck Is The Key" | Hindi | Salim–Sulaiman |
| 2009 | Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam | "Egire Egire" | Telugu | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
| 2010 | Kanimozhi | "Penne Pogathey" | Tamil | Satish Chakravarthy |
| 2010 | Kanimozhi | "Thada Thada Endru" | Tamil | Satish Chakravarthy |
| 2010 | Prithvi | "Hejjegondu Hejje" | Kannada | Manikanth Kadri |
| 2010 | Karthik Calling Karthik | "Hey Ya!" | Hindi | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Javed Akhtar |
| 2010 | Karthik Calling Karthik | "Hey Ya! (Remix)" | Hindi | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | |
| 2010 | Ishqiya | "Dil To Bachcha Hai (Remix)" | Hindi | Vishal Bhardwaj | Gulzar |
| 2011 | Oosaravelli | "Love Ante Caring" | Telugu | Devi Sri Prasad |
| 2011 | Pyar Ka Punchnama | "Baanware" | Hindi | Clinton Cerejo, Hitesh Sonik | Luv Ranjan |
| 2011 | 7 Khoon Maaf | "O' Mama" (Rap Vocals) | Hindi | Vishal Bhardwaj | Gulzar |
| 2011 | 7 Khoon Maaf | "Doosri Darling" | Hindi | Vishal Bhardwaj | Gulzar |
| 2011 | Veppam | "Oru Devadai" | Tamil | Joshua Sridhar |
| 2012 | Blood Money | "Arzoo" | Hindi | Sangeet Haldipur, Siddharth Haldipur | Kumaar |
| 2012 | Vicky Donor | "Kho jaane do" | Hindi | Abhishek Akshay | Juhi Chaturvedi |
| 2012 | Ekk Deewana Tha | "Phoolon Jaisi" | Hindi | A R Rahman | Javed Akhtar , (Malayalam lyrics:Kalyani Menon) |
| 2013 | Run Raja Run | "Shanthi Om Shanthi" | Telugu | M. Ghibran |
| 2013 | One By Two | "Baat Kya Hai" | Hindi | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Amitabh Bhattacharya |
| 2013 | Raja Rani | "Chillena" | Tamil | G.V Prakash |
| 2013 | Ek Thi Daayan | "Kaali Kaali" | Hindi | Vishal Bhardwaj | Gulzar |
| 2013 | Ek Thi Daayan | "Yaaram" | Hindi | Vishal Bhardwaj | Gulzar |
| 2015 | Jil | "Emaindi Vela" | Telugu | M. Ghibran |
| 2016 | Te3n | "Haq Hai" | Hindi | Clinton Cerejo | Amitabh Bhattacharya |
| 2016 | Te3n | "Kyun Re" | Hindi | Clinton Cerejo | Amitabh Bhattacharya |
| 2016 | Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh | "Anandoloke" | Hindi | Clinton Cerejo | "Rabindra Sangeet" |
| 2017 | Kaadhali | "Kaadhal Kaadhal" | Telugu | Prasan Praveen Shyam |
| 2017 | Meri Pyaari Bindu | "Iss Tarah" | Hindi | Sachin–Jigar | Kausar Munir |
| 2024 | Article 370 | "Aandhi" | Hindi | Shashwat Sachdev | Kumaar |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| Mirchi Music Awards |||||
| 2010 | Best Programmer & Arranger of the Year | "Dil To Bachcha Hai" from Ishqiya | Nominated |
| 2012 | Background Score of the Year | Kahaani | Won |
| 2017 | Best Song Producer (Programming & Arranging) | "Julia" from Rangoon | Won |
| Filmfare Awards |||||
| 2020 | Best Background Score | Badla | Nominated |