Arun Thapa

Chirag Khadka, known artistically as 5:55, is a Kathmandu‑born singer, songwriter, rapper, and producer whose genre‑blending sound fuses folk melodies, hip‑hop rhythms, and spiritual themes. Rising to prominence with the viral hit “Budi”, he has since built a devoted following through songs like “Samadhi,” “Life Jacket,” “Maya,” and “Samjhirakhnu.” A self‑producing artist with a strong visual and philosophical aesthetic, 5:55 continues to shape Nepal’s modern music landscape with introspective lyrics and experimental soundscapes.

Kalyan Singh is a Nepali composer and songwriter. His works include Santosh Lama‘s ‘Batuwa’, Hemanta Rana‘s ‘Raat Ki Raani’ and ‘Muskaan’, and Nima Rumba’s ‘Jaadu’, among others. He has also directed music for films — ‘Visa Girl’, ‘Mukhauta’ and ‘Hasiya’. With the knack of composing different styles of music, he is one of the capable composers of Nepali industry. Musical roots Singh was born on March 2, 1983. He was born into a musical family. His father, Bhagat Singh was an instrumentalist who worked at Radio Nepal and it was him who taught him music. He started learning music with the harmonium. By the age of seven, he had learnt the violin. Even though he learned and played music in the next several years, he had not planned to pursue music professionally. On the other hand, nobody in his family thought that he would be in the music filed. Turning point After completing his Bachelors level of education in 2002/3, Singh wanted to go to Australia for his further studies. But he was turned down and so he picked up music instead. With the help of his brother, renowned music director Raju Singh, he debuted as a singer with his first album titled ‘Fly’ in 2005/6. Singh had written and composed five songs out of seven tracks for ‘Fly’. However, ‘Fly’ didn’t go well. And so, he chose to become a composer. Moreover, an incident took place at one of the FM stations during the promotion of ‘Fly’. The ‘hurting’ episode made him determined to become a composer as he felt, “I won’t come to this FM station but my music will.” If that incident hadn’t taken place in his life, he wouldn’t have worked hard and become a composer. His willpower to become a composer was further supported and encouraged by photographer, cover designer, Lyricist Anil Sthapit.

Manoj Chaulagain is a Nepali music arranger, composer, and producer known for his melodic sensibility and clean acoustic‑driven arrangements across modern Nepali songs. Active in studio production and independent releases, he has arranged and composed tracks such as Ma Timibina, Meri Mayalu, and Maya Yestai, collaborating with leading vocalists including Melina Rai, Kaushalraj Khadka, and Krishna Pandey. His work spans arrangement, composition, lyrics, and production.

Subha Bahadur Sunam was a legendary Nepali music composer, saxophonist, and retired Brigadier General of the Nepal Army, celebrated for shaping modern Nepali music. Active for over five decades, he began composing at age 20 and became known for blending classical and contemporary styles. He co-composed the iconic song Parkhi Basey Aula Bhani with Sambhujeet Baskota under the name ShubhaSambhujeet. As a saxophone virtuoso, he was also the music mentor to Prince Dipendra. His contributions enriched Radio Nepal’s golden era and inspired generations of musicians. Sunam passed away in 2022 at age 74, leaving behind a profound musical legacy.