Shakthisree Gopalan

Biography:

Shakthisree Gopalan, born on October 25, 1988, is a versatile Indian vocalist, composer, songwriter, and performer renowned for her collaborations with top South Indian music composers like A.R. Rahman. Beyond her contributions to film music, she is a regular in the independent music scene, showcasing her talents across genres like Pop, R’n’B, trip-hop, and jazz.

Originally from Kochi, Kerala, Shakthisree pursued her education at Rajagiri Public School, Kalamassery, before moving to Chennai to study architecture at Anna University’s School of Architecture and Planning.

Her musical journey began early, having received training in Carnatic music for 13 years. Her initial foray into the limelight came when she participated in SS Music’s Voice Hunt 1 during her 11th standard, culminating in her victory in the second season in 2008. This win led to her debut song for the film “Taxi 4777.”

Shakthisree’s career burgeoned in the following years. She secured the third spot in Chennai Live’s Band Hunt and performed at various cultural fests across prestigious institutions.

The turning point in her career came when she met A.R. Rahman while working on the design for his music school, K M Music Conservatory. Rahman heard her compositions, opening the door for Shakthisree to lend her voice to “Nenjikulle” in the film “Kadal,” marking her first recorded song. The title track for Rahman’s Bollywood film, “Jab Tak Hai Jaan,” where she contributed, was released before her Tamil film song “Nenjukkule.”

Following these breakthroughs, Shakthisree went on to record songs for films such as “Irumbukottai Murattu Singham” and “Kattradhu Kalavu,” solidifying her presence in the playback singing domain.