Shakthisree Gopalan

Shakthisree Gopalan was born on October 25, 1988, in Kochi, Kerala. Trained rigorously in Carnatic classical vocal music from childhood, she later relocated to Chennai to pursue architecture at the School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University. Balancing her architectural profession with music, she performed with leading indie rock bands before being discovered by A.R. Rahman.

Her breakthrough came in 2012 when Rahman unveiled her voice on MTV Unplugged with the acoustic soul sensation 'Nenjukkulle' from the soundtrack of Mani Ratnam's film 'Kadal'. The performance became an instant viral phenomenon, earning her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer (Tamil) and the Vijay Award for Best Debut Singer.

Over the next decade, Gopalan became one of the most distinctive female voices in Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu cinema, delivering chartbusters such as 'Aga Naga' in Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus 'Ponniyin Selvan', 'Bhoomi Bhoomi' in 'Chekka Chivantha Vaanam', and 'Kadhal Kanave'. Parallel to cinema, she has released celebrated independent soul, jazz, and indie pop singles, asserting creative autonomy as both a songwriter and performing architect.