Harris Jayaraj was born on January 8, 1975 in a place called Kodambakkam near Chennai. A music director by profession he has tremendous command over instruments like percussion, guitar, keyboard and piano. One of the popular music directors of Tamil cinema, Harris has made a mark for himself on the sheer basis of his talent. He was born a Christian Nadar family. Music was in his genes as his father was a film guitarist and later on a famous musician and film composer. Harris’s father wanted to see his son as a famous singer but the prodigy was more interested in composing. He also realized he is more suited for the fascinating challenge of music direction.

His initial studies tool place in Chennai only. His entry into the Tamil music world took place in a slightly different way. He started his work as a keyboardist and he worked with famous A R Rahman. During the initial phase Harris also worked as a musician, drum percussionist and programmed scores for movies. Harris did not hesitate in working for TV advertisements. Soon, his struggle paid off and he was offered to compose music for Minnale. Songs of the movie were liked by the listeners and he started to make his mark in hugely competitive Tamil film industry.

Minnale’s success was followed by many more movies. His other famous movies were, 12B, Kovil, Anniyan, Ghajini, Thotti Jaya, Kaaka Kaaka, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu and Pachaikili Muthucharam etc. he was won several awards and that furthers reaffirms his rising position in Tamil film industry. With the kind of offers he is getting, Harris Jayaraj is sure to achieve many more milestones.

One of the most successful artists in current generation is affable Shankar Mahadevan. An artist with numerous talents, Shankar has carved a niche for himself in tough world of Indian music industry. Born in Chennai, he is not only a playback singer but also successful composer and pop singer. His talent truly knows no bounds. As a music director he works with Ehsaan and Loy in the famous trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. He is an accomplished singer in Tamil music and equally popular in Hindi cinema.

Right from his childhood, Shankar Mahadevan showed glimpses of his talent. He was introduced to Indian Classical Music and Carnatic music at an early age and he took it like a fish takes to water. Astonishingly he started to play Veena at an age of just five. He is an engineer by profession and composer by choice. He left his successful career in IT company and dared to venture into competitive world of Indian music. Now, we all know how wonderful that decision was. During the initial phase of his musical journey he won an award as best Playback singer and subsequently also won National Film Award for the movie Kandukondain Kandukondain. He sings in several languages like Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu and Marathi.

Shankar Mahadevan has also released pop album called ‘Breathless’. He has also collaborated with other artists like Fusion-Jazz band SILK with Louis Banks on Keyboards, Sivamani on percussion and Sridhar Parthasarathy on Mridangam. Shankar Mahadevan has won several awards. He is a recipient of Swaralaya-Kairali-Yesudas Award, National Film Award for Best Playback Singer, several Filmfare awards like Best Music Direction, Best Background Music, Best singer award etc.

Mahalakshmi Iyer is a renowned name in Tamil film industry. In fact, her vocal magic has spread to other regional cinema and Hindi movies as well. She is a favorite of big composers like A R Rehman. Mahalakshmi is equally proficient in classical music, indipop, playback singing and folk songs. Definitely a multifaceted artist with amazing talent to boast upon. She has sung for Telugu movies as well and has earned several accolades for her terrific singing capabilities. Other regional songs, she has dabbled in, include Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Assamese and Malayalam.

Mahalakshmi Iyer could not have asked for a better debut than Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se in 1998. Under the guidance and encouragement of incomparable A R Rahman, she made a quick name for herself in music industry. Her talent is truly manifested in genres she has sung in like films, Serials jingles and original albums. She belongs to a family of musicians. Her musical training started at a very early age. Her mother was also a Carnatic classical singer. Her ever increasing popularity has ensured her fame and recognition among music lovers.

Some of her famous songs in different languages are, Yaro Yarodi (Alaipayuthey), Rock N’ Roll Soniye (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna), Pyaar Ki Dastaan (Luck By Chance), Velli Malaray (Jodi), Des Rangila (Fanaa), Tu Jahan (Salaam Namaste), Kuruku Sirutthavalay (Mudhalvan), Bol Na Halke Halke (Jhoom Barabar Jhoom), So Ja Chanda (Mission Kashmir), Oh Ho Sanam (Dasavatharam), Yaadein Yaad Aati Hain (Yaadein), Har Taraf Tu Hi (Rishtey) and Tenu Leke (Salaam-E-Ishq) etc to name a few. She was also a part of Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. She sang the song Jai Ho. Mahalakshmi has won awards like Alpha award for Best Playback and Maharashtra Kala Niketan Award.

Born on November 7, 1980 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Karthik is a famous playback singer. He is hugely popular and respected in Tamil music industry. His talent and subsequent acknowledgement of it by the great artists at young age of 28 is truly fascinating. His musical journey started at an early age. He was introduced to the art of Carnatic music and soon enough he started showing his amazing talent. His passion for music kept on increasing day by day. His first brush with fame took place during his college days when he used to sing for his college band and was a regular participant in IIT Madras Fest ‘Sarang’.

A chance meeting with famous singer Srinivas inspired Karthik further to take singing seriously. His journey is quite eventful as well as memorable. As luck would have it, he got a call from A R Rahman who needed a fresh voice. He initially sang in chorus and as a backing vocalist. Rahman quickly identified his talent and gave him a chance in the Tamil movie ‘Star’. The song ‘Nendhukittaen’ proved to be a hit and since then Karthik has never looked back. His unquestionable talent can be understood from the fact that he has sung for many reputed composers like A. R. Rahman, Jeyaraj, Ilayaraaja and Yuvan Shankar Raja. Tamil film industry has definitely been richer with the arrival of this young talent.

Karthik has sung songs in many languages like Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam. Karthik has won several awards like Filmfare Best Male Playback Award in Tamil as well as Telugu languages. He has also won Nandi Award for Best Male Playback Singer and CineMAA Best Male Playback Award. These awards are true reflection of his multifaceted talent and increasing popularity.

One of the most talented Tamil singer and composer is Deva. He is in Tamil film industry for more than 20 years and needless to say, this has proved to be one memorable journey for this amazing singer. A great talent, Deva is also known as the “Father of Gaana Genre” in Tamil film industry. His musical journey started in 1989 with the film Manasukkeththa Maharaasa. He composed music for this movie and all the songs were chartbusters. The astonishing fact is Deva has composed music for no less than 400 movies. He has passed on his musical genes to his son Srikanth Deva who is also an established name in Tamil music direction.

Deva’s most popular songs have come from movies like Aasai, Citizen, Kaadhal Kottai, Chocolate, Kaalamellam Kaadhal Vaazhga, Annamalai, Dum, Avvai Shanmugi, Chokka Thangam, Bhagavathi, Basha and Devadhayai Kanden. A recipient of many awards, Deva has got a large fan following. His first came in 1990 when he won Tamil Nadu State Film Award. Thereafter he has won Tamil Nadu Government’s Kalaimamani Award and several other awards from popular journals.  

Deva had struggled to make his mark in film industry. During his initial days, he worked in the Television field. He belonged to a family of musicians. Even his brothers were working in the musical troupes of Illayaraja and other music directors as instrumentalists. But Deva took his own sweet time to develop his skills and wanted to make his mark in an individual capacity. But the struggling period was long. Even the initial music assignments received by him did not materialize and films had to be shelved. Finally, all his hard work came to fruition when he signed his first movie, Manasukkeththa Maharaasaa. This movie was followed by Vaikaasi Poranthaachu and this movie turned his life forever. Its songs were huge hits and thereafter he never looked back. Deva has also dabbled into other regional movies and proved to be a huge hit.

Yuvan Shankar Raja is one of the most famous in Tamil film industry. He has composed songs for many movies. Credited with giving some of the major Tamil hit songs, Raja was born on August 31, 1979 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He is not only a composer but also a talented singer. Music runs in his blood. He is the youngest son of one of the greatest music composers, Illayaraja. The names of his siblings are also impressive. Karthik Raja and Bhavatharini, Yuvan’s siblings are also famous personalities in Tamil music world. His charismatic musical journey began in early 1990s. He started at an early age of 16 and his first movie was Aravinthan. With the passage of time, he earned more critical acclaim and also fame and success.

Yuvan is definitely one of the leading film composers in southern film industry. He has been privileged to work several young talented artists and that gives him a formidable team. Yuvan has also tried to give opportunities to talented singers and that bodes really well for Tamil film industry. Before starting with film music composing, Yuvan had also composed songs for albums. His musical journey also took him to several legends who were willing to work with this young exploding talent.

During his initial days, he composed music for Selvaraghavan’s Thulluvadho Ilamai, Bala’s Nandha, Vasanth’s Poovellam Kettuppar, Kasthuri Raja and A. R. Murugadoss’ Dheena. These movies proved to be big hits and his career graph started to soar. He has also composed background music and recording for several hit movies. Yuvan also dabbled into other regional languages and proved to be a massive hit. Yuvan’s musical journey is truly fascinating.

The state of Tamil Nadu has a great tradition of folk songs. This form of music is in existence since centuries and till the date many parts of the state thrive on folk genre. Folk music is full of magical intricacies and no wonder; people are still hooked to folk songs. Folk music is more popular in rural and semi-urban parts of the state. Even Tamil films depict folk songs and most of these songs prove to be big hits. Folk songs mainly use ancient ragas or melodies like sama, thodi, navaroz, manji, nadanam-k-kria and karaharapriya. The beauty of Tamil folk songs lies in its tala intricacies. Tamil folk songs thrive on numerous instruments.

Folk songs are particularly popular amongst tribes. Music is very important in the lives of tribes and they consider it as an ancient culture that must be preserved. Tribes like Pulayar takes inspiration from the sound of birds. This tribe calls melodies as talams. Some of the specific melodies of the tribe is Karaganachi talam, Mangalanada talam, Kundhanada talam etc. the fascinating part about these melodies is they also have elements of classical ragas like saraswathi, andolika, Sudhasaveri, Sankarabharanam and Brindavanasaranga etc. music is often accompanied by dance when the tribal celebrate any festival or occasion.

Kulavai is a very popular form of melody and is often used by women. Popular in area of Thanjavur, this melody is mixed with agricultural occasions. Another popular tribal melody is Nayyandi Melam or Chinna Melam. Tamil folk songs thrive on song and dance combination. The fun integral to these folk songs is hard to miss.

The state of Tamil Nadu has given Indian music numerous composers, singers and vocalists. Artists of great repute and talent, such artists have made their state and country proud on world map. One of such luminaries is L. Subramaniam. A killed practitioner of Carnatic music, he has dabbled in different forms of music and excelled in all departments. He is a senior Indian violinist, conductor as well as composers. He is equally proficient in western classical music as in Carnatic music. Born on 23 July 1947, he is credited with working in collaboration with international stars like Ruggiero Ricci, Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli etc. he earned his fame mainly because of his compositions in orchestral fashion. No less than 150 recordings have been done by him.

L. Subramaniam had the opportunity of working with great names in Indian classical music. Some of them are, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar and M.D. Ramanathan and many others. It all started at the age of six when he gave his first live performance. Born to musicians parents, he is highly educated. In fact, he is a doctorate in medicine and yet he became a violinist. Currently he is married to famous movie singer Kavita Krishnamoorthy.

L. Subramaniam has managed to keep a low profile and yet his deeds speak volumes of what this talent has achieved over a period of time. He has not only composed music for orchestras but also worked for Hollywood movies. His musical scores in movies like Salaam Bombay and Mississippi Masala cannot be forgotten easily. A winner of awards like Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, he still remains a humble servant to the art of music.