- Annupamaa
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Not to be confused with Bollywood singer Anupama Deshpande.
Annupamaa 
Background information Birth name Anupama Born September 2, 1967 Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India Occupations playback singing Years active 1991-present Annupamaa Krishnaswami ( born 2 September 1967 as Anupama) is an Indian playback singer from Tamil Nadu. She is known especially for the song Chandralekha (Konjam Nilavu) from Thiruda Thiruda. She is known for her special type of voice that suits all types of electronic songs.
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Personal life
Annupamaa was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India on 2 September 1967. She got training in Carnatic music from the age of 4 and she began singing in school competitions from the age of 8. She had her school education from St. Anthony's Senior Secondary School, New Delhi and took her BA Degree in English from Kamala Nehru College, New Delhi in 1989. She dropped out of the Mass Communication Course from the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication in New Delhi following her passion to become a singer. Anupama is married to J. Murali Krishnaswami, Creative Director of R. K. Swamy BBDO and they live in an apartment in Mumbai.[1]
Career
Annupamaa used to take part in college competitions during her days as a student of Mass Communications. As a copy trainee in an ad agency, she had a chance to participate in an Ad Utsav.[2] Annupamaa made herself a successful ad jingle composer and singer in the early nineties itself. She has been a part of many successful ad jingles by music maestro A. R. Rahman, who was then A. S. Dilip Kumar. The list of her most successful ads include ads for Ponds Dreamflower Talc and Soap, Medimix soap, Tatia Resorts, Diplomat Whisky, AVT Deepika Coconut Oil, Trupti range of products and Aavin Goodness ice cream.
Rahman made her sing July Maddham Vanthal from Pudhiya Mugam in 1993, which became a hit. But the break in her career came through the song Chandralekha from Thiruda Thiruda which had music set by A. R. Rahman himself. This song is even now regarded as one of the best techno-electronic song ever. Her passionate singing won her several accolades and she was even nicknamed as Chandralekha Anupama. After the success of Chandralekha, she became one of the most sought after singers in Tamil Nadu. However, she remained selective and sang the songs, which she believed extraordinary. In 1994, she got another big hit through Halla Gulla from Bombay. She had to wait for 2 years to get yet another career break, which came through the song Mercury Pookkal from Ratchagan. Though this song was not received well as Chandralekha, it too won her and Rahman, several accolades. She was an additional vocalist in the 1998 hit song Dil Se Re from Dil Se and 2003 hit song Break The Rules (Maro Maro) from Boys. She got a Star Screen Award for Best Female Playback nomination for her soulful singing in the song Yeh Raat from Aks. Her latest hit songs include two tracks from the musical film Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, Pappu Cant't Dance and Nazrein Milaana. She is the captain of the reality show Sangeeta Mahayuddham, telecasted on Sun TV from June 26 onwards.
She has now sung in all the South Indian languages, Hindi and English. She has also recorded a French ditty for a Malayalam film. "It's all due to my knowledge of Sanskrit which makes it a cakewalk to sing in any lingo", she says. In the last few years, she has been learning piano and has completed 6th grade from Trinity College of Music. She is now busy with her own debut studio album. She says, "It will be out some time next year. The lyrics are being penned by a very good poet. They will be full of beautiful imagery, a mix of poetry and peppy English words." After that album she is planning a promo tour of South East Asia – Jakarta, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Notable songs
Song Album Composer Akhila Akhila Nerukku Ner Deva Anbal Unnai 3 Roses Karthik Raja Antha Vennila Sandhippoma Vidyasagar Break the Rules Boys A. R. Rahman Chandralekha Thiruda Thiruda / Chor Chor A. R. Rahman Chinna Ponnu Kashmir Deva Dil Se Re Dil Se A. R. Rahman Dus (female) Dus Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Gulmohar Malare Majunu Harris Jeyaraj Hay Hay Ye Mazboori Haz Aur Shahadat (album) Khurshid Alam Qawwal Hello Doctor Kadhal Desam A. R. Rahman Hosima Chocolate Deva Ichankaatule Muyal Onnu V.I.P Ranjit Barot Ied Ka Din Haz Aur Shahadat (album) Khurshid Alam Qawwal If you wanna New A. R. Rahman Indiran Alle V.I.P Ranjit Barot I Wanna Be Free Tehzeeb A. R. Rahman Iyaiyo Kanava Rangeela Tamil version A. R. Rahman Jaan Tum Ho Meri Vishwavidhaata A. R. Rahman July Maddham Vanthal Pudhiya Mugam A. R. Rahman Kaatrodu Puyalai Rishi Yuvan Shankar Raja Kama Kama Enakku 20 Unakku 18 A. R. Rahman Kadhal Niagra En Swasa Kaatre A. R. Rahman Kumuru Kumuru Aanai D. Imman Love Love Ulavuthurai Shah Maara Maara Kadhal Azhivathillai Vijaya T. Rajendar Mama Varalama Sagiye Pradeep Ravi Mercury Pookkal Ratchagan A. R. Rahman Mogama Thakama Kama Nazrein Milaana Nazrein Churaana Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na A. R. Rahman Pappu Can't Dance Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na A. R. Rahman Polladha Manmadha Baanam Hey Ram Ilaiyaraaja Pooveukenna Pootu Bombay A. R. Rahman Rahathulla Ghajini Harris Jeyaraj Salaam Haz Aur Shahadat (album) Khurshid Alam Qawwal Sandhipoma Enakku 20 Unakku 18 A. R. Rahman Sandhosha Kanneere Uyire A. R. Rahman Sundara En Sundara Super Police A. R. Rahman Signore Signore Kannathil Muthamittal A. R. Rahman Teri Jawani Mast Mast Tathastu Vishal-Shekhar Thilothamma Kadhal Mannan Bharathwaj Thithikkara Vayasu Thimiru Yuvan Shankar Raja Thudikindra Kadhal Nerukku Ner Deva USA USA Achchamundu! Achchamundu! Karthik Raja Yaa Rasool Khuda Haz Aur Shahadat (album) Khurshid Alam Qawwal Yeh Raat Aks Ranjit Barot References
External links
Categories:- 1967 births
- Living people
- People from Tamil Nadu
- Playback singers
- Indian film singers
- Indian female singers
- Tamil singers
- Tamil-language singers
- Kollywood playback singers
- Malayalam playback singers
- Bollywood playback singers
- Hindi-language singers
- Telugu playback singers
- Kannada playback singers
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