So many things can go right or get beautifully overwhelming in a single evening when you are sitting across a legend, whose voice gently lives in millions of homes. KS Chithra settles in and smiles as she speaks about her musical journey, collaborations with legendary singers and composers, and the ‘classic’ one with pop superstar Justin Bieber, who recently made headlines for his low-key Coachella appearance. Calling the fusion amusing, she laughs, further sharing what went through her mind while listening to the fresh version of her song Pon Kasavu that was mixed with Bieber’s Stay and released on YouTube under Six Eight channel. “I never expected that. Now, I hear Gen Zs singing Pon Kasavu. The song took a rebirth with the mix. There are a lot of fans of Bieber, and I’m one of them,” the singer says.
The 62-year-old singer was in the city for a concert at Phoenix Marketcity, Whitefield, joined by an array of young talent, adding a fresh wave of energy to the evening. When she speaks about them, her tone stays warm. “I’m part of many reality shows and I’m seeing a lot of talent. So, whenever possible, I take them with me to my shows because I’m getting old. I draw energy from them,” Chithra shares.
Memories of her beginnings flash through her eyes as she recalls the lessons from her legends and co-singers. “My father is my first guru. Then I started learning from my sister, who didn’t teach me; actually, I used to listen and try to learn from her whenever she sang. The first person to encourage me was Dr KJ Yesudas sir, followed by SPB (SP Balasubrahmanyam) garu, Hariharan sir, and Janaki Amma (S Janaki), whom I love like a mother and then Susheelamma (P Susheela)...they all have inspired me. I’m like a daughter to them and that’s my biggest blessing,” she beams.
When asked if she keeps in touch with Yesudas, with whom she has crooned many soulful duets with, Chithra replies with a ‘yes’ and looks back at some of the cherished memories with him as she continues, “I did my first recording with Yesudas ji. After that, I started accompanying him to concerts – it was a huge learning experience.” She pauses, then adds, “He always advised me how to maintain my voice, add expressions to songs, face the mic...It’s because of all my seniors’ blessings, advice that I’m here.”
Even with an illustrious musical career of 40 years and after more than 18,000 songs, she refuses to place herself above others. She talks about an earlier generation of singers who performed beautifully with just a single mic, when discipline mattered more than anything else. “I know I’m nowhere near any of my seniors. I’m still trying to achieve at least a little bit of what they did. When you realise what you are, you’ll stay grounded. Today, technology is helping all of us, while our seniors worked with just a mic and sang perfectly,” she says of the senior musicians she admires.
To become the voice behind so many faces, across time, is no simple treat, but Chithra has made it feel almost second nature. “I preferred my voice to suit all heroines, but that idea has changed with age. I don’t think I can do justice to all the juniors,” the veteran singer says, adding that lately the focus has shifted to ‘mother songs’, be it POVs or about motherhood.
She further reflects on the changing nature of music, noting how composers once wrote with specific singers in mind, crafting songs around their vocal range. Today, she says, “Composers craft songs as per their range and later zero in on a singer who matches it. They keep trying with several singers and one is chosen after multiple trials.” As for the future of music, she speaks of AI with cautious curiosity. “There are so many good things you can do with it. “But people are misusing it too. With AI, we are all scared of what’s next,” she says, before signing off.