In 1984, in Rawatbhata, a town on the outskirts of Kota city in Rajasthan, there lived a little girl. “We were in a government colony of only scientists. And education was the only thing that was considered a norm. To have a community of music lovers was something rare and difficult,” says the girl who has grown up to win five National Awards.
She had a natural inclination toward music. She borrowed the streaks of music from her mother. “My mother taught me music with a tanpura and I practised every day. I used to be in my room on my tanpura. If the practice stopped even for a second, my mother would ask me why I stopped practising,” shares ‘the queen of dynamics’, Shreya Ghoshal.
Timeless tunes
In her career spanning over 20 years, Shreya has sung a wide range of songs — capturing very possible emotion and mood. The versatile singer who has many achievements and accolades to her name, notes, “Music was always a part of me growing up. Whether I would be a professional singer, I never knew then. I was a singer and the journey took me to be a professional singer very early in life.” Cut to 2025, Shreya has taken her timeless music to 50 cities worldwide as part of her ‘All Hearts Tour’. Ahead of coming to Chennai on March 1, Ficci Flo, a division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), celebrated her ‘Symphony of Success’.
At this event, held on Wednesday, Shreya joined the 480 Flo Chennai members, past presidents, past chairpersons, vertical heads, executive committee members and volunteers to celebrate music, passion, and inspiration. Divya Abhishek, chairperson of Ficci Flo shares, “Shreya’s voice has been the soundtrack of our lives, but beyond the awards and melodies, she is a powerhouse, an artiste, a dreamer, and a woman who proves that passion, hard work and dedication can truly create magic.”
True words — Shreya’s voice is phenomenal and recognised internationally as well. In 2010, Ted Strickland, the governor of Ohio, US, declared June 26 as Shreya Ghoshal Day. “Her influence extends far beyond India,” adds Divya. Despite the global recognition, Shreya’s heart and soul lie in India and its music. She says, “India is the most culturally rich place with many kinds of music. My love is more for Indian music and has always been towards classical music.”
Chennai is a distinguished centre for classical music, renowned for its rich heritage and vibrant cultural scene. About Chennai, Shreya remarks, “They (Chennaiites) are just pure music lovers. They are there (at concerts) for the love of music and that is why Chennai stands a little different from the rest of the country and the world.”
It was here in the city that Shreya became a part of the Tamil musical industry. She captivated audiences with soul-stirring renditions of Munbe Vaa En Anbe Vaa, Ninaithu Ninaithu, Kalvare, Unna Vida, Maayava Thooyava and many more, leaving an enduring musical legacy. Working with AR Rahman, composer of a few songs mentioned above, Shreya answers, “He is the god, not just for his music but also for his personality and the way he works. There’s always something to learn from him. When I sang for the first time in his studio, I was a little star-struck, and I continue to do that.”
It’s never easy to be a little casual in front of him. She continues, “I see his music has impacted generations and will continue to because, I feel, he has a direct Wi-Fi connection with the almighty.”
Another important composer, who has left a mark on her musical journey, is Ilaiyaraaja. “He is very intuitive,” expresses Shreya about the maestro, “and a collaborative composer who figures out in a short time what the potential of a singer or any musician is and takes the best out of that person.” She adds that his insight about what a song should be, how a song should be sung and why it should be like this is so deep that in one day you grow 10 years in knowledge. No crash course, workshop or master class can lead a musician to learn what working with Ilaiyaraaja teaches you.
High pitches and learning curves
The singer says music is a spiritual journey with constant learning. A major wave of learning for her came from Pradeep Sarkar, director and screenwriter. It was he who taught Shreya to add expressions such as laughter in songs. She adds, “These expressions are important because it is for cinema, that action has to live. Pradeep Sarkarji used to sit in a corner and make pencil sketches of each frame of how the song (Piyu Bole) or the film was going to look. He would say ‘I want a giggle’ because there is a flirting, young love moment in the song. It let me find a very new facet of mine.”
Apart from Hindi and Bengali, every other language, especially Tamil and Malayalam, is difficult for the singer who sings in all national languages. “In those recordings, I have given my best hours and a lot of hard work to make the song and diction right,” explains the artiste.
Working in multiple industries got her exposure, fame, and recognition. But, she also noticed that there is a gender bias in Indian music. Shreya observes, “Growing up, I never knew what gender bias was because I come from a family where my mom and dad gave me equal amounts of freedom of choice and thought.” She did everything that her brother did. She continues, “It didn’t cross my mind when I was singing in my earlier years. But, as time passed, I started seeing that this industry is one-sided.” To address this divide, the singer suggests that we have to take baby steps and do something about it. “Talking about it today is probably going to result in some flatter somewhere. India, still, has a lot of change to bring. To bring that change we have to empower, engage and elevate fellow women — which aligns with Ficci Flo’s motto,” concludes Shreya Ghoshal.