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S.P. Balasubrahmanyam

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

S.P. Balasubrahmanyam · Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam, known simply as SPB or Balu, was born in 1946 in Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and died in 2020. He was an Indian playback singer, presenter, actor, composer, voice actor and film producer. His father was a Harikatha storyteller and stage actor. Balu first wanted to become an engineer and went to the technical college in Anantapur, but music pulled harder. In 1964 he won an amateur singing competition in Madras. He led a light music group with, among others, Ilaiyaraaja and Gangai Amaran.

Music and breakthrough

His debut as a playback singer was on 15 December 1966 in the Telugu film Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna, with music by his mentor S. P. Kodandapani. He sang in films in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi, in sixteen languages in total. He was regarded as one of the greatest singers of India.

Influence

He received the Padma Shri in 2001, the Padma Bhushan in 2011 and, after his death in 2021, the Padma Vibhushan. In 2016 he was named Indian Film Personality of the Year at the International Film Festival of India. His son S. P. Charan and his sister S. P. Sailaja are also singers. In 2025 a bronze statue of him was unveiled in Hyderabad. In this way he stands for the generation of singers who carried South Indian film music for decades.

Listening

Listening tip. Find a Tamil or Telugu film song by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and notice how he moves between power and softness with his voice. Can you hear that the song tells a story within the film?
Categories: Artists