Sithara (singer)

Sithara
Sithara with the Tambura
Background information
Birth name	Sithara Krishnakumar
Born	(1986-07-01) 1 July 1986 Thennhippalam, Malappuram, Kerala, India
Genres	Folk, Indian classical, Playback Singing, Ghazal
Occupation(s)	Playback Singer, Singer-songwriter, Music Director
Years active	2007[1] – present
Website	sithara.in

Sithara Krishnakumar (born 1 July 1986) is an Indian singer. Popularly known by her first name, Sithara is a playback singer^[2] in Malayalam who has also recorded songs for a number of Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. Trained in Hindustani and Carnatic classical music traditions, she is also a recognised ghazal singer.^[3][4] She is the recipient of several awards, including two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Singer. She travels extensively and has performed in concerts and stage shows across the world. Folk and fusion being her other areas of interest,^[5] she has collaborated with various popular musical bands in Kerala. In 2014, she formed a musical band Eastraga which focuses on a mix of female oriented songs backed by a team of renowned musicians.^[6] She's also part of the 10-member band Project Malabaricus which features contemporarised folk and classical songs.^[7]

Personal life

Sithara was born in Malappuram to Dr. K. M. Krishnakumar, noted academician and his wife Saly Krishnakumar. Born into a family inclined to classical arts, Sithara was introduced to the world of music as a child and started singing at an early age of four. She attended St.Paul's Higher secondary School, Thenhipalam and Calicut University Campus School. She did her graduation in English Literature from Farook College, Feroke^[8] and went on to pursue her master's degree from Calicut University, Kerala. She is married to Dr. M. Sajish (Clinical Cardiologist) on 31 August 2009 and is currently residing at Aluva, Kerala. The couple had a baby girl born on 9 June 2013.

Professional life

She started off her art life as a dancer and eventually became a playback singer.She was trained in Carnatic Music by Sri Ramanattukara Sathish and Palai CK Ramachandran. Sithara also received extensive education in Hindustani Classical music from Ustad Fiyaz Khan. She is also a classical dancer trained by Kalamandalam Vinodini. For her multifaceted talents, she was accoladed with the Kalathilakam title^[9] in Calicut University Arts Festival for two consecutive years(2005 and 2006). She holds master's degrees in Hindustani Khyal Music and Vocal Music from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.^[10]

Sithara performing with Shankar Mahadevan at Wayanad Maholsavam 2012

Career

Sithara started off her playback singing career in the year 2007 with the song Pammi Pammi in Vinayan's Malayalam film Athishayan. Formerly, she was the winner of several musical talent shows like Asianet Saptha Swarangal (2004), Kairali TV Gandharva Sangeetham (Seniors) and Jeevan TV Voice 2004 which served to bring her multifarious talents to the fore. She also won Jeevan TV's 20 million Apple Megastars in 2008. She has gained a good reputation as a devoted Ghazal singer and a passionate stage performer of other vocal genres. She has worked with noted composers like Ouseppachan, M. Jayachandran, G. V. Prakash Kumar, Prashant Pillai, Gopi Sundar, Bijibal, Shaan Rahman and rendered her voice to over 300 film songs including Malayalam and other Indian languages.^[11] Her works are of various genres which convey the deep rooted understanding of music at many different levels.^[12]

In 2017, she turned composer with the single Ente Akasham,^[13] Written by herself, it was a tribute to femininity. The video which officially got released at a programme held by Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation to commemorate International Women's Day, picturized the life of night-time female workers.^[13]

She turned film music composer with the film Udalaazham along with Mithun Jayaraj. The film is produced under the banner Doctor’s Dilemma - a doctor's collective which includes her husband Dr. Sajish. M.^[14]

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 2012 – Best Singer – Celluloid – "Enundodee"

• 2017 – Best Singer – Vimaanam – "Vaanamakalunnuvo"

South Indian International Movie Awards:

• 2014 – Best Female Playback Singer - Mr. Fraud – "Sadaa Paalaya"

Asianet Film Awards:

• 2016 – Most Popular Duet Song – Jacobinte Swargarajyam – "Thiruvavani raavu"

Asiavision Awards:

• 2017 – Best Singer(Female) – Udaharanam Sujatha – "Ethu Mazhayilum"

Mirchi Music Awards South:

• 2012 – Best Female Playback Singer in Tamil – Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal – "Kangal Neeye"

North American Film Awards

• 2018 – Best Female Singer – Udaharanam Sujatha

Mangalam Music Awards:

• 2017 – Best Female Playback Singer^[15]

Yuva Awards:

• 2017 – Best Female Playback Singer

Red FM Malayalam Music Awards:

• 2017 – Best Female Playback Singer

Anand TV Awards:

• 2018 – Best Female Playback Singer
• 2016 – Best Female Playback Singer

Federation of Kerala Associations in North America Awards:

• 2016 – Best Female Playback Singer - Lailaa O Lailaa – "Nanayumee Mazhai"

Other Awards:^[16]

• 2002 – Baburaj Memorial Award - Best Female Singer
• 2004 – Swaralaya Kairali Yesudas Award - Best Singer
• 2009 – Drishya Award - Best Female Album Singer^[17]
• 2011 – Mohammed Rafi Memorial Award - Best Playback Singer
• 2011 – Vayalar Samskarika Vedi Award - Best Playback Singer
• 2012 – Kannur Rajan Memorial Award - Best Playback Singer
• 2012 – L Channel Award - Best Playback Singer^[18]
• 2012 – Inspire Film Award - Best Playback Singer

Discography

Discography (other languages)

Television shows

Upcoming Projects

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sithara (vocalist).

• Official Website
• Sithara Krishnakumar on IMDb
• Facebook