Hariharan

Hariharan (born 3 April 1955 as Hariharan Anantha Subramani, in a Tamil Brahmin family in Mumbai, India) is one of India’s most celebrated playback singers, ghazal vocalists, and fusion music pioneers. He has sung over 15,000 songs in more than 10 languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, and Bengali, making him a household name across multiple Indian film industries. Known for his soulful voice and expressive singing, Hariharan has delivered countless iconic film songs and also released many critically acclaimed ghazal albums that blend classical, cinematic, and contemporary styles.

He was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2004 and has won several National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer. Beyond his solo career, Hariharan co-founded the legendary band Colonial Cousins with Leslie Lewis, becoming a pioneer of Indian-fusion music by mixing Indian melodies with Western genres. He is also widely respected for his devotional work, especially his rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa, which became a massive online phenomenon. With decades of musical excellence, Hariharan continues to be admired for his versatility, emotional depth, and ability to bridge classical traditions with modern popular music.