For generations of Indian music lovers, S.Janaki was more than just a playback singer, she was a voice that could effortlessly express innocence, romance, sorrow, devotion and joy.
Known as the 'Nightingale of South India', Janaki was one of the most remarkable careers of Indian music that recorded songs in an unimaginable number of Indian and international languages spanning almost 70 years.
Janaki was born on 23rd April 1938 in Andhra Pradesh and made her debut in 1957 singing the song 'Penn En Aasa Paazhaanathu Eno' from the Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu'. Next came an unprecedented journey through Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and other film industries. Her clear enunciation, sensitivity and vocal nuances were a delight for many generations of composers and filmmakers.
She worked with legendary composers like M.S. Viswanathan, Ilaiyaraaja, K.V. Mahadevan, Laxmikant–Pyarelal and many others. Her duets with S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. B. Sreenivas and Dr. Rajkumar were some of the most loved songs of any Indian film. She could change her voice tone for various characters, including children and old ladies, making her one of the best actors of playback singing.
But Janaki was consistently and broadly praised throughout her career for her artistry and regularity. She has received 4 National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, 33 state film awards from southern India and even some lifetime achievement awards.
In 2013, she caused a sensation when she refused the Padma Bhushan, saying that the honour was too late and that South Indian artists had not been recognised well. Though Janaki had not been involved in active playback singing from 2018, her compositions still continue to touch the hearts of her listeners of all ages.
Her music continues to resonate in the hearts of listeners worldwide, with her recordings still playing on radio, streaming platforms, and concert halls in India.
