Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam was born on June 4, 1946 in Konetammapeta in the Nellore district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. He is the second son in a family of three sons and five daughters. His father SP Sambamurthy was a well-known exponent of Harikatha.

Interested in music from early on, SPB pursued it with passion. Even during his college days as an engineering student, SPB regularly participated in singing competitions. In 1964, SPB won the first prize in a music competition for amateur singers organised by the Madras-based Telugu Cultural Organisation, and earned his first opportunity from music director SP Kodandapani. From then on, SPB has carried on with undiminished enthusiasm not only as a singer but also as actor, dubbing artist, music director and producer, delighting his fans in all his avatars.

Vocal music is one of the oldest and most universal art forms. A discovery and celebration of one such voice is Sripathi Panditharadhyula Balasubrahmanyam. His music transcends all barriers - linguistic, geographical and chronological. He is a phenomenal success and incredibly talented. He is S.P. BALASUBRAHMANYAM, popularly known as Balu.

SPB took the Indian film music scene by storm in 1979 with his phenomenally successful rendition for the movie SHANKARABHARANAM. He won his first National Award for the same and came the international fame. After this, there was no looking back. He consistently topped the Indian musical charts.

He has none of the airs of a star. His warm, vibrant nature and almost childlike innocence is infectious. He does not obtrude his presence on others and does give people due respect. He has a magnetic stage presence and enthralls the audience with an exceptional performance, inspiring the other singers to match his emotions and energy with a mesmerizing voice and passionate singing style. An easy-going person, Balu can be bubbly and charming with any age group.

Balu was born on June 4, 1946, in Konetampet, then in Andhra Pradesh, now in Tamil Nadu. His father, Sri. S.P. Sambhamurthy was a fine musician and an excellent exponent of "Harikatha" (a fine art form of entertainment combined with music and story telling).

Blessed with an adorable voice and impeccable musical skills, SPB was never trained to be a singer. A young, Telugu-speaking lad from Andhra Pradesh, like any other boy his age was studying to pursue a career in Engineering. He had a natural flair for singing and participated in most of the singing contests from college. In one such contest, was spotted by his mentor the late, Sri. S.P. Kodandapani. Balu won the first prize and walked out with his first break to sing in the film "SRI SRI SRI MARYADA RAMANNA" in 1966. Thus began a legendary career which became history.

Balus first break in Hindi films was EK DUJE KE LIYE. Subsequently, he created history by bagging the National Award for his first song in the first Hindi movie.

So far, Balu has sung over a record 39,000 plus songs in a span of 40 years, in all languages which include several albums of contemporary Indian music, private albums for devotional songs and movies. It is amazing to see the ease with which Balu can render his voice for any language namely, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Tulu, Oriya, Assamese and Punjabi.

There has been no arena of music left for experimentation.

• From singing to composing was a short leap, compiling music for 45 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi.
• Dubbing for south Indian stars is another venture that brought him recognition for his deep and astounding voice. He even received the best dubbing artiste award for ANNAMAYYA for lending his voice to Suman, who played Lord Balaji in the movie.
• He has also successfully portrayed character roles in as many as 45 films in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

A voice, dulcet with an amazing range.
An imagination that can capture every human emotion.
An energy that is prolific and prodigious.
Can all these attributes dwell in one singer? To millions who know him, SPB has all these and more. Speaking of Rafi, Lata once said that even audiences who did not speak Hindi were moved by the emotive power of his voice. The same can be said of SPB's voice. In a single concert, or in a single collection, SPB can take his listeners along with him on a rich and colourful emotional journey across states of mirth and melancholy, romance and revelry, reflection and abandon, leaving them ecstatic and breathless. His passionate portrayal of sublime emotions makes his audiences experience them together, uniting their souls as differences disappear and a sense of oneness prevails, which is arguably the greatest compliment, a categorical and conclusive acknowledgement of his contribution and service to Art and Mankind.

Making his debut in 1966 as a singer (Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna) for music director and mentor Kodandapani, SPB has sung over 36,000 songs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam. He holds the Guinness record for the most number of songs rendered by a male singer.
Much loved by everyone in the film industry, SPB is highly regarded by musicians and composers for his versatility and virtuosity. Despite a vigorous singing career spanning 4 decades, SPB has donned several other avatars, giving of his best in every one of them and enjoying the variety of the experience to the full.

SP Balasubrahmanyam

Balasubrahmanyam received his first National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1980 for the film Shankarabharanam, directed by K. Vishwanath. Also, he’s the first recipient of the ‘Ghantasala National Award’ named after the famous and legendary singer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, who is immensely admired by SPB.

In 1981, Balasubrahmanyam made his debut in Bollywood by singing for the Hindi film, Ek Duje Ke Liye, starring Kamal Hassan and Rati Agnihotri. He received the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for hit songs songs in this film including Tere Mere Beech Mein, Mere Jeevan Saathi and Hum Bane Tum Bane. Between 1989 and 1995 most of his Bollywood playback singing was for actor Salman Khan and his movies.

The number of songs recorded by SP Balasubrahmanyam is over 36,000 songs in many South Asian languages. Making him an icon for multi-lingual playback singing. When asked does he have a favourite song, Balasubrahmanyam says:

“How can you pinpoint one amongst 30,000 songs or more? Whichever people enjoy when I sing, are all my favourite songs! It’s very difficult and can take ages to select one particular number”

When asked which language is his favourite, he replied, “My favourite language is music!”

Having worked with many composers both from the South Indian industry and Bollywood, one relationship that is very dear to Balasubrahmanyam is that with AR Rahman. When rehearsing for his first Malayalam film with AR Rahman’s father, he remembers AR Rahman as a toddler playing with toys around the home. It was then years later, AR Rahman approached SPB to sing for his debut Bollywood film Roja, for which he recorded two songs. Subsequently, he recorded many songs with AR Rahman.

Speaking of Rahman, Balasubrahmanyam says, “this person with all the success with all the accolades and internationally getting recognised, got two Oscars for the first time for our country, is still very balanced and a very simple man, a modest and extremely talented person. I always love working with him”

The numerous Bollywood songs recorded by SP Balasubrahmanyam include films such as Saajan, Ek Dujeh Ke Liye, Saagar, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Maine Pyar Kiya, Dushmani, Ek Hi Bhool, Coolie No 1, Himmatwala, Duniya Dilwalon Ki, Khel Khiladi Ka, Dhanwaan, Dulhan Dilwale Ki, Gentleman, Gardish and many many more.

Balasubrahmanyam has sung duets with many of the biggest names in playback singing. Including non other than Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle.

Speaking about the experience, SPB says, “Singing along with stalwarts like Lata Ji and Asha Ji is not an ordinary experience, it’s was a great experience. And for a person like me who never trained in music, singing along with them is a great form of training and you can learn so much. They were our guides, our gurus, who took hold of our little finger and made us walk.”

His voice has been used for many actors but one particular actor with whom he is very close is Kamal Hassan. SPB has always been the first choice for Kamal Hassan for many films, both Bollywood and South Indian.

As well as singing SP Balasubrahmanyam has many other talents including acting, composing, hosting television shows, film production and doing voice-overs for many actors in different languages.

As an actor SPB has appeared in over 45 films in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada languages such as Pelli Varahandi, Kalyanathasava, Pakkinti Ammaayi, Parvathaalu Paanakalu, Malle Pandiri and Raja Hamsa.

Balasubrahmanyam has composed music for many South indian films including Bangaru Chilaka, Mayuri, Seethamma Pelli, Bharyamani, Sandarbha, Ramanna Shyamanna, Ksherasaagara, Devaralle Dane and Belliyappa Bangarappa.

As a television host, SPB has anchored shows such as Paadutha Theeyaga on E-TV; Paadalani Undi on MAA TV; a Kannada show called Ede Thumbi Haaduvenu on E-TV Kannada; the Tamil shows Ennodu Paattu Paadungal on JAYA-TV and Vaanampaadi on Kaliagnar TV, and a music show called Sunada Vinodini on TTD Channel. In addition, he has appeared on the judging panel of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa the Hindi music show for talent.

Balasubrahmanyam owns a film production company called Captain Cine Creations, previously known as Kodandapani Film Circuits and produces film under this banner. Films like Subha Sankalpam and Bhamane Satya Bhamane were produced by him.

As a voice over artist Balasubrahmanyam provided voice-overs for many actors and artists, including Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, K. Bhagyaraj, Mohan, Girish Karnad, Gemini Ganesan, Arjun Sarja, Nagesh, Karthik and Raghuvaran in various languages.

When asked about the changes in the music industry that SPB has experienced, he says, “With all the technology available the soul is missing. I feel the music has become more plastic. Jab hum suntay hai buzurgo ko ghanay.. dil uthta hai..” He acknowledges the dearth of talent that exists in the industry and says, “there is an abundance of talent but I think unless you have a situation in the film which [a song] complements to the film, no lyricist will be attuned to write a good lyric and automatically the composition also becomes lack lustre.”

In his personal life, SP Balasubrahmanyam is married to Savitri and they have two children, namely Pallavi and SPB Charan who is a playback singer and film producer as well.

SPB owns a charitable trust named SP Sambamurthy Foundation, named after his father, an organisation very important to him, which helps under-privelaged and needy people.

Apart from the numerous filmy awards the he has won, in 2011, SP Balasubrahmanyam was awarded the prestigious Padma Bushan Award by the Government Of India; a Doctorate in 2009 from Satyabama University in Tamil Nadu; in 2001 the prestigious Padmashri Award from the Government of India presented by the President of India Hon’ble K.R. Narayanan, and in 1999 a Doctorate from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University.

SP Balasubrahmanyam is an example of a singer who ventured into playback without ever planning it but what he has shown is that with dedication, commitment and following the guidance of a mentor it’s possible to achieve incredible respect, achievement and recognition in such an art.

For a singer who has not had formal training, SPB is an incredible asset to the Bollywood and South Indian film industries and an even bigger artistic treasure for India. We wish this unique artist the very best with his musical journey and hope he continues to enjoy his well deserved success.