Quotes from Chinmayi

A song like 'Kilimanjaro,' which is such a fun, entertaining track... Singing the song was an amazing experience.

Music inspires me, and I'm grateful that I've been able to make a career out of something that I'm so connected to.

I was brought up by my mother, and she is my guru in classical singing. I have trained primarily under her.

I am a trained singer in Hindustani and classical music.

I started a company in 2005 for language services called Blue Elephant. We handle translation and interpretation services in over 120 languages.

I agree that when you sing for Bollywood, the reach is bigger. But I don't want to concentrate on any industry in particular.

I don't really look at dubbing from a singer's shoes.

To me 'Varayo' is a special song, not just because it has given me seven awards so far, but the experience of singing with Unnikrishnan ji.

I've been passionate about singing for as long as I can recall.

I do more singing than dubbing.

I like the continuity of singing my lines together instead of going line by line.

Firstly, I'd say that A. R. Rahman sir is one of the biggest influences in my life. He's given me some great numbers, and I've looked at him for inputs many a time with regards to my career.

By the time I was 14, I had seen only three Tamil films - 'Anjali,' 'Bombay,' and 'Puthiya Mugam.' And I loved the music in the films. When I found out Rahman sir was the man behind the music, I made up my mind that I wanted to sing for him.

No singer who sings for Rahman sir would ever say they were nervous to sing for him, especially during the session.

I am grateful to Rahman sir. There is no way I can repay the graces he has extended to me by making me sing his compositions.

Every time I meet Rahman sir, it's a fan moment for me. I don't take the fact that I am working with him lightly. I get excited every time I see and work with him. But I don't embarrass him.

Few years ago when I visited a palliative care centre in Chennai for the first time, it completely moved me. It's an emotionally draining experience. I saw and met patients who were abandoned by their families, and there is complete sense of hopelessness. Ever since, I have been a supporter for the need for funding and awareness of palliative care.

The truth is, I have an excellent team, a staff that handles Blue Elephant, my translation company, perfectly. It is like a well-oiled machine.

I definitely hope women know that abuse/harassment/blackmail on social media is also a crime, and the police definitely help.

It is quite normal these days to record a song in the absence of the composer.

As for song recordings - well, that's something that just happens. I've been working with music directors like Harris Jeyaraj sir, A. R. Rahman sir, and the experience is great.

Rahman sir keeps pushing himself. He keeps trying new things, whether it is his craft, music or sound... he is always learning. He looks for opportunities to learn, even from children.

A dubbing artiste does a lot of repair work for an artiste who doesn't naturally speak the language they are acting in.

Indians take great pleasure in celebrating a genius, and then go into mindless criticism once the celebrity starts doing well.