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On his 50th anniversary in the music industry, music icon Ilaiyaraaja invites us to his Chennai studio to answer 50 burning questions about his life. As he shares his views on AI, spirituality and work-life balance, along with his thoughts on upcoming Tamil music composers who want to be like him - he shows us why he's the greatest of all time. He also addresses long-standing rumours about him on the internet. Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel. Link in bio.

Cover Story: R. Balki
Photography: @nishanth.radhakrishnan
Cinematography: @nachiket_parchure
Associate cinematographers: @vismay_mirgal @dwarakbharadwaj
Video Editor: @sandipan_zm
Content Strategy Director: @mohini.chaudhuri
Creative Director: @amruta_8
Charts Lead: @vidyasivalenka
Bookings Editor: @momomatiz.pov

[Ilaiyaraaja, Ilaiyaraaja interview, Tamil Music, Indian Music, Music Legend,Cover Story] by @billboard.ind

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4 months ago

Billboard India's first cover star is a music icon for the ages. As he celebrates his 50th year in the music industry, maestro Ilaiyaraaja invites us to his Chennai studio to give us a glimpse into what makes him the greatest of all time.

In our cover story, filmmaker R. Balki, who also identifies as a 'Raaja superfan', writes,"Watching him work is like witnessing a magic show every day. He comes into work at 7 AM. I explain the situation for a song to him. He plays something, either on his piano or harmonium, and then in a few minutes we’re done." Read the story at the link in bio.

Cover Story: R. Balki

Photography: @nishanth.radhakrishnan
Cinematography: @nachiket_parchure @vismay_mirgal @dwarakbharadwaj
Video Editor: @sandipan_zm
Content Strategy Director: @mohini.chaudhuri
Creative Director: @amruta_8
Charts Lead: @vidyasivalenka
Bookings Editor: @momomatiz.pov

[Ilaiyaraaja, Ilaiyaraaja interview, Tamil Music, Indian Music, Music Legend,Cover Story] by @billboard.ind

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The music industry never slows down. From superstar-backed music festivals to music labels expanding their catalogues, Billboard India brings you the six essentials you need to know this week.

Read the full update on www.billboardind.com.

[Billboard India, This Week in Music, Indian Grammys, BTS, Warner Music India, Shah Rukh Khan, UNIFYD, music news] by @billboard.ind

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Falguni Pathak means different things to different people — and she asks nothing of the people who come to her except that they dance, and then, once the nine nights of Navratri are over, she slips quietly back out of view until the lights come on again.

@arman.gif examines what makes her an icon for so many. Read the full story on www.billboardind.com.

Slide 1 photo courtesyTribeVibe and Alphonso Studios, slide 5 photo courtesy Dome India. by @billboard.ind

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“Pesamale” makers Siri Xander and Arra Aria Khayal have known each other their whole lives and have been creating music together, often live on Instagram. Though they had already amassed a fan base, the success of this Tamil indie love song has been something else, with over 35 million cumulative streams across Spotify and YouTube.

They speak to @vidyasivalenka about making music together, how “Pesamale” came to be, and their future plans.

[Siri Xander, Arra Aria Khayal, Pesamale, Tamil indie music, Tamil music, Indian independent music, indie love songs, Billboard India] by @billboard.ind

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In a Rajinikanth film, his entry songs have one job – to make his entry feel like an event, and over the years they’ve delivered spectacularly. Started more than three decades ago, this formula has been perfected by the many composers he’s worked with.

With Jailer 2 releasing on October 15, @vidyasivalenka makes an essentials playlist that define the genre.

[Rajinikanth, Tamil movies, Jailer 2, Anirudh Ravichander, A. R. Rahman] by @billboard.ind

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Battling it out with entries from across the world, T-Series and B62 Studios are now running a “For Your Consideration” campaign for Shashwat Sachdev’s musical opus.

Director Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge has submitted its album plus eight songs, including Arijit Singh’s “Phir Se” and Jasmine Sandlas and Reble’s “Vaari Jaavan” across eight categories at the 69th Grammy Awards.

What does an FYC campaign involve, and when will we know who gets nominated? Read more at www.billboardindia.com.

[Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Shashwat Sachdev, Aditya Dhar, T-Series, B62 Studios, Grammy Awards, Arijit Singh, Billboard India] by @billboard.ind

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Sonu Nigam reveals how his collaboration with Chaar Diwaari on “Iss Tarah” came to be. From how the two got in touch to initially mistaking Chaar Diwaari for a group, Sonu takes us behind the making of the track.

On the latest episode of 50 Notes, Sonu Nigam opens up about his four-decade-long career, his influences and the stories behind some of his most memorable collaborations.

Watch the full conversation on Billboard India’s YouTube channel.

[Sonu Nigam, Chaar Diwaari, Iss Tarah, 50 Notes, Sonu Nigam Interview, Billboard India] by @billboard.ind

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For companies organising Garba and Dandiya events, Navratri season is a major money-spinner, with some making up to a third of their annual revenue — or more — during this period.

@adityamanijha decodes the boom in live Navratri musical events for Billboard India. Read the full story via the link in our Stories.

[Navratri, Garba, Dandiya, Live Music, Live Events, Music Business, Indian Music Industry, Event Management, Festival Economy, Billboard India] by @billboard.ind

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Start your Monday with No Skip — team Billboard India’s editorial picks from last week’s new releases. The team voted on their picks from a pool of over 40 new music tracks released between 3rd October – 9th October 2026. Read the full story on our website.

This week’s selection includes:

“Naina Saavan” by KhoslaRaghu, Purusharth Jain

Purusharth Jain embraces a Hindustani classical style on “Naina Saavan,” that lets his voice soar. KhoslaRaghu’s arrangement is, as usual, excellent, bringing together drums and electric guitar with Indian strings in a way that feels remarkably natural. The contrast between the traditional vocal flourishes and contemporary instrumentation gives the song its distinct character.

[No Skip, Naina Saavan, KhoslaRaghu, Purusharth Jain, Hindi Music, Hindustani Classical, Indian Indie]

“Friendship Song” by Sinjith Yerramilli, Sreerama Chandra, Kittu Vissapragada, Purnachary

“Friendship Song” from Summer Holidays is another great feel-good track on this week’s list. The flute, violin and ascending vocals give the arrangement a sense of wonder and freedom, capturing the carefree spirit of childhood. Sreerama Chandra’s spirited vocal performance brings the melody to life, while Sinjith Yerramilli’s composition keeps the track light on its feet.

[No Skip, Friendship Song, Sinjith Yerramilli, Sreerama Chandra, Kittu Vissapragada, Purna Chary, Telugu Music, Summer Holidays]

“Aakhiri Cigarette” by THE 9TEEN

“Aakhiri Cigarette” is a dreamy, easygoing track that leans into a classic boy-band arrangement. The vocals of Lav Jaiswal, Abhilash Murala and Arun O Conner work together beautifully, with their harmonies playing off one another over a simple combination of drums and guitar. The uncluttered instrumentation gives the song a light, airy quality, allowing the melodies to shine. It’s a lovely, understated addition to this week’s list.

[No Skip, Aakhiri Cigarette, THE 9TEEN, Lav Jaiswal, Abhilash Murala, Arun O Conner, Hindi Music, Indian Indie]

“Punchiri” by Eechuu, Suhas, Chris Wayne

“Punchiri” (translation: smile) is true to its name, delivering a light, peppy number with instrumentation that lends the song a sparkly quality, fitti by @billboard.ind

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From Meewakching, the indie rock band from Manipur bringing its sound and stories to a wider audience, to Ilaiyaraaja and Saregama’s legal battle, Arijit Singh’s defining career moments and a playlist celebrating the music of Navratri, read more exclusive stories on Billboard India’s website.

Read these stories on www.billboardindia.com. Link in stories.

[Meewakching, Ilaiyaraaja, Saregama, Arijit Singh, Drishyam, Navratri, Indian Music, Billboard India] by @billboard.ind

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It’s been a busy week for tour announcements, festival line-ups and more. We’ve narrowed it down to the six essentials you need to know: Sidhu Moosewala’s hologram tour opening in Toronto, Sunburn including dance-pop with Jason Derulo, and more.

Read the full story on www.billboardindia.com.

[Billboard India, Sidhu Moosewala, Sunburn, Weverse Con Festival, Diljit Dosanjh, Arijit Singh, Bollywood Music Project, Indian music industry, music news] by @billboard.ind

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