Shashaa Tirupati

Shashaa Tirupati is a National Award, Screen and Filmfare award-winning Indian-Canadian playback singer, songwriter, music producer/arranger, motivational speaker, theatre actor and voice over artist of Kashmiri origin. Tirupati has rendered songs in over 13 languages with more than 200 songs to her credit as a vocalist. She has featured in two songs on the AR Rahman directorial "99 Songs" soundtrack, namely, 'Soja Soja' (solo lead) and 'Humnawaa' (with Armaan Mallik) which she has co-written as lyricist as well. She is the voice on the promotional song 'Manasu Maree' for Telugu actor Nani's film 'V' with Amit Trivedi, also the composer of the film. Her recent collaboration with playback singer Chinmayi Sripada on an original composition, a bilingual track titled "Yezhundhu Vaa" in Tamil and "Roothi Hui" in Hindi, was released independently on Tirupati's Youtube Channel in January 2020. Both versions will also be featured on her EP titled "Stitched", due for release in May 2020.

Tirupati has rendered songs in over 13 languages with more than 200 songs to her credit as a vocalist. She is currently venturing into Independent Music and releasing original content written and sung by herself. "String of Air" is her first independently released single. She is also collaborating with playback singer, Chinmayi Sripada for her fifth original composition, to be a bilingual track, titled "Yezhundhu Via" in Tamil and "Roothi Hui" in Hindi. The song is due for release independently on Tirupati's Youtube Channel in January 2020.

Popularly known as "The Humma Girl", in 2018, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer as well as the Filmfare Award for the Tamil song "Vaan Varuvaan" from Kaatru Veliyidai. She is also the voice behind Bollywood hits such as: "The Humma Song" from OK Jaanu, "Phir Bhi Tumko Chahunga" (with Arijit Singh) and "Baarish" for Half Girlfriend, "Kanha" for Shubh Mangal Savdhan, "O Sona Tere Liye" (with A.R. Rahman) and "Chal Kahin Door", both from the film Mom. She lent her voice in Jab Harry Met Sejal, Tumhari Sulu and 2.0, where Tirupati sang on the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu soundtracks. Tirupati has also sung in other languages including: Telugu, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Konkani, Arabic and English. She plays the kazoo (African instrument), western classical guitar, keyboards and harmonium. She is also a motivational speaker, having recently given a talk for TEDx BITS Pilani Hyderabad and part of TED Talks Vancouver with AR Rahman. Tirupati made her theatre acting debut with the play I,Cloud written and directed by Ulka Mayur with lyricist Mayur Puri playing the male lead. Tirupati performed at the O2 Arena, London and the Men's Hockey World Cup Opening Ceremony as part of AR Rahman's Entourage. She released her first (independent) original titled "String of Air" in May 2019. She independently released her first Hindi original composition titled "Beparwahi" on her YouTube channel in September, 2019 followed by "Hum Kahaan Hain", "Oceans Rained", "Yezhundhu Vaa" and "Sleeping Bag" (due to release in April, 2020).

Tirupati is the recipient of the National Award 2018 for Best Female Singer for the song "Vaan Varuvaan" (Kaatru Veliyidai). She has won the Filmfare Award for "Vaan Varuvaan" and the Star Screen Award for Best Playback Singer (Female) for the song "Kanha" (Shubh Mangal Savdhan), the Mirchi Music Award for Sunn Bhanwara (OK Jaanu), and was nominated for Best Playback Singer (Female) at the Jio Filmfare Awards for Kanha. She received the Jubilee Awards 2017 Platinum and Gold Discs, the Zee Cine Award 2018 for Viewer's Choice Song of the Year (Baarish), the Mirchi Music Award 2015 for Best Upcoming Female Singer for the song "Aye Mr. Minor" composed by A.R. Rahman and Vikatan Awards 2015 for Best Upcoming Female Singer for the song "Naane Varugiren" also composed by A.R. Rahman.

Popularly known as "The Humma Girl", in 2018, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer as well as the Filmfare Award for the Tamil song "Vaan Varuvaan" from Kaatru Veliyidai.

She toured extensively with A.R Rahman in: Encore Tour 2017, Infinite Love Tour, Rahmanishq Tour, T 20 Opening Concert, Greatest Hits Concert at the O2, Vadodara Festival, NH7 Weekender, TEDx Talks, and ENCORE 2017). She has sung more than 30 songs (in different languages) for him. She was part of MTV Unplugged Season 4 alongside Hindi music director Mithoon. Tirupati performed at the BRICS SUMMIT in Goa with Clinton Cerejo. She is currently venturing into Independent Music and releasing original content written and sung by herself. "String of Air" is her first independently released single.

She was featured on three tracks in the 2015 Mani Ratnam - A. R. Rahman film OK Kanmani: "Kaara Attaakaara", "Parandhu Sella Vaa", and "Naane Varugiren" as well as on the corresponding three songs in the Telugu version OK Bangaram. She rendered backing vocals in "Laadli" on A. R. Rahman's album RAUNAQ, alongside Rahman and Lata Mangeshkar, as well as in Iranian film director Majid Majidi's film Mohammed.

Tirupati was born in Srinagar, India, and split her time between Canada and India while growing up. Tirupati began singing on local radio stations in Vancouver, Canada, at age six. She gave her first stage performance at eight and began studying Hindustani classical music at ten. She received most of her initial musical training from the late Kamala Bose in Allahabad. She also trained under Padmashri and Padmabhushan Girija Devi of the Benaras Gharana. Tirupati was the first RedFM Idol, a talent hunt held by Vancouver radio channels REDFM 93.1 in 2005. She was a judge for the competition in July 2016.

She attended LA Matheson Secondary School in Surrey, BC, Canada. She graduated in 2005 with a 96% average, earning a Gordon M. Shrum Major Entrance Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies at Simon Fraser University, the Matheson Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, The Surrey Administrator's Scholarship, The UBC President's Entrance Scholarship and the Governor General's Medallion for the topmost achiever of the province's graduatiing class of 2005. She has an MBA in marketing and is pursuing her second Masters from Symbiosis College, Pune.