Pradeep Rangaswamy Kumar (born 12 May 1986) is an Indian playback singer and music director who has worked in Tamil language films. After beginning his career as a Carnatic musician, he has regularly collaborated with composers Santhosh Narayanan and Sean Roldan.
Career Born to a police inspector father and a music teacher mother, Pradeep Kumar grew up in Subramaniyapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. His mother, Lalitha Vijayakumar, taught Carnatic music through private lessons and at a government school in the area, meaning that Pradeep Kumar was constantly exposed to Carnatic music as a youngster and often joined his mother in singing at home. He later was introduced as a playback singer in Tamil cinema through the film Attakathi by Santhosh Narayanan He later began studying music under J. Venkataraman from the Aalathur School of music, who became his first guru.
Outside music, Pradeep Kumar studied science, wrote the engineering entrance examination and joined an engineering college in Thanjavur hoping to become a theoretical physicist. However, after a week, he decided to opt out of college. As a backup career plan, he instead pursued a diploma course in audio engineering, which also taught him more about sound composition. In 2003, Pradeep Kumar visited Chennai to participate in a competition conducted by the music studio, Carnatica. K. Shashikiran of Carnatica heard him sing and requested that he stay back in Chennai and subsequently from 2003 to 2005, Pradeep Kumar stayed in Chennai to collaborate with Carnita, and his parents joined him later. He continued to perform in katcheris across Chennai and abroad, while also briefly serving as the secretary of the Youth Association of Classical Music, Chennai. Pradeep Kumar later became nuanced in western classical music after apprenticing with Augustin Paul, and also worked as an audio engineer for four years. In 2014, he worked on a documentary called Arunagiri Perumale, which was a live concert recording of a three-piece Indian band along with a 16-piece chamber symphony orchestra, which had taken place in 2014, in Boston. He described the venture as his "pet project", and relied on crowd-funding to get it completed by 2017. During the same period, he married his fellow singer, Kalyani Nair. He also worked as a composer on his first film album for the Telugu project, Maine Pyar Kiya (2014).
Through his work as a musician, Pradeep Kumar became acquainted with composer Santhosh Narayanan. The pair had first met in Trichy when Pradeep Kumar was 18 and then continued to jam together, while studying for the same course in audio engineering. After Santhosh Narayanan became a film composer, Pradeep Kumar regularly worked as his acoustic guitarist. He later featured prominently as a singer, often collaborating with Santhosh Narayanan and another friend Sean Roldan in their albums including Jigarthanda (2014), Irudhi Suttru (2016) and Kabali (2016). He had also worked as a lyricist in Jigarthanda. In 2016, a music critic from The Hindu labelled the three as "the new-age musical trio of Tamil cinema".
In 2017, Pradeep Kumar made his debut as a music composer in Tamil cinema after Santhosh Narayanan had convinced the producers of Meyaadha Maan to allow him to work on the film. Subsequently, Rathna Kumar who directed Meyaadha Maan selected him as a music director for Amala Paul's next film, Aadai.
Discography Composer Year Film LanguageNotes 2014 Maine Pyar Kiya Telugu 2017 Meyaadha Maan Tamil2 songs only2019 AadaiTamilSillu Karupatti Tamil2020 Andhaghaaram Tamil 2021 Methagu Tamil VaazhlTamil 2022 Veyil MalayalamKuthiraivaal Tamil 2024Nalla Perai Vaanga Vendum PillaigaleTamil Also producer
Playback singer Year Song title Film Language Music director Notes2010 Chitti Dance ShowcaseEnthiran Tamil, Telugu, Hindi A. R. Rahman Adi SaraleChikku Bukku Tamil Colonial Cousins Colonial Cousins - Hariharan, Lesle Lewis, Pravin Mani2012Aasai Oru PulveliAttakathi Tamil Santhosh NarayananVazhi ParthirundhenMogathiraiPizzaNaanaga Naanindri (Ennavo)Uyir MozhiUnreleased filmOru Murai 2013BoomiyilPizza II: Villa2014AgasathaCuckooKodaiyilaJigarJigarthandaMaatra ParavaiVaayai Moodi Pesavum Sean Roldan Kadhal KanaveMundaasupattiAagayam TheepidithaMadras Santhosh NarayananFilmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – TamilSouth Indian International Movie Award for Best Male Tamil Playback SingerVijay Award for Best Male Playback Singer Yemarum Jename Sathuranga VettaiSean Roldan ThanniyilaAadama Jaichomada Poo Avizhum Pozhudhil Enakkul Oruvan Santhosh Narayanan 2015Elangaathathu Veesuthu KaathuNilaJhanu Chanthar2016 Poda Poda Irudhi SuttruSanthosh Narayanan Aval Manithan Maya Nadhi Kabali Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Male Playback Singer Veera ThurandharaVaanam PaarthenThoondil MeenJadoo Rawan Rawan Hindi Dubbed versionsTaare Saare ChupkeKalavani O Nadhi Telugu Gunde Ninda YennoInaivom Maaveeran Kittu Tamil D. Imman 2017 Nee KavithaigalaMaragatha NaanayamDhibu Ninan ThomasPogaadhey Kanmaniye Veera Leon James Marete Hodenu Dayavittu Gamanisi Kannada Anoop Seelin Pogatha Yennavittu Vikram VedhaTamil Sam C.S Idhuvum Kadandu Pogum Nibunan Navin Ammukkutiye Gemini Ganeshanum Suruli Raajanum D. ImmanEnno Enno Bhaavaley Yuddham Sharanam Telugu Vivek SagarAzhagazhagaKaruppan Tamil D. ImmanManavi Alakinacharadate Mental Madhilo Telugu Prashanth R VihariKaadhalaada Vivegam Tamil Anirudh Ravichander Enna Naan Seiven Meyaadha Maan Pradeep Kumaralso lyricistMegamo AvalSanthosh NarayananRail Aaraaro Nenjil Thunivirundhal D. ImmanAzhagile Enai Kaathiruppor Pattiyal Sean RoldanMudalaothonda C/O Surya Telugu D. Imman2018 Kannamma KaalaTamilSanthosh Narayanan Thanga SelaRaaye Naa Range Leela Telugu Sone Ki Tu Ek Murat Hindi Sengathire Kadaikutty Singam TamilD. ImmanKalavarameThamizh Padam 2Kannan The Life of Ram96Govind Vasantha ThaabangaleIravingu TheevaiKaarkuzhal KadavaaiyeVada ChennaiSanthosh Narayanan 2019Kodi AruviMehandi CircusSean Roldan Agam ThaanaiSillu KaruppattiPradeep KumarPranthan KandalThottappan Malayalam Leela L. Girish KuttanKaathellam Poo ManakkaGypsyTamilSanthosh NarayananVery Very BadOru NaalAadaiPradeep KumarMailaanjiNamma Veettu PillaiD. Imman2020Life of RamJaanu TeluguGovind Vasantha Maragatha MaalaiTakkarTamilNivas K. PrasannaMarandhayeTeddyD. ImmanMaatra ThendralDharala PrabhuBharath ShankarSuzhalum IrulilAndhaghaaramPradeep Kumar 2021Kanavil Kan MalarumKabadadaariSimon K. KingKalalo KanupaapeKapatadhaariTeluguAahaaVaazhlTamilPradeep KumarInba VisaiPudhu Vidha AnubavamSemmaan MagalaiVaazha VaaNaanBandeena BandeenaRaja Raja ChoraTeluguVivek SagarThala Kodhum ElangathuJai BhimTamilSean RoldanPenne PenneSabhaapathySam C. S.RaavilMinnal MuraliMalayalamSushin ShyamKerala State Film award for best playback singer 2021Ye PorapatoSakala GunabhiramaTeluguAnudeep DevParimitha NeramMadhuramMalayalamGovind VasanthaUllam UrugudhaiyaEtharkkum ThunindhavanTamilD. ImmanEnnai Aalum PennilaveVelanGopi SundarKaanal neeraaiWriterGovind Vasantha2022Nizhal Tharum IdhamPutham Pudhu Kaalai VidiyaadhaaPradeep KumarMother Song (Version 2)ValimaiYuvan Shankar RajaMother SongValimaiTeluguThanga SelaAnbarivuTamilHiphop TamizhaUyir ThirandhuInfinityBalasubramanian GThozhiHey SinamikaGovind VasanthaIce Katti KuruviD BlockRon Ethan YohannUnaraa UnarvaeyMr. MuraliBarath DhanasekarUnreleased filmVarayaatha OviyamKoormanTony BrittoYaar VaruvaarParandhu PogindrenKuthiraivaalPradeep KumarManameVeyilMalayalamNenjoramaMadhil Mel KaadhalTamilNivas K. PrasannaUnreleased filmEngirundho VandhaanOh My DogNedumaramJ BabyTony BrittoVaanam YaavumO2Vishal ChandrashekharDhooramVezhamJhanu ChantharDhooram (sad)IdamThangameyMy Dear BoothamD. ImmanKanneeraeyPoikkal KudhiraiUn paarvaiCadaverRanjin RajKadavul ThanthaYugiRanjin RajNee Podhum EnakkuMichaelSam C. SIlakana KavithaiBanarasB. Ajaneesh Loknath2023Adiyae AdiyaeNandhivarmanJerard FelixUchathula VennilavuThalaikoothalKannanYaar ArindhadhoKaatrodu Pattam PolaAyothiN. R. RaghunanthanChill MakkaGood NightSean RoldanOttamuri VakkumayiRomanchamMalayalamSushin ShyamPonniyammaHarkaraTamilRamshanker"Kelvi Mattum Thangudhey"Kolai TamilGirishh G. Podhum Podhum Chandramukhi 2Tamil M M KerravaniArikil Onnu Vannal PulimadaMalayalam Ishaan DevNeela VaanileKangal EthoChithhaTamilDhibu Ninan Thomas2024Thaensudare (Reprise)LoverSean RoldanNedumaramJ BabyTony Britto"Nebulakal" (Travel Song) Manjummel BoysMalayalamSushin Shyam"Chillanjirukkiye" Lubber PandhuTamilSean Roldan"Aalunnu Neeye" Rifle ClubMalayalamRex Vijayan2025"Maname Maname" DragonTamilLeon James"Veezhvena" 3BHKTamilAmrit Ramnath"Panimalare" KaanthaTamilJhanu Chanthar"Kanmani Nee" "Pasi Manase" Telugu Dubbed version"Ammadive"
Singles Year Song Notes2017Kaatru Veliyidai Kannamma collaboration with BP Collective2021Konjam PesuKaatrile2022Mayakural Ondru KetkutheyMaayavi Nee2023Isai
Awards Kerala State Film Awards Year Category Song Film 2021 Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer (male) "Ravil" Minnal Murali Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards Year Category Song Film 2015 Best playback singer (Male) "Aagayam Theepiditha" Madras 2017 Best playback singer (Male) "Maya Nadhi, Vaanam Paarthen" Kabali
Filmfare Awards South Year Category Song Film 2015 Best Tamil Male Playback Singer Award "Aagayam Theepiditha" Madras
South Indian International Movie Awards Year Category Song Film 2015 Best Tamil Male Playback Singer Award "Aagayam Theepiditha" Madras
Vijay Awards Year Category Song Film 2015 Best Male Playback Singer Award "Aagayam Theepiditha" Madras
Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards Year Category Song Film 2016 Best Male Playback Singer Award "Maya Nadhi" Kabali
Behindwoods Gold Medal Year Category Song Film 2018 Best Singer (Male) "Kadhalaadaa, Enna Naan Seiven, Pogatha enna vittu" Vivegam
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