THE JOURNEY

The first Tamizh-English female rapper

Born as Kalaivani Nagaraj, it is fitting that Lady Kash has kept her love for “Kalai” (Tamil for Arts) etched in her heartstrings when it comes to pursuing her dreams. She is from Singapore; a global sovereign city-state that is a melting pot of cultures. Being an Aries, she is born to lead and strives to participate passionately in all that she does, whether it is songwriting, travel, fitness, reading books on quantum physics, collaborating with fellow creators or making a difference in society through various initiatives.

An example of such is Project One, a non-profit organisation created in 2011 that aims to transform our society into a more environmentally sustainable, eco-conscious and fulfilling one through uplifting and empowering projects, such as the release of the charity single “One”, which involved the collaboration of the global associations 4 Years. Go. and Pachamama Alliance. In 2012, Project One was bestowed the Awakening Award at the Voice International Music Awards (VIMA) to honour the hard work expressed by the initiative.

Endhiran - The Robot, a landmark in the history of Indian Cinema for its jaw-dropping cast and cost of production. Starring Superstar Rajinikanth and the ravishing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, it was directed by the magician of Indian film-making, Shankar. Lady Kash penned the rap lyrics for the song “Irumbile Oru Irudhaiyam” and recorded her vocals alongside the multi-talented A. R. Rahman. Endhiran’s audio went on to become a spectacular worldwide hit and it was not only the first Tamil soundtrack album to enter the iTunes Top 10 World Albums but also to top the charts in the US, UK and Australia, setting a first-time ever record.

“Many times, at my lowest breaking points, I would rewind back to the day when I first met Mr. A. R. Rahman and worked with him. Today, I consider him to be not only a mentor but also a primary guiding light. I am forever thankful for his belief in me and my art.”

After collaborating on “Irumbile” in March 2010, composer A. R. Rahman invited Lady Kash to contribute her vocals to the magnificent theme song “Semmozhiyaana Thamizh Mozhiyaam” for the World Classical Tamil Conference, that happened in May. She became the only female rapper amongst over 60 other esteemed singers and musicians from all over India and the song was written by the then Chief Minister for the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The composition is a personal milestone in her career, not only due to its eloquent expression of pride for Tamil heritage and literature but also as it granted her the golden opportunity to give back to her roots, which she has high regards for. It went on to become the modern day anthem of the Tamil language.

Starting off on her solo career in 2007, Lady Kash’s early original tracks with music producers from London and Germany had been picked up by radio stations in the UK and began to gain popularity. Steadily amassing a fan base, she formed a rap-singing duo Lady Kash and Krissy in 2008. After a few years of success, in 2012 they amicably parted ways to pursue individual artistic ventures. In between these years, she terminated her tertiary education in Singapore and instead gained her parents consent to commence studies in the field of Recording Arts in Chennai, India. During the 3 years in which she lived there, she overcame many obstacles and challenges. The setbacks did not stop her from extending her contributions and gaining experiences in the entertainment industry.

My family’s trust and belief in me had a huge positive impact on me as a person. It is something that I will cherish and stand by forever, as they gave me the freedom to pursue my passions and dreams. Whatever the outcome may be, I would like to strive to finish what I have started, with all my heart.”

Over the years, she also went on to collaborate with other notable composers such as Yuvan Shankar Raja, Harris Jeyaraj, Anirudh Ravichander, Dharan Kumar and Joshua Sridhar. Her distinctive rap vocals could be heard not only in the 4 South-Indian (Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada) film industries but also in Bollywood.

In 2013, Lady Kash founded AKASHIK - a multifaceted company - showcasing her entrepreneurial skills and proving that through persistence and focus, anything could be accomplished. In that same year, Raindrops - a social-based organization in Chennai - honoured Lady Kash with the International Female Rapper (Tamil and English) Award, while recognizing women achievers in various categories. This award officially broke a major barrier by marking the recognition of a female rapper for the first time in South India, setting another prominent record. The award was presented by A. R. Raihanah, sister of A. R. Rahman. Lady Kash has also won numerous awards in Malaysia which includes a special Social Media Champion award for her expertise in online marketing and another for the Best Genre Bender in 2014 for her collaboration with composer Anirudh Ravichander for the original version of “Oh Penne”.

In July 2016, to kickstart Premier Futsal, the association assigned A. R. to set the tunes for the anthem. Lady Kash was asked to join the team consisting of A. R. Rahman, Karthik and Virat Kohli; 3rd most marketable sports person in the world. The high decibel track “Naam Hai Futsal” was born! Around the same period, the audio label Think Music India launched Lady Kash’s rendition of the blockbuster track “Neruppu Da” from Superstar Rajinikanth’s Kabali and it became an instant viral hit. The song, composed by Santhosh Narayanan, was accompanied by an exclusive music video by Lady Kash that featured Arunraja Kamaraj - the original singer of the track - in a special guest appearance. The track is an enthralling and positive example of yet another bridge created between the independent music industry and the mainstream industry.

“It was a spark which I had and the Universe conspired everything to line up in perfect timing. Mr. Santhosh Narayanan loved the rendition and Think Music India was thrilled about the idea. Through this, an independent project was released officially on the mainstream channel. The entire process - from conceptualization to the final output - happened over a span of 7 days with a lot of hard work from a passionate team.”

Whether it is recording in the studio or rocking it on stage at events such as A. R. Rahman’s Infinite Love and Nenje Ezhu series of concerts, Yuvan Shankar Raja’s KLIMF and Anirudh Live shows, Lady Kash is an insuppressible feminine force. Her commitment towards putting her 100% into every project is one of the reasons why she never fails to stand out in style.

With interests embedded in not only arts but also mysticism, spirituality, sports, activism and entrepreneurship, she inspires both the young and old alike with her global approach while continuing to remain firmly grounded. To this determined dreamer and achiever, boundaries mean nothing but the next challenge.

“I’m kinda like a nomadic paradox that loves and chooses to believe in the world while dwelling on just about anything of interest without conforming. Viewing my mistakes as lessons, I continue to grow and have learned to go with my vibes entirely. It is important to let go of the things that we cannot change and rather focus on doing the best that we possibly can, in this present moment, while also keeping our priorities in mind.”

Believing firmly that with constant effort and unshakable affirmation, the Universe will transform her dreams into reality, Lady Kash aspires to extend AKASHIK into the ground- breaking empire that she envisions it to become. Join her in her endeavors and stay connected to be the first to learn of new happenings and much more.