Ahead of her Bengaluru performance, Chinmayi Sripada talks music, skincare and authenticity
In the ephemeral world of playback singing, where voices are often expected to remain detached from the personalities behind them — singer, voice actress and entrepreneur Chinmayi Sripada has long been the exception. Across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and Marathi cinema, her voice has drifted through some of Indian cinema’s most celebrated songs. Yet, Chinmayi has never confined herself to the safety of the recording booth. She is someone who refuses to be muted, whether she is navigating the microtones of a new song or speaking against the systemic silence surrounding harassment within the Indian entertainment industry. At a time when many public figures choose caution, Chinmayi has built a persona defined by a rare and unwavering honesty. That instinct to question, research and engage deeply with the world eventually extended beyond music. Long before Korean skincare became commonplace within India’s beauty industry, she had already begun studying and importing products, eventually transforming that interest into her K-beauty platform and esthetics venture. What makes Chinmayi particularly compelling is the way these seemingly distant worlds often mirror each other. The precision required to navigate multilingual playback singing reappears in the way she discusses scalp therapy, melanin readers and dermatological research. Even her public advocacy carries the same quality that defines her singing voice: calm, sharp and unwilling to dilute itself for comfort. As she prepares for her upcoming concert in Bengaluru, we speak with the polyglot about the magic of the stage, skincare science and why her ‘most authentic self ’ is the only version she knows how to be.
Your concerts move across so many languages and moods. How do you approach building a setlist for a live show like this?
My setlists have always been multilingual, so performing across different languages isn’t exactly a new approach for me, especially in a city like Bengaluru. I have always included Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and even Marathi songs whenever there are requests during my shows; that has simply always been how I work.
Since you’re performing in Bengaluru, do you have a favourite Kannada song or artiste you enjoy listening to?
I really like Sanjith Hegde — who collaborated with me on Soul of Dia — and of course, the legendary Vijay Prakash as well.
What do you enjoy most about performing live compared to recording in a studio?
Live concerts are inherently interactive. There is a unique energy in witnessing a response in real time and seeing people sing along. You often encounter these wonderful surprises where you assume the audience might not be familiar with a particular track, only to have them sing every single lyric back to you.
Thassadiya from Maa Inti Bangaaram has such a vibrant, energetic feel. What was it like working on a track like that, especially with someone like Santhosh Narayanan?
Thassadiya was definitely one of the more vibrant songs I have had the opportunity to record. I believe this is more or less the first time I have worked with Santhosh Narayanan and it is truly a lovely, high energy track. While I have often performed melodies and more mellow compositions, this was a genre I had always wanted to explore. I am so grateful and glad I finally got the chance to sing a track like this.
As a singer, how do you switch between songs that sit in such different emotional spaces?
There really is no clinical approach to a song — I don’t consciously decide to tackle one track this way or another that way. I approach every creative work with the same level of energy and every opportunity I get to sing feels magical by default. I don’t rely on a specific mental setup, a particular mindset or a set methodology for different moods. As a professional playback singer — at least from my era — you are expected to be able to navigate a vast range of genres and emotional landscapes with ease; it is simply part of the craft.
A lot of people know you as a singer, but you’ve also built SkinRoute over the years. What first pulled you into the world of skincare and wellness?
I fell down the Korean skincare rabbit hole almost eight or nine years ago. It started with me suggesting products to people on Instagram for no reason other than pure joy. I wasn’t an influencer and I certainly wasn’t being paid for it! However, because people saw the visible difference in my own skin, I eventually became a legitimate, legal importer of Korean skincare into India — I was actually one of the first in the country to do so. From there, my interest expanded deeply into the spaces of esthetics and hair care. I earned an internationally recognised esthetician’s licence, which essentially allows me to practice anywhere in the world. In addition, I obtained a Korean scalp therapist certification after studying at a medical school in Korea. I continue to educate myself in this field, particularly regarding Korean herbal medicine, because it is so rigorously tied to scientific research. I intend to grow this venture further and we have recently launched a regenerative medicine wing — which I believe is the next big frontier in both pain management and esthetics.
You’ve consistently spoken up against sexism, abuse and discrimination, even when it came with personal and professional consequences. What makes it important for you to continue using your platform in that way?
I believe this is simply my most authentic self. I don’t see the need to pull back from who I have always been just to transform into someone I’m not. If my platform can be used to make even a few people stop and think, then there is truly nothing like it.
You juggle music, entrepreneurship, public advocacy and motherhood. How do you protect your own mental and emotional well-being through all of it?
Being a mother is one of the greatest joys of my life. I love being around my children and I am truly grateful for that opportunity. I find that once you shut the door to the outside world of social media, my home is peaceful. None of the noise out there really has any lasting effect on me at all.
What can audiences look forward to from you next?
I hope to continue singing many more interesting and lovely songs. As far as my brand is concerned, we are bringing in a major Japanese brand that is one of the oldest in the country, boasting a 100-year legacy. Furthermore, with our esthetic medical facility, we are expanding significantly into regenerative medicine for both pain management and healing, particularly because it offers a highly effective non-surgical option. I am truly looking forward to everything this year has to offer.
INR 999 onwards. May 23, 7 pm onwards. At Phoenix Marketcity, Whitefield.
(Anoushka Kundu is an intern with Indulge, Bengaluru)
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