Yuvan Shankar Raja facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Yuvan Shankar Raja
Also known as	U1 YSR
Born	(1979-08-31) 31 August 1979 (age 45) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Origin	Pannaipuram, Tamil Nadu
Genres	Film score world music Jazz Rock Folk Classical
Occupation(s)	Arranger Composer Lyricist Song writer Playback singer Orchestrator Musician Record producer Film producer
Instruments	Guitar keyboard vocals Piano Drums Violin Cello Flute
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Sony Music Think Music Saregama Eros Divo Zee Lahari U1 Records Wunderbar Aditya T-Series

Abdul Haliq (born Yuvan Shankar Raja, 31 August 1979) is an Indian music composer and singer. He mainly creates music for Tamil films. He has also worked on some Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi movies. Yuvan is known for using Western music styles in his songs. Many people say he brought hip hop to the Tamil film industry. He also started the trend of "remixes" in Tamil Nadu, mixing electronic dance music (EDM) and jazz.

He is often called the "BGM King" (Background Music King) of Tamil Film Music. Yuvan has won many awards, including two Filmfare Awards South and three Vijay Awards. In 25 years, Yuvan has worked on over 190 films. He is the youngest son of the famous composer Ilaiyaraaja. Yuvan started his music journey in 1996 at age 16. His first film score was for Aravindhan.

He became very popular with the soundtrack for Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002). By the mid-2000s, he was one of the most wanted composers in Tamil cinema. In 2004, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil for the film 7G Rainbow Colony. In 2006, he won the Cyprus International Film Festival Award for the music of Raam. This made him the only Indian composer to win that award. He also won a special award in 2009 for his Telugu musical Oy!. In 2015, Yuvan started his own music company called U1 Records. In 2017, he began his own film production company, YSR Films.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Yuvan Shankar Raja was born on August 31, 1979. He is the youngest of three children of the famous musician Ilaiyaraaja. His older brother, Karthik Raja, is also a music director. His sister, Bhavatharini, is a singer and music director. Yuvan once said his brother Karthik Raja was more talented.

Yuvan went to St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Chennai. He stopped his studies after tenth grade. He started learning music from Jacob Master. He took piano classes at "Musee Musical" in Chennai. This school is linked to Trinity College in London, UK.

Yuvan Shankar Raja shared that he always wanted to be a pilot. He dreamed of traveling "all around the world." But since he grew up "with music around him," he became a musician. He looks up to his father's work. He also admires other composers like S. D. Burman and R. D. Burman. He also likes singers such as Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Music Career Highlights

Early Years (1997–2000)

In 1996, Yuvan Shankar Raja started making music for an album. This was after his mother suggested he pursue music. T. Siva, a film producer, heard some of his tunes. He asked Yuvan to compose music for his film Aravindhan. Yuvan was only 16 years old. He became one of the youngest composers in the industry.

His first few films, like Aravindhan and Velai (1998), were not very successful. His music did not get good reviews either. But then, director Vasanth asked him to compose for Poovellam Kettuppar (1999). The music for this film was a big hit. It was called "fresh" and "different." Songs like "Irava Pagala" became very popular, especially with young people. This film was a major turning point in his career.

After this, he worked on Dheena (2000), starring Ajith Kumar. This film was a huge success. Yuvan Shankar's songs and background music were very popular. They played a big part in the film's success.

Rising to Fame (2001–2003)

In 2001, Yuvan released music for three films. One was Thulluvadho Ilamai, which was a big hit with young audiences. The film also launched the career of actor Dhanush. He also worked on Bala's Nandha (2001), which received great reviews.

He became known for his "youthful music." This was seen in films like April Maadhathil (2002) and Mounam Pesiyadhe (2002). He even appeared on screen in Punnagai Poove (2002). In 2003, his work in Kaadhal Kondein was highly praised. His background music was so good that a separate CD of it was released. This was a first in India. The film was a huge success.

He also worked on Kurumbu (2003), which had the first remix song in a Tamil film. By this time, Yuvan Shankar Raja was one of the most sought-after music directors. This was true even though he mostly worked with new actors and on smaller films.

Peak Success (2004–2007)

Yuvan Shankar's films in 2004 were very successful. These included 7G Rainbow Colony and Manmadhan. His music for 7G Rainbow Colony won him the Best Music Direction Award. He was only 25, making him the youngest to win this award then. For several years, he released music for many films each year.

In 2005, his music for Raam earned him an international award. He won the Best Musical Score at the 2006 Cyprus International Film Festival. His popular songs like "Theepidikka" and "Dhavani Potta" helped films like Arinthum Ariyamalum and Sandakozhi succeed. His album for Pudhupettai (2005) was highly praised. It was called a "musical masterpiece." This film used a traditional orchestra from Bangkok, a first for a Tamil film.

In 2006, his music for Pattiyal was called the "life of the film." His songs for Vallavan were also very popular. In November 2006, he tried rural folk music for Paruthiveeran. This film and its music became a huge success. The song "Oororam Puliyamaram" was a big hit.

In 2007, he released music for ten films. Chennai 600028 and Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule were big commercial successes. His music for Kattradhu Thamizh was called a "musical sensation." His stylish music for Billa (2007) also received positive reviews.

More Achievements (2008–2012)

In 2008, Yuvan's music was featured in five films. Yaaradi Nee Mohini was a big success. His music for Saroja and Silambattam won several awards. In 2009, his song "Oru Kal Oru Kannadi" from Siva Manasula Sakthi became very popular. His music for the Telugu film Oy! won him a special award.

In late 2009, the music album for Paiyaa was released. It became a "blockbuster album" even before the film came out. The song "Thuli Thuli" was the first Tamil song to be in the India Top 20 list. This meant it was the most played Tamil song on Indian radio stations ever. The film itself was one of the highest-earning films of the year.

In 2010, he composed his first Bollywood song, "Haq Se," for the film Striker. In 2011, he worked on Vaanam. The song "Evan Di Unna Pethan" from this film was very popular. He also composed music for the critically acclaimed film Aaranya Kaandam. He then worked on Mankatha, his biggest project at that time.

Recent Works (2013 to Present)

In 2013, Yuvan Shankar Raja's music was important in five films. He worked with M.S. Viswanathan on Thillu Mullu. His songs for Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga were catchy. The song "Aanandha Yaazhai" from Thanga Meenkal was very emotional. He reached his 100th movie milestone with Biryani. This film was a commercial success with many hit songs. Aarambam also topped music charts.

In 2014, he released music for nine movies. This included his Bollywood debut with Raja Natwarlal. Films like Anjaan and Poojai were successful. In 2015, films like Masss were released.

In 2016, he scored music for Dharmadurai and Chennai 600028 II. In 2017, he worked on seven films, including his first direct Kannada film Gowdru Hotel.

2018 saw the release of Irumbu Thirai, which was his 125th project. The song "Rowdy Baby" from Maari 2 became incredibly popular. It was the first South Indian song to get over a billion views on YouTube. In 2019, he composed for films like Super Deluxe and Nerkonda Paarvai.

In 2021, he had seven releases, including Maanaadu. In 2022, he released ten albums. His collaboration with Pradeep Ranganathan on Love Today was a huge success. In 2023, he composed for the film Custody and the web-series Modern Love Chennai.

In 2024, Yuvan and actor Vijay worked together again after two decades on The Greatest of All Time. The first song, "Whistle Podu," sung by Vijay, broke records with 25.5 million views in 24 hours. Vijay also sang "Chinna Chinna Kangal," which included an AI-recreated voice of the late Bhavatharini as a tribute.

Music in Other Languages

Besides Tamil films, Yuvan has also composed music for films in other South Indian languages. About 35 of his Tamil films were dubbed into Telugu, Kannada, or Malayalam. He also worked directly on Telugu films like Happy and Oy!. This made him well-known in Telugu cinema too.

Other Musical Work

Singing for Films

Yuvan Shankar Raja is also a well-known singer. He has sung over 80 songs, mostly his own compositions. He has also sung for his father Ilaiyaraaja and his brother Karthik Raja. He first sang in 1988 at age eight for a song in En Bommukutty Ammavukku.

He is best known for singing his own songs. Some of his most popular songs as a singer are from films like Thulluvadho Ilamai, Pudhupettai, and Paiyaa. The song "Iragai Pole" from Naan Mahaan Alla earned him a nomination for Best Male Playback Singer.

Non-Film Music

Yuvan also creates his own music albums. In 1999, he made a Tamil pop album called The Blast. It had 12 songs. In 2010, he worked with former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on a music video album called "Song of Youth". This album was planned in Tamil, Hindi, and English, but it was never released.

Live Concerts

In January 2009, Yuvan announced his first live performance in Toronto, Canada. However, the concert was postponed. In October 2009, he announced a "world tour" called "Oru Naalil." The tour started in Dubai in December 2009. It featured singers like Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan.

On January 16, 2011, Yuvan held his first live concert in Chennai. It was called Yuvan – Live in Concert. A special music video, "I'll Be There for You," was made for the event. He also performed at the Kuala Lumpur International Indian Music Festival in Malaysia in 2012.

Music Style and Influence

Poster of Yuvanism

Yuvan Shankar Raja has explored many different music styles. He likes to try new sounds. He has not formally learned Indian classical music. However, he has used complex musical patterns and traditional Indian melodies in his films. Critics often say Yuvan Shankar Raja's music has a "youthful character." His songs are especially popular with young people.

Yuvan Shankar Raja started the "era of remixes" in Tamil cinema. "Aasai Nooru Vagai" from Kurumbu (2004) is considered the first remix in a Tamil film. After this, many other composers started remixing old Tamil songs. He also mixes parts of old songs with his new compositions. For example, "Theepidikka" from Arinthum Ariyamalum (2005) and "Enga Area" from Pudhupettai (2005).

In 2010, he and his friend Silambarasan released "Evan Di Unna Pethan" as a single song. This started a trend in Tamil cinema. Now, many single songs are released from film soundtracks months before the full album.

Personal Life

Yuvan Shankar Raja converted to Islam in 2014. He legally changed his name to Abdul Haliq. However, he still uses his original name, Yuvan Shankar Raja, for his music work. On January 1, 2015, he married Zafroon Nisa. Yuvan and his wife had a baby girl on April 7, 2016.

Frequent Collaborations

Yuvan Shankar Raja often works with certain filmmakers. These include Selvaraghavan, Ameer, Vishnuvardhan, Venkat Prabhu, and Ram.

He has also worked a lot with famous Tamil poets and lyricists. These include Vaali, Na. Muthukumar, Pa. Vijay, and Madhan Karky.

Yuvan with Na. Muthukumar

Yuvan's partnership with Na. Muthukumar is very special. Their songs combine Yuvan’s beautiful music with Muthukumar’s meaningful lyrics. These songs are still loved by fans today.

He also often works on films starring actors like Silambarasan, Suriya, Vishal, Karthi, and Ajith Kumar.

Worldwide Tours

High on U1 (2023)

U1's Long Drive (2024)

Filmography

As a Film Producer

Music Videos

Onscreen Special Appearances

Awards and Recognitions

Honorary Awards

Government

Honorary Doctorate

Cyprus International Film Festival

Filmfare Awards South

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

Vijay Awards

Vikatan Awards

Behindwoods Gold Medals

Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards

Osaka Asian Film Festival

Mirchi Music Awards South

Big FM Tamil Entertainment Awards

Isaiyaruvi Tamil Music Awards

Vijay Music Awards

Santosham Film Awards

Other Awards

See also

In Spanish: Yuvan Shankar Raja para niños