A b o u t A l i s h a
Alisha Thomas is a playback singer in the Tamil film music industry. She is best known for her hit song, Don'u Don'u Don'u, from the Dhanush blockbuster Maari with composer and co-singer Anirudh, which topped the charts and remains to be a popular number to this day across the world.
One of her most notable accomplishments to date, Alisha was the singing voice behind Anna in both Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions of Disney's Frozen II.
Alisha’s most recent Indian playback song release is a duet called “Uyirae Vaa” for the 2019 film Puppy. This release was accompanied by a promotional music video, in which she is featured on screen alongside co-singer Gautham Vasudev Menon and composer Dharan Kumar.
Alisha was also shortlisted for the Best Original Song in the 2017 Academy Awards, along with Qutub-E-Kripa, an ensemble of musicians from AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory in Chennai.
A South-Indian freelance performing and recording artist - originally from the Washington D.C. area - Alisha is currently based in Chennai, India, with a specialty in multilingual vocal performance. She began her training in Carnatic music at the age of five in the Jayamangala School of Music & Dance under the tutelage of Smt. Jaya Nathan, and she learned the basics of Western music through her active involvement as a young church vocalist and piano student.
Alisha has been singing professionally since the age of 13, as a lead vocalist in Indian light music shows, church concerts, Bharatanatyam dance recitals (arangetrams), and various western music productions. She has given hundreds live vocal performances throughout North America, India, Latin America, and Europe, accompanying renowned Western & Indian singers, such as Dr. A.R. Rahman, Dr. K. J. Yesudas, Vijay Yesudas, Michael W. Smith, and Anirudh Ravichander, during their international tours. Her recording experience includes several original tracks under the direction of accomplished composers, including South Indian film music directors, Anirudh, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Dharan Kumar, N.R. Ragunanthan, Santhosh Dhayanidhi, M. Jayachandran, and Arun Vaidyanathan.
Prior to her music career, Alisha had completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Technology Administration from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and soon after began working as an event producer, vocalist, and voice-over artist, in addition to being a part-time Carnatic vocal instructor for beginner students in the music school where her own passion for music began. After relocating to Chennai in 2014, she pursued and completed further musical education and vocal training in Western Opera and Hindustani music at A.R. Rahman's KM Music Conservatory.
Alisha was also a member of A.R. Rahman's vocal band and brainchild NAFS (directed by Arjun Chandy) and his opera band Sempre Libera (directed by Dr. Adam Greig) in 2017.
Apart from singing, Alisha worked as a line producer for A. R. Rahman's upcoming VR film 'Le Musk,' which was shot in Rome, Italy, and is currently in the post-production stage.
Alisha now freelances as a session artist, songwriter, live performer, and vocal coach. Her future plans include writing and producing her own EP/album and continuing to work within the music industry.
One of her most notable accomplishments to date, Alisha was the singing voice behind Anna in both Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions of Disney's Frozen II.
Alisha’s most recent Indian playback song release is a duet called “Uyirae Vaa” for the 2019 film Puppy. This release was accompanied by a promotional music video, in which she is featured on screen alongside co-singer Gautham Vasudev Menon and composer Dharan Kumar.
Alisha was also shortlisted for the Best Original Song in the 2017 Academy Awards, along with Qutub-E-Kripa, an ensemble of musicians from AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory in Chennai.
A South-Indian freelance performing and recording artist - originally from the Washington D.C. area - Alisha is currently based in Chennai, India, with a specialty in multilingual vocal performance. She began her training in Carnatic music at the age of five in the Jayamangala School of Music & Dance under the tutelage of Smt. Jaya Nathan, and she learned the basics of Western music through her active involvement as a young church vocalist and piano student.
Alisha has been singing professionally since the age of 13, as a lead vocalist in Indian light music shows, church concerts, Bharatanatyam dance recitals (arangetrams), and various western music productions. She has given hundreds live vocal performances throughout North America, India, Latin America, and Europe, accompanying renowned Western & Indian singers, such as Dr. A.R. Rahman, Dr. K. J. Yesudas, Vijay Yesudas, Michael W. Smith, and Anirudh Ravichander, during their international tours. Her recording experience includes several original tracks under the direction of accomplished composers, including South Indian film music directors, Anirudh, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Dharan Kumar, N.R. Ragunanthan, Santhosh Dhayanidhi, M. Jayachandran, and Arun Vaidyanathan.
Prior to her music career, Alisha had completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Technology Administration from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and soon after began working as an event producer, vocalist, and voice-over artist, in addition to being a part-time Carnatic vocal instructor for beginner students in the music school where her own passion for music began. After relocating to Chennai in 2014, she pursued and completed further musical education and vocal training in Western Opera and Hindustani music at A.R. Rahman's KM Music Conservatory.
Alisha was also a member of A.R. Rahman's vocal band and brainchild NAFS (directed by Arjun Chandy) and his opera band Sempre Libera (directed by Dr. Adam Greig) in 2017.
Apart from singing, Alisha worked as a line producer for A. R. Rahman's upcoming VR film 'Le Musk,' which was shot in Rome, Italy, and is currently in the post-production stage.
Alisha now freelances as a session artist, songwriter, live performer, and vocal coach. Her future plans include writing and producing her own EP/album and continuing to work within the music industry.
