An inimitable voice laced with a nuanced command of Indian classical ragas, Shilpa Rao is a name to reckon with. Having lent her soulful vocals to umpteen Bollywood hits like Manmarziyaan, Ghungroo, Woh Ajnabee, and genre-defining collaborations such as ‘Those Words’ with Anoushka Shankar for her Grammy-nominated album, Shilpa Rao is a driving force putting Indian music on the global map. One of India’s most versatile singers, Shilpa Rao is MTV Beats Artist of The Month, all through August.

Over the years, Shilpa’s craft has evolved and she strongly believes the voice of a singer is a reflection of his or her identity. Along with revealing about her life and musical journey, fans will also get an exclusive sneak peek into her upcoming song, Tere Hawale.

An emotional Shilpa spoke about music being the essence of her vitality, and her fans, her strength. She said, “My audiences are my motivation. They listen to my songs, and shower so much love on my craft that it makes me go the extra mile even on a bad day. I strive to make my gurus happy with my craft every day. And, in that journey I have my parents and brothers for support, at the same time, there are my critics too. A good song always fills me up. I am also inspired by Mehdi Hassan Saab, his work has been a guiding force.”A strong proponent of India’s diverse musical landscape, the singer also revealed that her ultimate motivation is her father and the foundation for her success, her family. 

Commenting on how music as an axiom transcribes into her working style, Shilpa said that her art and craft taught her to be kind, loving and open to newness. "I think we should have a positive vibe and treat each other with respect. Insensitivity is a strict no-no for me. I believe in being happy and spreading joy all around. Things I don't like also include getting up early in the morning and bad coffee!"

As the vocalist switches to her tell-all mode, fans will get to know her life goals, motivational mantras, her likes and dislikes and unravel her unabashed fun side!

Tune into MTV Beats all through August to discover the immensely talented Artist of the Month, Shilpa Rao.