Devan Ekambaram or Devan is an Indian playback singer

Playback singer

A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...

, actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

 and a Film composer. He began his career as a playback singer in Tamil films and later branched out to many other south Indian languages as well like Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

, Kannada and has so far sung over 150 songs.

Education

Devan pursued his higher school studies at the Freehold Township High School

Freehold Township High School

Freehold Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located within Freehold Township, New Jersey, and is part of the Freehold Regional High School District. The school serves students from portions of Freehold Township, and from parts of both Howell Township and Manalapan...

, New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

. He has graduated in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

Playback singing career

Devan began his singing career in the year 1999, when he received an unexpected call from one of the musician A. R. Rahman

A. R. Rahman

Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...

's assistants for a voice audition. He then, went on to record his maiden song "O Mariah" for the film Kadhalar Dhinam

Kadhalar Dhinam

Kadhalar Dhinam is a 1999 Tamil romantic film directed by Kathir. This film is based on a relationship which begins through an internet chatroom and takes a turn after the protagonist has second thoughts about the relationship...

 along with Yugendran

Yugendran

Yugendran is an Indian film actor and singer, who has sung more than 600 songs. He is also an occasional music director and host.- Personal life :...

. The song proved to be a hit among all sections and thereafter he received several offers from many other Southern music directors.

Devan's second huge hit came in his short piece mellifluous rendition in "Ore Nyabagam" from Minnale

Minnale

Minnale is a 2001 Tamil film written and directed by Gautham Menon. The film featured Madhavan, Abbas and Reemma Sen, with Vivek and Nagesh also appearing in pivotal roles. The film's soundtrack was composed by debutant Harris Jayaraj, which became successful prior to release, helping the film...

 (2001) composed by Harris Jayaraj

Harris Jayaraj

Harris Jayaraj is an Indian film composer. He has written scores and soundtracks for Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films.- Early life :Harris Jayaraj hails from a pious Christian Nadar family and was born and brought up in Chennai. Harris studied at Krishnaswamy Matric School, Nungambakam. His father,...

. Thereafter he sang many popular tracks in Tamil and Telugu films under the compositions of Ilayaraja, Vidhyasagar, Deva

Deva (music director)

Deva is an Indian film composer and singer. He has composed songs and provided background music for Tamil films in a career spanning about 20 years. Many know his gaana songs, written mostly using Madras Tamil. He is known as the "Father of Gaana Genre" in the Tamil film industry.Deva has composed...

, Yuvan Shankar Raja

Yuvan Shankar Raja

Yuvan Shankar Raja is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer, singer and occasional lyricist. He has predominantly scored music for Tamil as well as several Telugu films. His musical career began in 1996, at age 16, as he composed the film score for Aravindhan...

, Karthik Raja

Karthik Raja

Karthik Raja is a Tamil musician from Chennai, India. He made his debut as music composer in the Tamil film Alexander.-Personal life:Karthik Raja is the eldest son of musician Ilaiyaraaja and Jeeva. His brother Yuvan Shankar Raja and sister Bhavatharini, who are also Kollywood music directors and...

 and others. His most recent popular song is for the A. R. Rahman

A. R. Rahman

Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...

 composed song Anbil Avan

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (soundtrack)

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa is the soundtrack of the 2010 Tamil romance film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, directed by Gautham Menon. The original score and songs were composed by A. R. Rahman, first time collaborating with Gautham Menon...

 from the super-hit movie Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010).

Music direction

Devan debuted as a music director in the 2010 film Bale Pandiya. The music album was received with a mixed response and eventually faded away with the film bombing at the box-office. Besides this film, Devan has composed for several short Tamil album songs and has also sung for them.

Acting

Devan has also acted in few Tamil films as a character artist. The prominent ones being Parthiban Kanavu

Parthiban Kanavu (film)

Parthiban Kanavu [English: Parthiban's Dream] is a Tamil film directed by Karu Pazhaniappan. The film stars Srikanth and Sneha in lead roles. It had Manivannan and Vivek in supporting roles. Sneha featured in Dual Role for the first time. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Vidyasagar. ...

 (Debut film), Unnale Unnale

Unnale Unnale

Unnale Unnale is a 2007 Tamil musical romance film. Directed and co-written by Jeeva and produced by Oscar Ravichandran its stars Vinay Rai, Sadha and Tanisha Mukherjee in the lead roles...

 and Jayam Kondaan.

External links

• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2922446/