When she began singing at the age of four, little did Sreya Jayadeep realise that she would bring fame and global recognition to her family and city. The 13-year-old is widely considered to be among the most successful child artists in India, and her accolades speak for themselves.
Sreya was born in Kerala in 2005 to Jayadeep and Praseetha, and took to music at a very young age. Her mother enrolled her in a music academy at the age of five and her first teacher was Thamarakkad Krishnan Namboodiri. Throughout her career, she has trained under numerous distinguished singers, including Binni Krishnakumar and Satheesh Babu. She considers well-known music director M Jayachandran as her Guru and her school principal Fr Johny Kanjirathinkal as her mentor. "The most memorable moment of my life was when I first saw my favorite music director, M Jayachandran, in person and he hugged me after my performance and gave me a chocolate. It is a moment I will never forget," said Sreya. She has toured UAE, Oman, Singapore, Europe, United Kingdoms, USA and Australia, but USA tops her favourites list.
Sreya has a very distinctive voice and shows exemplary flair and control for her age. Most importantly, she appears to retain her composure when singing at major competitions and events, something other kids usually struggle to do. "I have taken part in two reality shows so far. I haven’t felt much pressure from the judges in either of these, so I continue to support reality shows," said Sreya. She bagged the first prize on both events — Star Singer and Sun Singer. Her talent got noticed by contestants and professionals alike and she became a sensation in Kerala. As of now, she has a staggering four lakh followers on Facebook, an astonishing feat for any 13-year-old.
Sreya, a Class VIII student, is currently pursuing her studies at Devagiri CMI Public School in Kozhikode. Her teachers are incredibly supportive of her musical endeavors. When asked about how she balances academics and music, she replied, "The Principal and teachers at my school offer good support. When I miss a class, they take an hour of extra of class for me."
Her mother, however, is the central character in her fairy-tale. "My mother is my best friend. It is due to her support that I am here. She has come with me to all of my shows. Apart from this, my mother has provided the 'feel' for each of the songs I have sung, right from my childhood. She has played a great role in helping me reach this level."
The aforementioned songs are mostly melody, although she does occasionally sing semi-classical as well. She won the 2017 Asianet Television Award for her song in Vanambadi, and the 2016 South Indian International Movie Award for Best Playback Singer for the song Enno Njanente. During the 2015 Kerala State Film awards, she obtained a special mention for the same song. Aside from these, Sreya is also a recipient of several other awards, including Red FM Award, Vayalar Ramavarma Award and Asiavision Movie Award. One of her most famous songs is Minungum Minnaminunge, for which she won the IIFA Award 2017.
When she is not busy rehearsing Sreya likes playing the guitar, watching movies and playing with her younger brother Sourav. Unlike most singers, Sreya does not have a favorite song, "Whichever song I hear at that time, becomes my favorite, whether it is semi-classical, western or melody. I do not have a particular favorite song."
Her advice to other kids who seek to pursue a career in music is to display commitment and sincerity towards the art. "Show passion for music through hard work, as well as dedication to music. Also, even if you falter once, you should not be discouraged," said Sreya. The little girl has already won the hearts of every Malayali and things can only get better for the talented music prodigy.
