S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, shortly referred to as SPB or Balu, is my all-time favourite singer. He is a Guinness record holder, having sung over 40,000 songs in several Indian languages. His list of accomplishments and unique musical talents cannot be captured in a blog post. Wikipedia does a better job of it, however even that list is not exhaustive.

The variety of emotions he can express in a single song over a short span of 5 minutes is awe inspiring. I am yet to see another singer do what he does. He will melt your heart and infuse you with energy, all in the same stanza. And every song will inevitably have his characteristic laugh. All of this will be rendered effortlessly. Like he was born with the knowledge. His diction and clear enunciation of the lyrics enhance the musical experience even further for the listener.

I had the fortune to listen to him sing live last year. It was an unforgettable experience. I was awed by his perfection and effortlessness in a live performance. There was no hint of his age (73 years!). But beyond his singing, what impressed me that day was seeing him introduce every orchestra member, singer and conductor by name throughout the performance. He pointed out and applauded specific sections of the orchestra which played a crucial role in specific songs. Surrendered the stage for an encore performance of the instrumentals to underscore their salient points. This is something he has been known to do for a long time. He is a living example of how humility can exist even in the midst of fame.

At the end of that concert, one emotion outweighed all else in my mind. Gratitude. For the opportunity to listen to him perform. For his amazing musical genius. And finally for being gifted with the ability to appreciate his singing.

Listening to SPB just makes life better.