K. Kalyan Essentials

K. Kalyan may have come from humble beginnings—he was born in a small town in South India—but his background only informed his spiritual and rustic music, helping him to compose unadorned and relatable songs that embody love, hardship and devotion. South India's “Premakavi” (“Love Poet”), Kalyan is known for his intensely romantic writing, adding further depth to his poetic lyrics with dashes of folksy, Western-influenced tunes on a bedrock of Carnatic sangitam. Kalyan's music merges modern world pop with Indian folk, employing classical instruments with deftness of touch.