U.K. Murali is an Indian singer and music composer. With his brother U.K. Manoj, he established a light-music orchestra, "Udhaya Raagam", in 1985. Murali has performed more than 10,000 shows in India and abroad. One of the forerunners in the world of cine light music, he is proficient in performing in all major South Indian languages and in Hindi and Western languages. Udhaya Raagam specifies the "Rising of Ragas" from talented and versatile musicians. He received the Best Orchestra Award for three years consecutively. Murali has performed on stage with leading film stars, music directors, producers and political personalities like Nadigar Thilagam Dr. Sivaji Ganesan, M.S. Viswanathan, Thenisai Thendral Deva, Kalaimamani Gangai Amaren, Shankar Ganesh, Dance Master Raguram, GK Moopanar, GK Vaasan, Mani Shankar Iyer, Thirunavukarasu, Minister MK Stalin, Karathe Thiyagarajan and Mullaivendan.
Career
Tracing his musical journey from his college days, Murali said his talent for music was spotted by his parents, Unnikrishnan and Radha, who encouraged to him to sing in college competitions. The unwavering support from his parents also made him foray into cricket. His heart was set on cricket and he became a second division league player in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. Cricket and music are his passions but he chose music as it opened the floodgates of creativity and launched him as a leading player in the arena of light music. Murali had to juggle between his profession and passion for some time and at one point he bid farewell to his job and set sail in the boat of music to navigate the musical world. Thus, Udhaya Ragam, U K Murali's Innisai Mazhai, was born in 1985. UK Murali is an exclusive singer who has sung for 16 hours non-stop in 25 different voices at Kamarajar Arangam Chennai. according to an article of 26 October 2005 from the Dina Thandi newspaper. In his debut in the light music troupe, he sang Ilayaraja's ‘Arum Athu Azhamilla’ and won applause from the audience. U. K. Murali has done several stage shows with legends like T M Soundararajan, P Suseela, S Janaki, K J Yesudas, P B Srinivas, S P Balasubrahmanyam, and many others. For the first time ever three music directors Shankar Ganesh, Deva, A. R. Reihana singing a song together for another music composer U.K.Murali for the film Win. The Orchestra has performed in the movie Jodi featuring Prasanth and Simran and the opportunity was given by Ratchakan Director Mr. Praveen Kanth, music composed by AR Rahman.
