From the 1960s onwards, K.J. Yesudas became a highly sought-after voice in the South Indian film industry, eventually becoming a beloved, prolific singer with tens of thousands of songs in multiple languages packing his back catalogue. He first found fame singing Malayalam tunes, but in the mid-1960s he began recording tracks for Kannada movies—and it wasn’t long before his velvety vocals were universally celebrated in that language too. Composers like M. Ranga Rao, Vijayabhaskar and Hamsalekha ensured Yesudas’ golden pipes reigned supreme across ballads, bangers and devotional tunes.