Karthikeya Murthy

Trained in Carnatic Classical music for over 12 years under esteemed teachers such as Mr. (Chengalpet) Renganathan, Mrs. DKJ Sukanya, and Mrs. Premalatha, his melodies are deeply rooted in Carnatic tradition, with additional influences from Thamizh folk music. His musical expression further draws from a variety of genres, including Santali, Raaz, Sufi, Bhajan, and Rajasthani folk traditions.

He also received formal training in Western Classical Music (Piano & Theory) under Mr. Abdul Sattar at Trinity College of Music, London, and later specialized in Film and TV scoring at Berklee. KM’s arrangements span diverse genres such as Western Classical, Waltz, Tango, Rock, Pop, Electronic, and Dubstep. What sets his music apart is his refined ability to blend these styles, capturing the emotional depth and complexity of any given scene.

Primarily focused on film scores and songs, KM believes that successful compositions emerge from the harmonious interplay between music and silence, creating art that enhances and deepens the emotional narrative. In addition to films, he also enjoys working on documentaries, ad films, and theater productions, each of which presents its own challenges, such as conveying subtlety or capturing the audience's attention within seconds.

In 2009, his career took a significant turn when he received his first breakthrough from legendary director K. Balachander. Up until then, he had been a part-time composer, but this project provided the launchpad he needed to pursue his musical career full-time. Following this opportunity, he worked on over 50 short films, ad films, and live music concerts. During one such project at an audio engineering school, his talent was recognized by renowned singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and his son S.P. Charan, who brought him on board as the composer for their bilingual production Moone Moonu Varthai/Moodu Mukkalo Cheppalante (2015).

He then composed for several successful TV shows, including Tamil Kadavul Murugan (2017) and Vijay Sethupathi’s Namma Ooru Hero (2018).

In 2019, KM achieved his first major breakthrough with the film KD (a) Karuppudurai. His score for the critically acclaimed film received widespread praise, with the Times of India describing it as "jaunty and moving in the right places," and Firstpost calling it a “bubbly score that feels like childlike mischief made tangible (you’ll probably hum it for days)."

KM aspires to showcase the rich diversity of Indian folk music, particularly Thamizh folk, to audiences worldwide.