Shilpa Rao is an Indian singer who primarily records songs in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil. Her deep, soulful, and highly versatile voice has earned her recognition not only in Bollywood but also in Tollywood and Kollywood.
Shilpa Rao was born in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, to a Telugu family. Her original name was Apeksha Rao, but she later changed her name to Shilpa Rao, as she felt it was associated with art and matched her identity.
Singing has been her favorite pastime since childhood. Her father, Venkat Rao, who holds a degree in music, taught Shilpa ragas, timing, and proper pitch. Regular practice with the harmonium and tanpura at home, the school choir team, and singing competitions strengthened her voice and stage confidence.When she met singer Hariharan at the age of 13, he sent Shilpa to Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan for practice, which strengthened her classical foundation and gave her voice depth and perfect control.