Anushqa

Indian vocalist Anushka Shahaney, who performs under the mononym Anushqa, first attracted widespread attention in 2015 when she reached the finals of season one of the televised talent series The Stage. A classically trained artist, she soon transitioned into Bollywood by supplying the tracks “Lost Without You” and “Stay a Little Longer” for the soundtrack of the 2017 feature Half Girlfriend.

Born and raised in Mumbai, Anushqa cultivated an early passion for music and studied Western classical technique at Trinity College. While completing a psychology degree in Canada, she decided to commit to music professionally, began uploading clips of her singing, and was subsequently recruited by producers for the inaugural season of the Indian reality competition The Stage. A public favorite throughout the run, she advanced to the final round only to finish behind winner Yatharth Ratnum.

Following the broadcast, she made her playback-singing debut with the same two songs for director Mohit Suri’s screen version of the novel Half Girlfriend. The album earned favorable notices, and “Stay a Little Longer” brought Anushqa a nomination for Upcoming Female Vocalist of the Year at the Mirchi Music Awards. In 2018 she issued her first solo single, “Ecstasy.”