Sitting at his home in St Clair, Sydney, 21-year-old Sathyan Ilanko is relishing his newfound fame.
His debut Tamil song, “Aasa Kooda,” released on 13 June in India, has become a global sensation, trending on all social media platforms. As of now, it has already surpassed 49 million views on YouTube, with over 500,000 reels created by social media followers.
The song is sung and composed by Sai Abhyankkar and his sister Sai Smriti, with Ilanko providing the lyrics.
“I was in Chennai last year when I met Sai Abhyankkar. He is now a good friend of mine; his parents, Tippu and Harini, are well-known playback singers in the industry. We decided to collaborate. I showed him my work, and he liked my lyrics. From there, we began working on a few songs that I wrote for him. “Aasa Kooda” is the first one we released,” Ilanko tells The Indian Sun over Zoom from Sydney.
“This is my first song as a lyricist and Abhyankkar’s second independent song (his first, “Katchi Sera” was also a global hit). It is definitely a blessing, and I am very grateful for the reception,” he adds.
The song is trending in many countries where Tamil is not widely spoken. Ilanko believes the reason for this global appeal is the sound, where each element of the music complements the performers and the rhythm of the lyrics.
“When it comes to lyrics, I am keen on the ‘e-candies’ – the words should sound nice together,” he says.
Also, Ilanko released a new song on Thursday night featuring European Tamil rapper Ratty Adhiththan. The track, titled “Nethu Adicha Sarakku” (The Drink from Last Night), has already garnered over 77,000 views on YouTube.
“It feels surreal to be featured alongside Ratty on the track,” Ilanko says.
Although Ilanko was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, he feels a strong connection to his Tamil language. He explains that his parents were always passionate about preserving their language and ensuring it was passed down to the next generation, a challenge faced by many second-generation children living overseas.
From a young age, Ilanko’s parents’ dedication to the language deeply influenced him. Over time, he developed a genuine love for it. He attended Tamil school on weekends, which helped strengthen his bond with the language.
“We speak Tamil at home, and reading and writing was something that developed gradually.”
In 2019, at just 16, Ilanko made his debut as a playback singer with the Tamil movie “Aduththa Sattai”, performing two songs.
Due to COVID-19 and the closed borders, he was unable to return to India to work on more songs. Instead, he created some COVID-19 awareness songs from Sydney, which were broadcast continuously on Indian News 7 during the lockdown period.
Ilanko has set his sights on Kollywood, India’s Tamil-language film industry. “Working there is an unforgettable experience. I’d definitely like to be involved, but moving elsewhere is something I need to consider carefully. For now, I just want to keep working and building my career as an independent artist.”
He believes this is a great time for independent artists globally. “The more people open up, the more opportunities there are for talented individuals all around us.”
Ilanko completed his Bachelor of Science while also engaging in amateur fights. Simultaneously, he earned a diploma in personal training. However, he is now dedicated to music full-time.
He has the support of his parents, who tell him that as long as he puts 100 percent into whatever he is doing, they are behind him.
Ilanko is soon releasing new tracks. He enjoys collaborations and working with new people, where “two or three visions come together.”
Living in a tight-knit Tamil community in Sydney, Ilanko says he is receiving a lot of love and praise from family and friends. “But I’m not sure if I’m famous yet,” he laughs.
As the first male playback singer from Australia to enter the Tamil movie industry and now the first Australian songwriter in Indian Tamil cinema, Ilanko’s future is looking incredibly bright.
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Sathyan Ilanko's debut Tamil song "Aasa Kooda" is a global sensation, amassing over 49 million #YouTube views. Born in New Zealand, raised in Australia, Ilanko is now dedicated to music full-time. 🎶🌟🌏🎤🇦🇺 #TheIndianSun #AasaKoodahttps://t.co/AT9HMqxt6p
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