Actress-singer Andrea Jeremiah and playback singers Benny Dayal and Karthik have been announced as the judges of the inaugural season of ‘Tamil Idol’, the Tamil-language adaptation of the globally popular Indian Idol franchise.
Sony announced the judging panel on Thursday, describing the trio as mentors who will evaluate and support emerging musical talent from across Tamil Nadu. The panel brings together Andrea’s experience as a singer and performer with the vocal expertise and contemporary musical sensibilities of Benny Dayal and Karthik.
With A.R. Rahman leading the initiative, ‘Tamil Idol’ will begin its first auditions in Chennai on August 23. Singers between 14 and 30 years of age can audition at Velammal Vidyalaya Annexure in Mel Ayanambakkam, Chennai. The show will stream on Sony Vizha and SonyLIV.
Karthik said Tamil Nadu’s diverse musical heritage would provide a rich pool of talent for the show.
“‘Tamil Idol’ is going to uncover voices that will surprise and inspire us,” he said, adding that he was particularly looking forward to identifying potential and helping emerging artistes understand their capabilities.
With A.R. Rahman guiding the project, Karthik said the show could create a platform where new talent would have an opportunity to flourish.
Benny Dayal, who has previously been associated with the Hindi edition of the franchise, said his experiences on the show had exposed him to singers with distinctive stories, aspirations and musical instincts.
His association with the Tamil edition is particularly meaningful, he said, as he studied in Chennai, lived in the city for nearly a decade and built his career in Tamil music. He expressed excitement about discovering the next generation of singers from Tamil Nadu.
Andrea Jeremiah said music was deeply embedded in Tamil identity and that exceptional voices were waiting to be discovered across the state.
She said she was looking forward to meeting contestants from different backgrounds and with diverse musical influences, while helping create a platform where their individuality could be heard, nurtured and celebrated.