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{{short description|Australian singer (born 1998)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Dhee
| image =
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Dheekshitha Venkadeshan
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1998|06|26}}
| origin = Sydney
| genre = Pop
| instrument = Vocals
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|playback singer}}
| years_active = 2012–present
| label = [[Maajja]]
| associated_acts = {{hlist|[[Btw Santhosh]]|[[Dhanush]]|[[Arivu]]}}
| website =
}}
'''Dheekshitha Venkadeshan''' (born 26 June 1998), known professionally as '''Dhee''', is an Australian singer known for her work as a playback singer in [[Cinema of India|Indian cinema]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Laisram |first1=Romal |title=22-year-old singer Dhee's first single, Enjoy Enjaami, crosses a 100M views! |url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2021/apr/09/chennai-based-dhee-enjoy-enjaami-story-32921.html |access-date=14 April 2021 |work=Indulge Express |publisher=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tamil-Australian singer's tribute to the dispossessed tea plantation labourers |url=https://www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/tamil-australian-singers-tribute-to-the-dispossessed-tea-plantation-labourers/ |last1=Sarwal |first1=Amit |website=The Australia Today |date=March 18, 2021 }}</ref><ref name="rlngs" >{{cite magazine |title=COVER STORY: Back to the Roots |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/cover-story-back-to-the-roots-dhee-shan-vincent-de-paul-maajja/ |last1=Tagat |first1=Anurag |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=August 21, 2021 }}</ref> She is best known for her collaborations with her stepfather, [[Santhosh Narayanan]], and her distinctive [[alto]] voice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=R |first=Balajee C. |date=2016-03-14 |title=Dhee' one to watch out for! |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/140316/dhee-one-to-watch-out-for.html |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=www.deccanchronicle.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Cuckoo, cuckoo! A voice of her own |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2021/apr/10/cuckoo-cuckoo-a-voice-of-her-own-2288042.html |last1=Laisram |first1=Ronal |website=The New Indian Express |date=April 10, 2021 }}</ref> She won the [[Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil|Filmfare Award]] for Best Singer for "Kaattu Payale", from the 2020 film ''[[Soorarai Pottru]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-10 |title=Suriya’s Soorarai Pottru and Allu Arjun starrer Pushpa win big at Filmfare Awards South 2022, check out complete winners list |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/filmfare-awards-south-2022-soorarai-pottru-pushpa-winners-list-8199133/ |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Dhee was born on 26 June 1998 to a [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Sri Lankan Tamil]] father, Venkadesan, and an [[Tamils|Indian Tamil]] mother, Meenakshi Iyer, who is a [[Carnatic musician]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet Meenakshi Santhosh Narayanan |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/tamil/en/podcast-episode/meet-meenakshi-santhosh-narayanan/41ascmo7v |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=[[SBS (Australia)]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="dec" /> She was raised and went to school in Sydney, where her mother was based.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dhee |url=https://www.platform-mag.com/music/dhee.html |last1=Lohani Mehtani |first1=Hansika |website=Platform |date=February 7, 2022 }}</ref><ref name="rlngs" /><ref>{{cite news |title=All You Should Know About Dhee |url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/shestars/who-is-dhee-enjoy-enjaami-magazine-cover-slammed-arivu/ |last1=Das |first1=Ria |website=SheThePeople |date=August 23, 2021 }}</ref> She is the step daughter of Indian music composer [[Santhosh Narayanan]].<ref name=":1" /> Dhee began her playback singing career by performing songs in two of Narayanan's albums, ''[[Pizza II: Villa]]'' (2013) and ''[[Cuckoo (2014 film)|Cuckoo]]'' (2014), during breaks from her education.

After settling in [[Chennai]], Dhee made her breakthrough by singing "Naan Nee" on Narayanan's album, alongside [[Shakthisree Gopalan]], for [[Pa. Ranjith]]'s ''[[Madras (film)|Madras]]'' (2014). The pair garnered nominations for Best Female Singer for their performance at the [[Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil|Filmfare Awards]] and [[Vijay Award for Best Female Playback Singer|Vijay Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-for-the-62nd-britannia-filmfare-awards-south-9405.html |title=Nominations for the 62nd Britannia Filmfare Awards (South) |website=Filmfare.com |date=2015-06-03 |accessdate=2016-05-19}}</ref>

Dhee received critical acclaim for her work in [[Sudha Kongara Prasad|Sudha Kongara]]'s sports drama film, ''[[Irudhi Suttru]]'' (2016).<ref name="dec" >{{cite news |title='Dhee' one to watch out for |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/140316/dhee-one-to-watch-out-for.html |last1=Balaji |first1=CR |website=Deccan Chronicle |date=March 14, 2016 }}</ref> As the lead singer for [[Ritika Singh]]'s North Madras-based boxer character in the film, Dhee recorded two solo songs titled "Ey Sandakaara" and "Usuru Narumbuley".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlykollywood.com/irudhi-suttru-songs-review/ |title=Irudhi Suttru Songs Review |publisher=Only Kollywood |date=2016-01-05 |accessdate=2016-05-19}}</ref> Behindwoods.com stated that the first song was "another classic Santhosh [Narayanan] number that gets your attention in no time", while noting, of the latter, that the "pathos song by Dhee is a revelation of sorts".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/irudhi-suttru/irudhi-suttru-songs-review.html |title=Irudhi Suttru (aka) Iruthi Suttru songs review |website=Behindwoods.com |date=2016-01-04 |accessdate=2016-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/irudhi-suttru-a-sparkling-album-news-tamil-qbfkUacbgdfbd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105224735/http://www.sify.com/movies/irudhi-suttru-a-sparkling-album-news-tamil-qbfkUacbgdfbd.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 January 2016 |title=Irudhi Suttru- A sparkling album! |website=[[Sify]] |date= |accessdate=2016-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.top10cinema.com/article/36265/irudhi-suttru-music-review |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107121248/http://www.top10cinema.com/article/36265/irudhi-suttru-music-review |url-status=usurped |archive-date=7 January 2016 |title=Irudhi Suttru Music Review |publisher=Top10 Cinema |date=2016-01-04 |accessdate=2016-05-19}}</ref> In 2017, Dhee made her debut in Telugu cinema with songs from Kongara's [[Guru (2017 film)|''Guru'']], a remake of the director's own ''Irudhi Suttru.''

Dhee continued working with Narayanan in critically acclaimed albums for films such as ''[[Kaala (2018 film)|Kaala]]'' (2018) and ''[[Vada Chennai]]'' (2018), before collaborating with [[Yuvan Shankar Raja]] for the song "[[Rowdy Baby (song)|Rowdy Baby]]" in ''[[Maari 2]]'' (2018). Singing alongside actor [[Dhanush]], the song garnered viral popularity soon after its release.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Staff Reporter |date=2019-02-13 |title='Rowdy Baby' notches up 200 million YouTube views |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/rowdy-baby-notches-up-200-million-youtube-views/article61542406.ece |access-date=2024-10-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The track has since gained more than 1.5 billion views on YouTube, making it the highest viewed Tamil music video and one of the most-viewed Indian videos of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rowdy Baby Becomes The First South Indian Song To Set This Record! |url=https://www.vcinema.com/news-article/about:blank |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=www.vcinema.com |language=en}}</ref>

Dhee made her debut in independent Tamil pop under the [[A. R. Rahman|A.R. Rahman]]-helmed label, [[maajja]], with "[[Enjoy Enjaami]]", featuring [[Arivu]] (from [[The Casteless Collective]]), on 7 March 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=Enjoy Enjaami's Dhee: The 'Goli Soda akka' who now dares to dream |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/singer-dhee-the-goli-soda-akka-who-now-dares-to-dream/article34026824.ece |last1=Kumar |first1=Pradeep |website=The Hindu |date=March 15, 2021 }}</ref> The track's production, influenced by Tamil Nadu's [[Oppari]] style, and its anti-oppression lyrical sentiment made the song an immediate success, with the music video gaining over 50 million views within weeks of its premiere on YouTube.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Nidhi |date=March 26, 2021 |title=Enjoyed "Enjoy Enjaami"? You'll love what the musicians of maajja are cooking up next |url=https://www.gqindia.com/entertainment/content/musicians-of-maajja |website=GQIndia}}</ref> Produced by Narayanan, it is the first song to be released under maajja.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Muralidharan |first=Kavitha |date=2021-03-18 |title=Listen between the lines |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/listen-between-the-lines/article34100794.ece |access-date=2021-04-10 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Pradeep |date=2021-03-09 |title=Enjoy Enjaami's Dhee: The 'Goli Soda akka' who now dares to dream |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/singer-dhee-the-goli-soda-akka-who-now-dares-to-dream/article34026824.ece |access-date=2021-04-10 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The success of "Enjoy Enjaami" soon became fraught with controversy about Arivu's perceived sidelining in the song's marketing in favour of Dhee and Narayanan. These debates largely revolved around his status as a 'featured' artist, and were spurred on by his absences from the covers of a [[Spotify]] remix by [[DJ Snake]] and the August 2021 issue of ''[[Rolling Stone India]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=South First |date=2024-08-09 |title=Dhee back in spotlight with her latest single, 'I Wear My Roots Like a Medal' |url=https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/tamil/dhee-back-in-spotlight-with-her-latest-single-i-wear-my-roots-like-a-medal/ |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=The South First |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-08-02 |title=The 'Enjoy Enjaami' controversy explained |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/enjoy-enjaami-arivu-dhee-santhosh-narayanan-controversy-explained/article65715753.ece |access-date=2024-10-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In August 2022, Dhee responded to the controversy by asserting her record of crediting Arivu, and Narayanan, "every chance [she] got",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=T. N. M. |date=2022-08-02 |title='Always credited Arivu': Dhee on Enjoy Enjaami controversy |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/always-credited-arivu-dhee-enjoy-enjaami-controversy-166421 |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> while Arivu has maintained that the song was written and composed entirely by him.

In the years that followed, Dhee returned to Tamil cinema through musical collaborations with Narayanan and G.V. Prakash Kumar. She worked for the first time with composer [[Anirudh Ravichander]] on "Jujubee" for the 2023 hit [[Jailer (2023 Tamil film)|Jailer]], directed by [[Nelson Dilipkumar|Nelson]] and starring Ravichander's uncle, [[Rajinikanth]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-26 |title=Watch 'Jailer's third single 'Jujubee' now; a mass song! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/watch-jailers-third-single-jujubee-now-a-mass-song/articleshow/102145828.cms |access-date=2024-10-12 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> She made her Malayalam language debut in 2024 with "Viduthal" in Darwin Kuriakose's [[Anweshippin Kandethum]], with music by Narayanan.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-05 |title=Singer Dhee amazes with her debut Malayalam track 'Viduthal', calls it special |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/music/singer-dhee-stuns-with-her-first-malayalam-song-viduthal-1.9298518 |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref>

During the 2021 promotions for "Enjoy Enjaami", it was announced that Dhee's debut studio album would be produced by maajja, marking her first English-language release since debuting in the Indian music industry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=22-year-old singer Dhee's first single, Enjoy Enjaami, crosses a 100M views! Find out more... |url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2021/apr/09/chennai-based-dhee-enjoy-enjaami-story-32921.html |access-date=2021-04-10 |website=www.indulgexpress.com |language=en}}</ref> Dhee's first English language single, "I Wear My Roots Like a Medal", was released in October 2024 without involvement from maajja. It was composed, written and performed by Dhee, and co-produced with Narayanan and Aditya Ravindran.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-08-08 |title=Dhee returns to her roots in her latest single 'I Wear My Roots Like a Medal' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/i-wear-my-roots-like-a-medal-dhee-returns-to-her-roots-in-her-latest-single/article68500970.ece |access-date=2024-10-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Discography==

=== Singles ===

==== As lead artist ====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="width:250px;" rowspan="2" | Title
! rowspan="2" | Year
! Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" | Album
|-
! style="font-size:90%;|[[Official Charts Company#Chart synopsis|UK Asian]] <ref>Singles on UK Asian Music Chart:

* "Enjoy Enjaami": {{cite web|title=Asian Music Chart Top 40: 26 March 2021|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/asian-music-chart/20210326/asian/|access-date=4 April 2021|website=[[Official Charts Company]]|language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"|"[[Enjoy Enjaami]]" {{Small|(feat. [[Arivu]], produced by [[Santhosh Narayanan]])}}
| 2021
| 5
| {{n/a|Non-album single}}
|-
! scope="row"|"Can't You Stay a Little Longer" {{Small|(produced by [[Santhosh Narayanan]], Aditya Ravindran)}}
| 2024
|
| {{n/a|TBA}}
|-
! scope="row"|"I Wear My Roots Like a Medal" {{Small|(produced by [[Santhosh Narayanan]], Aditya Ravindran)}}
| 2024
|
| {{n/a|TBA}}
|-
! scope="row"|"Ancient Seed" {{Small|(feat. [[Tiwa Savage]] and [[WondaGurl]], produced by [[Santhosh Narayanan]], WondaGurl)}}
| 2026
|
| ''Conscious Planet'' EP
|}

==== As playback singer ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="background:#f5f5f5;"
|+
|-
! Year !! Song title !! Film !! Music director !! Notes / Language
|-
| 2013 || "Disco Woman" || ''[[Pizza II: Villa]]'' || rowspan="12" |[[Santhosh Narayanan]] ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |2014
| "Enda Mapla" || ''[[Cuckoo (2014 film)|Cuckoo]]'' || ||
|-
| "Naan Nee" || ''[[Madras (film)|Madras]]'' || co-artist Shakthisree Gopalan Nominated—[[Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil|Filmfare Award – Tamil]] Nominated—[[Vijay Award for Best Female Playback Singer]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |2016
| "Ey Sandakaara" || rowspan="2" |''[[Irudhi Suttru]]'' || Nominated—[[6th South Indian International Movie Awards|SIIMA Award]]
|-
| "Usuru Narumbeley" || ||
|-
| "Thoondil Meen" || ''[[Kabali]]'' || ||
|-
| "Dushta" || ''[[Iraivi]]'' || ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |2017
| "Oo Sakkanoda" || rowspan="2" |''[[Guru (2017 film)|Guru]]'' || rowspan="2"| Telugu
|-
| "Gundelothulalo" ||
|-
| "Rathina Katti" || ''[[Meyaadha Maan]]'' || ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |2018
| "Kannamma Kannamma" || ''[[Kaala (2018 film)|Kaala]]'' || ||
|-
| "Maadila Nikkura Maanutty" || ''[[Vada Chennai]]'' || ||
|-
| "[[Rowdy Baby (song)|Rowdy Baby]]" || ''[[Maari 2]]'' || rowspan="2" |[[Yuvan Shankar Raja]] ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |2019
| "Vaanil Irul" || ''[[Nerkonda Paarvai]]'' || ||
|-
| "Idharkuthaan" || ''[[Bigil]]'' || [[A. R. Rahman]] ||
|-
| rowspan="5" |2020
| "Yedho Maayam" || ''[[Dagaalty]]'' || Vijay Narain || Lyrics by Subu
|-
| "Manamengum Maaya Oonjal" || ''[[Gypsy (2020 film)|Gypsy]]'' || [[Santhosh Narayanan]] ||
|-
| "Kaattu Payale" || ''[[Soorarai Pottru]]'' || rowspan="2" |[[G. V. Prakash Kumar]] ||
|-
| "Kaatuka Kanule" || ''[[Aakasam Nee Haddu Raa]]'' || Telugu version
|-
| "Rakita Rakita Rakita" || ''[[Jagame Thandhiram]]'' || rowspan="5" |[[Santhosh Narayanan]] ||
|-
| 2021 || "Uttradheenga Yeppov" || ''[[Karnan (2021 film)|Karnan]]'' || ||
|-
| 2022 || "Anbarey" || ''[[Gulu Gulu]]'' || ||
|-
| rowspan="4" |2023
| "Chamkeela Angeelesi" || rowspan="2" |''[[Dasara (film)|Dasara]]'' || Telugu
|-
| "Mainaru Vetti Katti" || Tamil version
|-
| "Jujubee" || ''[[Jailer (2023 Tamil film)|Jailer]]'' || [[Anirudh Ravichander]] ||
|-
| "Maamadura" || ''[[Jigarthanda DoubleX]]'' || [[Santhosh Narayanan]] ||
|-
| rowspan="6" |2024
| "Kombari Vettapuli" || ''[[Captain Miller (film)|Captain Miller]]'' || [[G. V. Prakash Kumar]] ||
|-
| "Viduthal" || ''[[Anweshippin Kandethum]]'' || |rowspan="2" |[[Santhosh Narayanan]] || Malayalam
|-
| "Ta Takkara" || ''[[Kalki 2898 AD]]'' || || Telugu
|-
| "Thenkizhakku" || ''[[Vaazhai]]'' || [[Santhosh Narayanan]] || Tamil
|-
| "Yennai Izhukkuthadi" || [[Kadhalikka Neramillai (2025 film)|''Kadhalikka Neramillai'']] || [[A. R. Rahman]] || Tamil
|-
| "Nain Matakka" || ''[[Baby John (film)|Baby John]]'' || [[Thaman S]] || Hindi
|-
| 2025 || "Muththa Mazhai" || ''[[Thug Life (2025 film)|Thug Life]]'' || [[A. R. Rahman]] || Tamil
|-
| 2026 || "Adi Alaye" || ''[[Parasakthi (2026 film)|Parasakthi]]'' || [[G. V. Prakash Kumar]] || Tamil
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|6600495}}
*{{Instagram | id= dhee___ }}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dhee}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1998 births]]
[[Category:Singers from Sydney]]
[[Category:Singers from Chennai]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil musicians]]
[[Category:Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Australian women singers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Australian people of Sri Lankan Tamil descent]]
[[Category:Australian people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil women]]
[[Category:Indian women playback singers]]
[[Category:Tamil-language playback singers]]
[[Category:Australian expatriates in India]]
[[Category:Expatriate musicians in India]]
[[Category:21st-century Sri Lankan women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women singers]]

Dhee singer - Revision history

Vineettandon at 05:54, 30 April 2026