Caralisa Monteiro

Early life

Caralisa Monteiro was born to Emeline Monteiro, a school teacher at Don Bosco High School, Matunga and Neville Monteiro an opera singer and an accountant in Mahindra and Mahindra, she was exposed to music at a very young age. She attended Sophia College where she studied Economics and English.

At the age of 11 her mother lost her battle with cancer. Her sister Giselle was a social worker and music director who passed on after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the last stages.

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Caralisa began working with music directors Loy Mendonca and Ehsaan Noorani of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. During her career she has worked in over 7000 jingles which she has sung on, rendered her voice to, written lyrics for, co - composed and composed. She has been referred to as the "Jingle Queen". She was also the voice behind the jingle for the Limca brand that featured Sushama Reddy. Caralisa started writing her own songs in college but due to the demands of being the only bread winner in her family at an early age, had to concentrate on work.

Bollywood and other

Her first break with Bollywood came when the acclaimed trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy invited her to sing the chorus of the song "Jaane Kyon" from the cult film Dil Chahta Hai in 2001. She was known for the rendition of English parts in Hindi songs and continues to work in the Hindi film music industry on background scores. Monteiro has sung on mainstream Bollywood films like Rock On!! (Phir Dekhiye), Don (2006 Hindi film) theme, Don 2 (Don Waltz), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna where she sang the song "Mitwa" with Shafqat Amanat Ali, Karthik Calling Karthik with Shankar Mahadevan.On Anjaana Anjaani she sang the song "Tumse hi Tumse" for which she which she received a co-writing credit. In the movie Hum Tum Aur Ghost, she performed the song 'Kal Tum The Yahan' which was a duet with Shankar Mahadevan. She also sang on "Sam's Theme" from the movie New York (film) and on Kabul Express she also performed the theme for Kaal while on Salaam Namaste she performed a duet with Shaan.

She also sang in Tamil Cinema, including "Maaricham" a song written by music director A. R. Rahman from the movie Sillunu Oru Kaadhal in 2006 and "Porkkalam" from the movie Yaaro Iran Yaaro. Monteiro starred in the musical On Broadway which was a mash up of several musicals. She has worked with the Welsh musician and composer Karl Jenkins performing the track "Hymn" on his project Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary for his India tour as the only soloist. She was featured on Dance Masti, a dance album by Farhad Wadia. Caralisa has sung the Hindi version of "When You Believe" from the Dreamworks Animation for the film The Prince of Egypt.

Independent Music

Monteiro entered and was one of the finalist on Sutasi, an Asian talent hunt in 2008. Her debut album Illusions was released in 2015. She made an appearance with the band Overhung at the finale of Harley Rock Riders: Season IV and guested on the band's song "Waste". Monteiro wrote and recorded the ballad "All Alone" that was featured on the Indie movie Rize of the Zombie starring Luke Kenny.

Social Activism

She performed at the ‘Rhythm and Blues Festival’ organized by the Genesis Foundation and supported by Rolling Stone Magazine (India) to raise funds for underprivileged children to provide critical life-saving interventions in 2013. She has committed to raise awareness for breast cancer through her to be released debut album’s lead single "Angel in Disguise" and to raise funds to assist cancer survivors and people currently battling the disease.