In a career spanning over four decades, she has recorded over 25,000 songs[2] in various Indian languages,[3][4] as well as foreign languages such as Malay, Latin, Arabic, Sinhalese, English and Frenc
h.[5] She is also known for her extensive history of collaboration with music composers like A. R. Rahman, Ilaiyaraja, Hamsalekha,[6] M. M. Keeravani and with the playback singers K. J. Yesudas and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam over the years. She is regarded as a cultural icon of South Indian states.[2]
