Khatija Rahman

Khatija Rahman (; born 29 December 1995) is a music composer and singer from Chennai, India.

Life and career

Khatija Rahman made her playback debut in the 2010 sci-fi action film Enthiran, singing the title track in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi alongside musical legends including her father, A. R. Rahman, and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.

In 2019, she collaborated with the Irish band U2 on their single "Ahimsa", which emphasised the power of non-violence. She also performed the track during U2's Joshua Tree Tour in Mumbai the same year.

Khatija released her debut single, "Farishton", in 2020. The song, composed and produced by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Munna Shaokath Ali, was a meditative invocation of solidarity and cultural harmony. Its music video was recognised at multiple international film festivals and received an honourable mention at the 2021 Los Angeles Film Awards. In the same year, she was a featured artist on Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej’s song "Iltaja", a track highlighting sustainability.

She continued to showcase her versatility with film songs, including "Rock A Bye Baby" from Mimi (2021), "Tum Bhi Raahi (Reprise)" from Mili (2022), and "Kaayam" from Iravin Nizhal (2022). She also contributed vocals to Rahman's 2022 Tamizh anthem "Moopilla Thamizhe Thaaye", collaborating with multiple artists.

In 2023, Khatija released her debut album Kuhu Kuhu, a collection of melodic renditions paying tribute to the legendary Lata Mangeshkar. The all-acoustic album features the Firdaus Orchestra, an all-female ensemble from the United Arab Emirates. Its lead single, “Piya Tose”, was accompanied by a music video symbolising global representation and collaboration. She also made her debut as a music composer with the film Minmini, releasing the lead single “Iru Perum Nadhigal”, a song centered on self-love and healing. That year, she further demonstrated her vocal range with songs such as “Chinnanjiru (Marumurai)” from ', "Pranama Pranama" from Nayakudu (2023), and her Coke Studio Tamil single "Sagavaasi" with Arivu, which received widespread acclaim.