hˈeɪlɪŋ fɹʌm ɐ mjˈuːzɪkəl fˈæmɪli ɪn kˈɛɹələ, wˈʌn ʌv hɜːɹ ˈænsɛstɚz wʌz vˈɪdwən ʃɹˈaɪ ɡoʊpˈɑːlə pˈɪlaɪ, ɐ mjuːzˈɪʃən hˌuː bᵻlˈɔŋd tə ðə ɹᵻnˈaʊnd tˈændʒoːɹ tɹɐdˈɪʃən ʌv kɑːɹnˈæɾɪk mjˈuːzɪk.
Hailing from a musical family in Kerala, one of her ancestors was Vidwan Shri Gopala Pillai, a musician who belonged to the renowned Tanjore Tradition of Carnatic music.