Shirley Setia is a New Zealand singer and actress known for her work in the Indian film and music industries.
Born in Daman, India, in the former union territory of Daman and Diu, she immigrated with her family to Auckland and gained attention as a YouTube musician by uploading covers of Hindi film songs while studying at the University of Auckland. Setia was subsequently featured in Forbes magazine, which referred to her as "Bollywood's Next Big Singing Sensation".
Setia made her acting debut with the 2020 Hindi film Maska, which was released on Netflix. She made her big-screen debut with Nikamma in 2022 and also starred in the Telugu film Krishna Vrinda Vihari, which was released on 23 September 2022.
Early life
Setia was born in Daman, India and raised in Auckland, New Zealand. A graduate student from the University of Auckland and marketing and publicity intern at Auckland Council, Setia took part in a contest conducted by T-Series. Her YouTube entry was recorded in her bedroom while she was wearing pyjamas, which earned her the nickname "Pyjama popstar" by the New Zealand Herald. Setia was eventually declared the winner.
^ "Personal Agenda with Shirley Setia: "To be a success on social media, you need to be yourself, be consistent and be real"". Hindustan Times. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
