Shalmali Kholgade is an Indian playback singer known for her work in Hindi language films. She has also sung in other Indian languages such as Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, and Tamil. Shalmali has received several awards, including a Filmfare Award and a Filmfare Award Marathi, and has been praised for her unique singing style.

Shalmali started performing at the age of 16 and received her music training from her mother, Uma Kholgade, an Indian classical singer and theatre personality. She furthered her music education under Shubhada Paradkar and was accepted by the Los Angeles College of Music, although she decided not to attend due to her recording commitments. Shalmali has showcased her versatility as a performer by participating in various musical projects. She has performed as a vocalist with Mikey McCleary's popular act 'The Bartender,' where she has given beautiful renditions of vintage Bollywood songs with a touch of sensuous, old school jazz. She has also performed as a soloist with a Latvian troupe in a Cabaret named Bombaloo, touring Moscow, Yerevan, and Armenia.

In 2012, Shalmali made her debut as a lead vocalist in Bollywood playback singing with the song "Pareshaan" from the film Ishaqzaade, composed by Amit Trivedi. The song became a critical and commercial success, topping charts across India. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her performance in "Pareshaan." She continued to deliver hit songs, including "Daaru Desi" from Cocktail and "Aga Bai" from Aiyyaa in the same year.

In the following years, Shalmali achieved further success with songs like "Lat Lag Gayee" from Race 2, "Balam Pichkari" from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and "Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai" from Sultan. She has received critical acclaim for her singing style in various hit songs, such as "Aga Bai" from Aiyyaa, "Chingam Chabake" from Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, "Mohobbat Buri Bemari" from Bombay Velvet, "Shakira" from Welcome to Karachi, and "Naach Meri Jaan" from ABCD 2.

Shalmali Kholgade's talent, versatility, and unique singing style have made her a prominent figure in the Indian music industry, and she continues to impress audiences with her captivating vocals.