Music publication Pollstar took a look at the top 100 grossing artistes of 2015 (based on their individual tours) and ranked them. The list takes into account money earned from production, ticket sales, and also takes into account number of cities visited in the US and worldwide.
Their mid-year Top 100 ranking for North American tours has The Rolling Stones topping the list, with the likes of Fleetwood Mac, U2, Maroon 5, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift and Elton John in the Top 10 tier. And while several country music stars populate the chart, it is surprising to find one Indian name feature on this list.
AR Rahman comes in at number 82, grossing $4.5 million between January 1 to June 30 this year, after playing at 16 shows in 14 cities. He’s ranked higher on the list than the likes of Justin Timberlake, Rod Stewart, Rascal Flatts, Marc Antony, Steve Aoki and Ricky Martin. Now that’s something to be proud of!
Popular music director, A R Rahman has composed a new track for Renault India for their upcoming TV commercial featuring Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor
Renault India is set to make a strong impact in the Indian passenger car market as it completes four years in the contry. Come September 2015, the company will be launching the much anticipated Renault Kwid, which is hoping to shake off competition like the Maruti Alto and Hyundai Eon. And recently, actor Ranbir Kapoor was appointed as the brand ambassador for Renault in India.
Now, Renault India has roped in world renowned music composer & Grammy Award winner A R Rahman to compose a new sound track called “Re Re Re Raftaar”, for the company’s new TV commercial for the company's four year celebration in India. The company hopes this trilogy of Renault, Ranbir and Rahman will help it connect with Indian car buyers.
Speaking about the association with Renault India, A R Rahman said that the brief was to keep the new sound track simple and catchy, and appealing right from the very first listening... The music composer added that then he forgot about all the briefing and did the track!
The TVC will go on air soon, but Rahman’s Re Re Re Raftaar is available online on Renault India’s Facebook page and on Youtube. The song has a groovy tune and in Rahman's own words is “clutter breaking” and reaches across to the people.
Precisely what the new Renault Kwid aims to offer, with its Rs 3-4 lakh pricing, quality interior and optimum space in the car.
With record sales of more than 200 millionalbums worldwide, A R Rahman has composed the soundtracks for over 100 Indian films and is credited with more or less single-handedly revolutionising Indian film music.
On August 15 Rahman will be performing a one-off “Greatest Hits” showat The O2 arena in London. He has brought Bollywood music to the Western world, with a style that is both new and familiar at the same time.
The son of a film music composer and conductor in the Tamil and Malayalan film music industries, Allah-Rakha Rahman got his big break as a music director doing the songs and background score for the Tamil film Roja. In India, film music reigns supreme, and Rahman’s soundtrack took the country by storm.
Bollywood on tour
India has produced many giants of film music. But the key difference with Rahman, compared to earlier star music directors such as Naushad, Shankar-Jaikishen, R D Burman or Ilaiyaraaja, is the level of international acclaim he has gained. It is Rahman’s conquering of the Western world that makes him so remarkable.
By the 1950s, Indian cinematic music had a dominant influence from the Malay world to Greece, Russia, and the Middle East. In the West, however, Hollywood held sway, and Indian cinema, with its melodrama and song and dance interludes, was typically seen simply as bad.
The new sounds and style Rahman created changed the image of Indian film music in the West. His albums broke through into Western charts in the late 1990s and he has since engaged in a range of high profile collaborations in the West.
His most famous work of late has been his soundtrack for Danny Boyle’s 2009 film Slumdog Millionaire, which added two Oscars, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe Award and two Grammy Awards to his already dizzying array of awards back home in India. As an Indian music star in the West, he has only been rivalled by the likes of Ravi Shankar.
AR Rahman’s ‘Jai Ho’ from the 2009 film Slumdog Millionaire
New fusions
Rahman’s acclaim is largely down to his use of fusion. East-West fusion is hardly new in Indian film music – by the 1950s, film songs sported extraordinary mixtures of Indian classical and folk music elements, large Western or Hollywood style orchestras with added Indian instruments, and global pop styles from the West and Latin America. Yet Rahman’s fusion marks a distinct break with earlier film music.
He is particularly known for his use of lush string sounds, often married with computer-generated bass. Overall, his timbres are more mellifluous and soft compared to the older film music, where treble frequencies dominated. New recording technologies have allowed Rahman to create a layered and expansive soundscape, contrasting with earlier film music where the orchestras were recorded in unison or near unison, the sound more of a block.
In older film music, Indian and western instruments and styles were orchestrated into a whole, a close amalgamation. The violins, for example, hardly sounded like those in a Western orchestra, or the sitars like those in actual Indian classical music. This is part of the reason why the older film songs were seen in negative terms by Western critics as kitsch. But in Rahman’s music, the characteristic style and sound of diverse instruments and genres is distinctly heard, and often showcased.
In the song Hai Rama from the film Rangeela (1995), for example, he opens and ends the song with the sound of the tambura, the drone instrument used to accompany Indian classical music. The song also incorporates South Indian and other percussion, strings, bass, and a virtuosic flute solo that manages to be Indian classical, beat box and slightly jazzy all at once.
In other songs Rahman uses Sufi singing, or the harmonium (played as in North Indian classical or light classical music), or background chants in regional Indian languages, and an assortment of other Indian styles and instruments. His music appeals to the “world music” and “world beat” sensibility that is growing in popularity in the West.
At the same time, Rahman incorporates a solid basis of mainstream Western pop, rock and jazz styles (even just through a prominent bass groove). He uses a range of singers and vocal timbres, avoiding the idealised, high-pitched female vocal sound. For these reasons, Rahman’s music appeals to western ears more than older film music, and also to the upper end of Indian middle class society.
Earlier film music has been seen as the epitome of sophistication, modernity and innovation in India and much of the non-Western world. But Rahman is the first composer who has managed to make this music appeal on a global scale that includes the west. As such, his music is iconic of the economically booming and increasingly powerful India.
Double Oscar winner AR Rahman says his decision to play a greatest hits concert in London on Indian Independence Day was due to the shared history between the two countries.
Speaking to Sky News, the Bollywood composer, who has won international acclaim, said: "There's a lot of history between India and England. (The decision) was a friendly notion. I've been working in England for 15 years…You have a great crowd here." He said it was important to move forward from the colonial past and instead share positives like "knowledge, wisdom, love and music". Rahman's career, spanning 23 years, has seen him compose 100 soundtracks, sell 200 million albums and appear on Time Magazine's most influential people list. His soundtrack to Danny Boyle's 2009 film Slumdog Millionaire earned him two Oscars, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe Award and two Grammys. Describing how difficult it would be to narrow his music down into one night, he said: "It's a tough thing to do but I go with my instinct. Certain songs become iconic and part of the history of people's lives." His fusion of eastern and western musical styles revolutionised the Indian film industry and thrust him onto the international stage. "Music should be for all. I love western music, I love eastern music and I wanted my music to have the same philosophy. There's so many things we can share and it all requires connecting with small steps."
The music nomad A R Rahman who straddles three continents, is now a bit
more settled. In a candid interview with Subhash K Jha, Rahman speaks on
his musical journey so far and the exciting new things that are happening in his life.
Are you now spending more time in Chennai?
My family has forced me to cut down on travel. 2014 was horrible. I had to be all over the place. There was so much happening at home, and a lot more internationally. I am taking it easy this year. I am doing Mani Ratnamji's film which keeps me close to home in Chennai. But I've an international concert tour happening in May. I can do the music from Chennai. But when there's a live event like a concert or the Grammys, I've to travel. Otherwise I've cut down on my travel drastically.
How has life been treating you this year?
Good good! I am now spending more time at home in Chennai. We launched our musical band which will play live all over the world. This is part of our initiative to find interesting jobs for the very talented students from my music school, and for young musicians who are not part of my school.
How participative are you in the activities of the music band?
The songs, vision and execution on stage are all mine. But I won't be on stage with them. They will start their journey with cover versions of Michael Jackson and my songs but then they'd be giving them in their own interpretation. Let me tell you, the students in the band play very complicated harmonies. They've been trained for nearly a year and a half. It's a very professional band.
Your music school was your dream. Now that it's a reality how much time are you able to give to it?
My sister is running the school. I am not part of it on a day-to-day basis. But otherwise I am constantly in touch with them on email; through phone...I am in touch with the school from all over the world.
You are constantly finding ways to share your talent experience and wealth with people less privileged than you?
When you have accumulated knowledge and some influence, you want to share it. At age 20, I was another person. At 30, I had evolved a bit more. At 40-plus I've a lot more to share. And that's what I am doing.
At 48, do you feel satisfied with what you've achieved?
I feel I've got much more than I deserve. I am very grateful to God. When you look at other lives, some very talented but not so successful, you feel grateful for what God has given you. I've family, friends and fans. What more could I hope for?
Has the fan profile changed over the years?
One has to constantly re-invent the sound and the style. The audience that heard my music 15 years ago in Taal or Hindustani is not the same today. Change is specially a must on stage. You have to innovate on stage. Otherwise you just become a visual avatar of the radio. There is no end to how much one can evolve as an artiste. Individually I may feel satisfied. But if I can excel along with my team it's a different high.
The guru-shishya parampara has been very important for you?
It's not just about me passing on my knowledge. It's that whole give and take of knowledge. I saw a very good film on this theme Whiplash.
I feel Ive got much more than I deserve - A R Rahman
Whiplash was about a tyrannical guru. You are such gentle soul. Isn't there a fun side of you?
What do you mean? (Laughs). I've all the fun in my music only. That's my playground and the place where I can be who I want. When one's passion becomes the profession and then that in turn becomes your obsession you are obviously blessed beyond belief.
What do you feel about present day Bollywood composers?
I think it's time of great musical discovery. There is a lot of innovation. There's a lot more embracing of diversity
.
And how much of the credit for this do you give yourself?
I don't know if I played any hand. But musicians and the audience today have a much wider creative exposure than they did in earlier times. When you play something innovative the audience and listeners are receptive. Civilization is more open to new ideas.
You've done monumental work with Ashutosh Gowariker in the past. How is it working with him again in Mohenjo Daro?
He inspires me. The first thing he told me is that this time he would be shooting a film that would be no more than two hours long (Gowariker's films are known to stretch beyond 3 hours). There are just 4-5 songs in the film.
And Mani Ratnam's film?
It's a young film a love story with 9 songs. Whatever the score, I go to the core. The songs have to come from the theme and plot. It's never about what I'd like to do. It's what comes naturally from within the film.
Tell me about your international projects?
There is a film Pele on the life of the footballer. Then there is Majid Majidi's Muhammad.
Your output has increased over the years?
I think I am more confident about deadlines. I realize some things have to be done within a time frame. But I prefer to work without schedules and limitations.
Where do you stand in your own creative vision?
I've yet a long way to go. I am constantly learning and evolving. I am currently most excited by my music orchestra for the underprivileged. It's called 'The Sunshine Orchestra'. You'll be surprised at how naturally talented they are. These poor children had never heard of Beethoven and Bach. Today they play the music of these greats.
How did you react to the documentary on you Mozart from Madras?
I was terrified to watch it. I am embarrassed to talk about myself. But when finally I saw people like Danny Boyle and Mani Ratnam talk about what it was like to work with me I was hooked. They actually made me seem likeable (giggles). It could have gone the other way. Cinema could be very manipulative.
Your humility and simplicity are intact?
I think South Indian artistes are born with those qualities.
Music maestro and double Oscar winning composer AR Rahman's debut home production, 99 Songs, will commence its shooting soon. The film's screenplay was penned by Rahman himself, and he has roped in young theatre and dance artist Vishwesh Krisnamoorthy to direct the film. The film is said to be a musical, and the audio album will have 10 songs of which he has already composed five. The Tamil-Hindi bilingual film has been named '99 Padangal' in Tamil, and will be produced under Rahman's newly set up production house, YM Movies. The film will feature a cast having fresh faces.
