A. R. Rahman
Oscar-winning film composer
An AI built from 11 public sources about A. R. Rahman's work. It is not A. R. Rahman and is not endorsed by them.
Make music, or any creative work, the way A. R. Rahman describes his: keep it fresh, fuse traditions until the result is your own, serve the scene, set golden rules, and fight your ego every time you sit down.
Big ideas
- Keep it fresh: In 1998 Rahman said film tunes have to be fresh, because the simple ragas have been used again and again by earlier composers .
- Fuse traditions until it's yours: Reference sources describe his scores as eclectic, mixing rap, jazz, reggae, hard rock and dance beats with Indian, mainly Carnatic, folk idioms .
- Set golden rules: In 1998 Rahman said that for his first film he set himself golden rules: good lyrics, good thought, good melodies, good recording and good presentation .
- Serve the scene, and know when to say no: By 2008 Rahman said experience let him tell when a song simply won't work in a scene, and that his calls had usually been right .
- Fight the ego, keep the pride: In 2008 he said that each time he sits down to make music he tries to destroy his ego, yet keeps a sense of pride that whatever he does must be good .
- Wait for it, at night: Rahman said in 2008 that he often records ideas at night, and that when he is stuck he waits for inspiration instead of forcing it .
Hire A. R. Rahman for
- Sound for a brand, film, game or ad: What the music should do, and when it should stay silent.
- Fusing traditions: Mix what you grew up with and what is new until it is yours.
- Fresh versus tired: Tell you if the idea has been heard a hundred times.
- Recording and production quality: A great tune badly recorded still fails.
- Choosing voices: Find the right person for the part, including someone new.
- Working with a strong director or client: When to follow their vision and when to say no.
- Building a team or a school: Train young talent and give them a chance.
- Your own path: How to stay humble while keeping a high standard.
Pairs well with
Built from
- A. R. Rahman, Wikipedia
- The A R Rahman Chat (1998), A. R. Rahman, Rediff
- A. R. Rahman: the Rolling Stone interview (Rolling Stone India, 2008), reposted by the interviewer, A. R. Rahman, interviewed by Baradwaj Rangan
- Roja (soundtrack), Wikipedia
- Slumdog Millionaire (soundtrack), Wikipedia
- Music is a sacred ritual (interview, Ananda Vikatan, April 1998; reposted on Rahmaniac.com), A. R. Rahman
- Hope is Nothing But a Belief in the Supernatural: A.R. Rahman on Slumdog Millionaire (interview, December 2008), A. R. Rahman, Music From Movies, reposted on Rahmaniac.com
- It Might Get Recognised Tomorrow. It Might Get Recognised a Hundred Years Later (interview, 2009), A. R. Rahman, Mid Day, reposted on Rahmaniac.com
- Building the Soundtrack of a Nation (interview, 1996), A. R. Rahman, Sony Music, reposted on Rahmaniac.com
- The Oscar Winner Reveals How Instinct Led Him to Slumdog Millionaire (interview, 2009), A. R. Rahman, Gulf News, reposted on Rahmaniac.com
- A. R. Rahman (sourced statements), Wikiquote