AR Rahman, the prolific music composer, singer, director and
producer will perform live at the GrandWest Grand Arena on Wednesday, 24
November.
Rahman is acknowledged as the man who redefined contemporary
Indian Music and his soundtrack for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog
Millionaire has earned him global acclaim. In the United States the
soundtrack topped the dance and electronic albums chart, reaching number
four on the US Billboard 200. The single Jai Ho shot to the number two
slot on the Eurochart Hot 100 singles and number 15 on the US Billboard
Hot 100.
Even before the success of the film he had sold well over
150 million copies of his work, including music from more than 100 movie
soundtracks he has written and albums he has produced in over half a dozen
languages, making him one of the world’s top-selling recording artists of
all time.
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In 2009 Time Magazine placed him in their top 100 list of
the World’s Most Influential People, dubbing him the “Mozart of Madras”.
Since his film scoring career took off 25 years ago, he has
amassed two Oscars for Best Original Music Score and Best Original Song,
two Grammy Awards for Best Song Written for a Visual Media and Best
Compilation Soundtrack Album, a Critics’ Choice Award, a Golden Globe for
Best Original Score, a BAFTA Award for Best Film Music, four National Film
Awards and fourteen Indian Filmfare Awards.
His first West-End production, commissioned by theatre
maestro Andrew Lloyd Webber, earned him a Laurence Olivier Award
nomination. In 2006 Britain’s Stanford University bestowed an honorary
award on him for his contribution to global music, and both the UK’s
Middlesex University and Aligarh Muslim University in India plan to honour
him with doctorates. India has also given him with the Padma Bhushan, the
country’s third highest civilian honour.
While in South Africa, the Jai Ho: Journey Home World Tour
will form part of the 150th Year celebrations of the first arrival of
labourers from the Indian sub-continent. The show has been described as a
joyful, multi-sensory extravaganza featuring special effects, acrobats,
singers, dancers and musicians. Musically the show promises a fusion of
Eastern and Western musical influences visually enhanced by colourful and
energetic Indian dance arrangements.
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