According to Rahman, he had once paid a visit to the late King of Pop’s home. The two had thought of working together; unfortunately, Jackson passed away before anything could come to fruition.
“I had a nice time with him. He was very kind, he introduced me to his kids. He was talking about world peace, and why don’t we do the next ‘We Are the World’?” the 57-year-old recalled.
The singing sensation shared this story with over 1,000 Malaysian fans who had gathered for an exclusive meet-and-greet session at the Majestic International Convention Centres in Menara PGRM here on Monday.
Sharply dressed in a dark suit with striking red lining, Rahman gamely answered fan questions and even regaled the audience with a short rendition of his hit song “Periyone En Rahmane”.
Known as “The Mozart of Madras” for his role in redefining contemporary Indian music, Rahman is a world-renowned music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
He began his career in 1992 with the film “Roja” and has since scored songs for many popular Tamil-language films, including “Kadhalan”, “Thiruda Thiruda”, and “Gentleman.”
Rahman has gone on to receive numerous international accolades, including six National Film Awards, two Grammy awards, and one Bafta.
Asked how he stayed humble despite all this, Rahman said humility and being aware of one’s own mortality was important. It was also crucial to be aware of both the “creative ego” and “private ego”.
“Pride or ego is in all of us, but it’s how you control it. Pride propels us to do great things, but you need to separate the pride that makes your heart go higher. Make your personal pride go down,” he said.
What was his advice for young composers? To stand out and make their own unique mark on the world. “Don’t be a sheep, be a tiger,” he quipped.
Organised by Star Planet, “AR Rahman Live in Kuala Lumpur” – his seventh concert here – takes place on July 27 and will feature many of Rahman’s hits.
He will be accompanied on stage by a host of talented acts, including Mano, Srinivas, Shweta Mohan, Shakthisree, and local rapper Sri Rascol, among others.
During the meet and greet, Rahman was presented with a batik shirt from the concert organisers, as well as a heart-shaped card from his fans.
“Thank you for all the love. I’ve been coming here since 1996 – that’s about 28 years!
“I know it’s not easy to love someone that long. But you all make it so easy to love you, that’s why I keep coming back. God bless you all,” Rahman said as he concluded the session.
Fans were ecstatic to have this opportunity to get up close and personal with the man, with some having travelled from as far as Perak and Johor to see him.
“I was so excited because it’s such a rare thing to get to witness him up close. It was really a ‘goosebumps’ moment for me,” student Sharmin Fatimah, 18, told FMT Lifestyle enthusiastically.
“Seeing him today in person was such a humbling experience, and I can’t wait for the concert, which will be my fourth! My favourites are his songs from the ’90s to 2000s,” said admin administrator Harsvini Loganathan, 28.
Banker Taufiq Kuthubutheen had travelled all the way from Penang to attend this session. Having set off at 10am, he and his friends braved a three-hour traffic jam before arriving at their destination at 6pm.
“I am just so excited for his concert,” Taufiq shared. “AR Rahman’s music touches all our hearts deeply. It’s so different from the music of other composers, and all his fans can really feel it!”
‘AR Rahman Live in Kuala Lumpur’ will be held at 8pm on July 27 at National Stadium Bukit Jalil. Get your tickets by clicking here.