AR Rahman, the globally acclaimed music icon, recently shared a profound incident from his early career that played a crucial role in shaping his musical identity. Known for his groundbreaking contributions to music, Rahman revealed how a drunk guitarist’s offhand remark in the mid-1980s became a turning point in his journey, one that took him seven years to fully overcome.
At just 19 years old, Rahman was already part of a band and working with various composers. He recalled one night when a guitarist, under the influence, questioned his abilities. Speaking about the incident, Rahman recounted:
“I went through a phase where I was playing for a couple of composers and was in a band. This one time, when I was young, the guitarist in the band was drunk and he turned to me and said, ‘What are you playing? You are playing film music.’ He made a very condescending comment about my playing.”
Initially, Rahman didn’t fully grasp the weight of the remark. However, as weeks passed, the guitarist’s words began to resonate. Reflecting on the experience, Rahman admitted:
“At the moment, I didn’t realise what he meant, but weeks later, it hit me. I realised that whatever he said was right. When I thought deeply about his remark, I realised I was getting influenced by the composers I was playing for. After this, I consciously began to move away from it. And my mental journey of identifying ‘what will be my style’ began.”
Though the criticism stung, it sparked a journey of self-reflection and transformation. Determined to establish his own identity, Rahman spent nearly seven years consciously breaking away from the influences of others. He focused on crafting a distinct style that would define his music.
“It took me about seven years, and I completely moved away from the influences. Sometimes, certain remarks imprint in your heart so much that it becomes a positive influence to move away from that stuff. This helped me learn to move away from my own influence… I revive the soul of my music but move away from the packaging.”
Today, AR Rahman’s story stands as a testament to resilience, self-discovery, and reinvention. The harsh comment that once unsettled him ultimately became a catalyst for his evolution into one of the most celebrated music composers in the world. What once seemed like a painful critique has now transformed into a pivotal chapter in Rahman’s inspiring journey.
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