"He opened the door for musicians like me": Ricky Kej hails A.R. Rahman for his contribution to music

Taking to his Instagram handle, he posted a picture with Rahman and wrote, "Just wanted to put it out there. No one in my opinion has done more for new talent, singers, instrumentalists, ensembles and for the general music landscape as much as Mr. @arrahman has."

Kej added that Rahman has given jobs to musicians "in every genre in India", "He has not only personally given jobs to musicians in every genre in India (contemporary, pop, folk, classical, western), but through his diverse compositions, he has made numerous musical styles thrive and built long lasting careers for many. He opened the door for musicians like me to have international audiences. It is sad that people attack him, just because he is a soft target. This really needs to stop."

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Talking about Kej, he first won a Grammy in 2015 for Winds of Samsara in the Best New Age category and later for Divine Tides, with Stewart Copeland, in 2022. In 2023, he and Copeland were honoured again for Divine Tides. He has secured his fourth Grammy nomination for 'Break of Dawn' in 2025.

In November last year, Kej, while speaking to ANI, described his album 'Break of Dawn' as his best work to date.Sharing what went into the making of the album, he said, "This album, 'Break of Dawn', I believe, is my best work to date... I'm thrilled with this Grammy nomination... This album was entirely created by me. I've always been a lifelong environmentalist. The environment has always been on my mind when it comes to my music and my daily life."

"There is this very ancient Hindu and Buddhist philosophy that says the impurities of the environment are a direct reflection of the impurities of the mind... To purify the environment, we have to purify the mind first. I thought that I needed to concentrate a lot on mental wellness and mental health. And that is how this album was created. There are nine songs in the album. Every song is based on an ancient Indian raag. I've taken ancient Indian-rooted wellness music and created this album to combat the global burden of mental health," he added.

Meanwhile, Rahman is all set to kickstart his 'Wonderment' tour. The maiden concert will take place on May 3 at DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai. The Mumbai premiere will mark the first stop of a worldwide tour that aims to captivate audiences worldwide, according to a press note.

Rahman said , "With wonderment, our aim was to convey the aspect that every note, every rhythm, tells a story. I hope to merge tradition with innovation, bringing together the past and the future in a celebration of music. Mumbai's energy and spirit are unmatched, and it's a joy to bring this unique musical experience to the heart of the city."

In February, Rahman wowed the audience in Chennai by joining global singer Ed Sheeran on stage during his Mathematics Tour concert.(ANI)