When AR Rahman Was Questioned On His Music: ‘Took Me 7 Years To Move Away’

AR Rahman, widely celebrated as one of the greatest composers of his generation, recently opened up about a pivotal phase in his career that helped shape his distinctive musical style. Known for his innovative fusion of classical and modern music, Rahman revealed that his journey to finding his unique sound wasn’t always smooth sailing. In an interview with O2 India, he shared an experience from his early years in the music industry that had a lasting impact on his approach to composition.

Rahman, then just 19 years old, was playing for various composers and working in a band when he encountered a turning point in 1985 or 1986. A member of his band, a guitarist who was intoxicated at the time, made a remark that deeply affected him. The guitarist, questioning Rahman’s musical direction, said, “What are you playing? You are playing film music,” with a condescending tone.

At the time, Rahman didn’t fully comprehend the impact of the remark. However, as weeks passed, the words began to resonate with him, leading to a period of self-reflection. “When I thought deeply about his remark, I realised that I was getting influenced by the composers I was working for,” Rahman explained. This moment of introspection set Rahman on a path of self-discovery, prompting him to consciously distance himself from the influences of others in order to find his own musical identity.

The process of redefining his style took Rahman seven years, during which he worked tirelessly to move beyond the influences he had absorbed. “It wasn’t about the guitarist saying anything bad to me. Sometimes certain remarks imprint in your heart so much that they become a positive influence to move away from what you’re used to,” he said. This experience helped him learn how to reconnect with the soul of his music while distancing himself from its external packaging. “My mental journey of identifying ‘what will be my style’ began. It took me about seven years, and I completely moved away from the influences.”

Today, Rahman is known for his distinctive sound, blending traditional and modern elements in a way that has earned him international acclaim. His reflections on this formative phase in his career offer a glimpse into the mindset of the artist behind the global hits, highlighting the crucial role of personal growth and self-awareness in his evolution as a musical genius.