KIRTHIGA RAVINDARAN
A few days before Christmas last year, Singapore rap star Yung Raja received a video call from Kumaran Sivamani, the son and protege of noted Indian percussionist Sivamani.
The message was an unexpected one: Music maestro A.R.Rahman wanted Raja to do a rap bit for his latest venture Ayalaan, a Tamil film starring Sivakarthikeyan.
Raja, 29, had met Kumaran in 2019, when the Singaporean hip-hop artiste toured Chennai.
“It was almost two in the morning, and we had called it a day after locking up the studio,” said Raja. “I was waiting to head back home when Kumaran called me via FaceTime.
“He told me that his boss – Rahman – wanted to speak to me.”
Almost immediately, Raja was put through to the musician.
“It was the same face, the same smile that we all have seen in countless interviews on television,” said Raja.
“I was frozen with shock and disbelief. Rahman sir then told me what he wanted as I hung on to his every word.
“He wanted a fast-paced ‘mass’ rap background score, and he wanted it as soon as possible. Next thing I knew, I was calling my team back to the studio.”
In the next few hours, Raja and his team set to work on the piece, starting with the lyrics and then moving on to the beat.
“We were spurred on by the fact that the maestro himself had called,” said Raja. “It was nearly dawn when we sent him the piece, virtually.”
All rapped and done, Raja was anxious to know if Rahman liked his effort and would use it.
The answer came the very next day when the 57-year-old composer, through Kumaran, informed Raja that the track was being used.
“I had Kumaran re-enact Rahman sir’s entire reaction to me via a phone call,” said Raja.
“Apparently he heard my bit, smiled and said it was good in Tamil. I almost went berserk with joy – this was my vindication.”
“I grew up listening to Rahman sir. Getting the opportunity to work with him was a dream come true.”
