Musician A.R. Rahman likes to say: “When I am feeling low, I always think of my fans, and it lifts my spirits.”
The Oscar winner has certainly thought of his fans in Singapore and lifted their spirits, following the announcement by organiser Maestro Productions Global on Tuesday that he will perform at the National Stadium on Aug 31.
It will be his fourth concert in Singapore, after his previous one on April 30, 2014, at Gardens by the Bay was marred by technical glitches and a blackout.
At 57 years old, Rahman’s reputation as one of the most eminent musical talents in India, or for that matter the world, requires no further credence.
His performance in Singapore, the first by an Indian musician at the National Stadium, is expected to transport fans across a journey of his most recognisable songs from a career spanning three decades of film and television.
Maestro is pulling out all the stops for a grand event, including partnering with Singapore-based event management company UnUsUal Entertainment, which has experience in delivering big musical shows at the National Stadium.
“It will be a solid three hours of Rahman,” Maestro’s chairman Parthiban Murugaiyan told tabla! “The concert will consist of all his greatest hits. It will be an evening of Rahman rhapsody.
“Rahman has a pan-Indian reach, and we expect to sell up to 40,000 tickets. We are sure the South Indian, North Indian and other Indian communities will be there. We also expect Malay and Indonesian fans to attend, as he has a strong following among them. His music is universal. And I’m sure that everybody will be able to enjoy it.
“The concert is a proud moment for any Indian in Singapore because one of their kind will be performing at the National Stadium, where you usually see the likes of Taylor Swift and Coldplay.”
Standard tickets for the Swift concert series at the National Stadium ranged from $348 to $108. Ticket prices for the Rahman concert, which will be announced by June 9, are expected to be “reasonable”, according to the organisers.
Rahman will perform at Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Jalil National Stadium on July 27. But his gig there will not be as wide ranging as his slate of songs scheduled for Singapore.
“I’m thrilled an absolute legend is coming to Singapore,” said marketing executive Priyaa, 29. “His melodies are timeless and I’m hoping he’ll sing Mazhai Kuruvi from the film Chekka Chivantha Vaanam.”
Business administrator Rachannaa V, 26, said: “As a 90s kid who grew with the beats of A.R. Rahman, I’m excited about this musical feast. I’ve never heard him live and I’m looking forward to hearing the masterpieces. His music has become an integral part of our lives, and to witness it live is going to be a divine experience.”
The recent string of sold-out shows in Singapore from big-name musicians such as Swift, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars has whetted concertgoers’ appetite for more. And Maestro is hoping to cash in on that.
“It’s been more than 10 years since Rahman last came here, and the concert landscape has changed post-Covid,” said Mr Parthiban.
“Now it’s not only about watching music videos on TV or YouTube or going to the cinema to watch a movie with songs. Live concerts have become another vertical for entertainment, as people get more than what they get from being in the cinema.
“In the three hours, they forget everything else and just enjoy the moment – cheering, clapping and shouting, releasing their emotions freely. That’s what we want them to experience when they come for Rahman’s concert.”
At outdoor venues, the acoustics can be a problem. When Rahman performed in Singapore in 2014, the sound quality was terrible and the production values were suspect.
There were more people on the lawns at Gardens by the Bay than at his Singapore Indoor Stadium gig in 2005, as well as his Marina Bay Sands outing in 2011. But missing was the real sound of his music as there were technical glitches, including a loud sound on stage followed by a blackout.
Mr Parthiban said the Aug 31 show will be well-rehearsed with a rigorous technical run, as Maestro, UnUsUal and Rahman are known for their attention to detail.
“Maeastro has established ourselves as a leading Indian concert organiser because of our perfection. We have done concerts in Canada and Australia without a glitch and before sold-out crowds. We will be doing four more shows in North America and Singapore this year.”
On May 10, Maestro featured South Indian singer and composer Anirudh Ravichander in Melbourne before a sell-out 15,000 crowd. Two days later, it was the same story in Sydney in front of 10,000 fans.
“We can see that fans are enjoying our concert experience, and we want to raise the bar,” said Mr Parthiban. “We were the first to organise an Indian concert featuring Anirudh at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in March 2023, with a 360-degree stage.
“And we are the first to go into the National Stadium with an Indian musician, which is actually a massive step for any Indian concert.
“It speaks volumes of how far the Indian music industry has reached in Singapore and how strongly the Indian community is supporting such concepts.”
