AR Rahman comments on future of music, worries about THIS genre: 'We have lost all…’

Music maestro AR Rahman has been making waves globally with his captivating performances. Recently, he shared the stage with international sensation Ed Sheeran in Chennai, mesmerizing the audience with their collaborative act. Besides this, he has been touring the world with his soulful Sufi concerts, spreading love and spirituality through his music. His latest Sufi concert, Haazri, in Mumbai, marked a triumphant return to the city after a five-year hiatus. However, the musician is worried about the decline of Indian classical music, overshadowed by popular genres like Punjabi, rap, and hip-hop. 

Recently, Rahman emphasised the need for a "collective revival" to preserve this traditional art form and shared his efforts to nurture emerging classical talent in India. The musician lamented the loss of iconic classical musicians, including Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Ustad Rashid Khan, and Bismillah Khan. “Recognizing the void left by these legends, he said, “We don’t know who’s the next big artiste. So, I want to invest a lot of my time to focus on spotting the right classical talent and nurturing them,” he told Hindustan Times. 

Further,  Rahman expressed his commitment to discovering and mentoring the next generation of classical talent, dedicating his time to nurture and promote emerging artists. “The way classical musicians are treated, and the way we respect them for their countless amount of practice, needs to be valued adequately. That’s one of the main reasons for the initiative. The idea is to help spot good talent, give them the right platform and identify the next masters of Indian classical music,” he added.

To promote and honour India's rich classical music heritage, Rahman introduced the Bharat Maestro Awards. This initiative aims to recognize and reward talented classical musicians, providing them with a prestigious platform to showcase their skills.