DATUK Seri Siti Nurhaliza will be joining Indian musical legend AR Rahman on stage for a special performance at the 'AR Rahman – Secret of Success – Live in Malaysia 2023' concert.
The concert, taking place at Bukit Jalil National Stadium on January 28 (Saturday), marks Rahman's return to Kuala Lumpur after six years and is expected to be one of the biggest concerts by an Indian artist in Malaysia.
Siti, who has long considered Rahman an idol of hers, was personally invited by the Oscar-winning musician to join him on stage for a duet. In preparation for the performance, Siti has been working to perfect her Tamil pronunciation and regain her stamina after taking a break from singing.
She revealed that she first met Rahman a few years ago when he was in Malaysia for a concert. "AR Rahman came to my house a few years ago before the pandemic. I contacted the organiser to invite him to my house. I did not think he would answer. Since then, we have stayed connected and share the work we do via email," she said.
“He got in touch me with this year and enquired whether I would be in the country, and when I said yes, he invited me to perform a duet with him. I jumped at the opportunity,” she added.
In preparation for the performance, she has been working to improve her enunciation of the Tamil lyrics with the help of friends.
The concert is already generating a lot of excitement, with over 40,000 tickets out of 60,000 already snapped up by fans. AR Rahman, who is 56 years old, has not performed in Kuala Lumpur for six years, and the concert's organiser, DMY Creation's executive producer Mohd Maideen Abdullah, said that ticket sales have been encouraging and that the maestro has a strong following in Malaysia.
"This will be the biggest concert by artistes from India in Malaysia," he said. "A total of 110 production crew, including musicians, will also be flown from the subcontinent. Several renowned singers will also be performing at the concert."
AR Rahman, whose full name is Allah Rakha Rahman, is a renowned Indian singer-songwriter, composer, and music producer. He began his career in the Indian film industry and has since become one of the most successful and influential musicians in the country.
He has won numerous awards, including four National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, and a Bafta for his work on the soundtrack for the film 'Slumdog Millionaire.'
He has also been honored with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, for his contributions to the arts. – The Vibes, January 27, 2023
