We need to look at music as a profession: Rahman

Aug 28, 2013 IANS

Mumbai, Aug 28 (IANS) Oscar-winning composer-singer A.R. Rahman says that despite India being a musical nation, music is yet to be taken as a serious profession.

He will propagate the same through his city tour "RahmanIshq" in October.

"We are a great musical nation, but we need to look at music as a profession. This tour will spearhead a nationwide movement to build the right kind of momentum in the live act and music industry domain," Rahman told IANS.

"It will bring to light how as a nation we are very well-equipped to promote homegrown talent on local soils," he added.

The concerts will be held in cities like Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur and Ahemdabad in October this year.

From "Tanha tanha yahan pe jeena, "Chaiyya chaiyya" to "Taal se taal mila" and "Kay sera sera" to "Jai Ho" -- with so many hit numbers associated with his name, the concert will have something for every age group.

"It's more like a mash-up. We are packaging my hits from the past 20 years and putting it together into a three-hour capsule for an audience that will range from teenagers to senior citizens," he said.

Composer wanted to do something like this for a while now.

"I have been desirous of executing something of this magnitude since a while now but since I had my hands full, I was unable to. I believe in giving my hundred percent to every project I implement. Each tour brings forth new experiments and catharsis," he said.