'Slumdog' composer set to tour By MESFIN FEKADU Associated Press NEW YORK -- Since the success of "Slumdog Millionaire," composer A.R. Rahman not only has a larger profile, but he says he's got a confidence boost, too.
ADVERTISEMENT "The main thing is have self-confidence, which I do. Every composer is a complex person within, and in a way I think you need to have a kind of confidence to achieve greater things," Rahman said. "Coming from South India, you're always very timid, you're within your shell. We always think that, you know, maybe I don't fit here. We feel a kind of discomfort," he said. Rahman will be able to show off his new self on his upcoming U.S. tour, "A.R. Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour," which kicks off June 11 in New York. "We've seen Indian shows where stars would come and lip sing on a song. They would dance because audiences respond to that kind of stuff. Here, we have the real stars of music and the vision of the whole staging of the songs. There are segments of spirituality and celebration and festival -- all these things, and love," Rahman said. He will also visit Canada and Europe. Rahman won two Grammy Awards and two Oscars for his work on the "Slumdog Millionaire" soundtrack, which has sold 390,000 copies in the United States, according to Interscope Records, which released the album. His collaboration with the Pussycat Dolls, "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)," hit the No. 1 spot in many countries, and became a Top 20 hit in the America. The song has sold close to 2 million downloads, officials of the label said. Rahman also headlined the first state dinner at the White House for President Obama last year. He's capitalizing on his U.S. success with an upcoming CD planned for the near future. "It's shaping up in its own way because I've been doing film music, I've been doing all kinds of music, and for me to focus on an album, to come up with an individual song, is again a great challenge. It's very exciting," he said. He's already worked with Usher for a soundtrack song and recorded another track with Nicole Scherzinger that may appear on the CD, but Rahman says he's not rushing to put the album out. "I'm not jumping the gun. I'm just going to go with the feel of the album and see who all fits in," he said. Since his success as a composer for films, Rahman is hoping to play a bigger role in producing movies. "Being a part of the creative vision of a movie rather than just playing the back seat and doing all the music," he said of his future goals. http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100425/ENTERTAINMENT0302/304259952/-1/entertainment02 -- - Regards ~ ~ A.R.Rajib ~ ~
