Ahead of Oscars 2023, remembering AR Rahman's 'Jai Ho' performance
What's the story
Remember when AR Rahman performed live on the Oscars stage in 2009? It's been 14 years since, yet it continues to give goosebumps even today. And now, we're again going to witness another iconic moment when Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava will take on the stage to perform Naatu Naatu. Before their Oscars 2023 performance, let's recall India's first historic moment at the Oscars.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Oscars 2023 will be witnessing live performances by all the artists nominated in the original compositions including Indian singers Sipligunj and Bhairava. The duo, who lent their voice to RRR's song Naatu Naatu, will be performing live on March 12. Other singers who'll be performing include Rihanna, Sofia Carson, Dianne Warren, and David Byrne. Lady Gaga's performance hasn't been confirmed yet.
Mesmerizing performance
Rahman's solo performance on 'O Saya'
Rahman won the Oscar for Jai Ho but he was nominated for two songs - the other being O Saya, which was also from Slumdog Millionaire. When he went live on the stage, he first performed O Saya which was originally sung by him and rapper MIA. More color was added to his act with background dancers performing Indian classical dance.
The power of three
When Mahalaxmi Iyer joined Rahman on the stage
After O Saya, Rahman went on to perform Jai Ho, the song which bagged him his first Academy Award. He was soon joined in by singers Mahalaxmi Iyer and Tanvi Shah. Dressed in Indian wear, the trio gave a stunning performance that is still etched in the heart of every Indian. Even though it was a brief performance, it was nothing less than historic.
Acceptance speech
Rahman apologized for not mentioning Sukhwinder Singh's name
Last year, in a YouTube video, Rahman recalled his acceptance speech at the Oscars when he picked up the award for Jai Ho. He apologized for having forgotten to mention the singers' names owing to "chaos" in his mind. "And I am really grateful to Sukhwinder Singh who sang the main part. Sukhwinder's unique voice took the song to another level," he'd said.