Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman recently took both melophiles and political observers by surprise by appearing in a 25-minute video performing his iconic songs in support of United States Vice President Kamala Harris, who is currently running for president as the Democratic Party’s candidate.  The virtual concert of sorts was produced by Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Victory Fund, a political action committee that focuses on mobilising AAPI eligible voters and supports Democrat AAPI candidates.

Now, a clip from the concert has gone viral, showcasing Rahman dedicating a song to Harris and affectionately referring to her as a “lioness”. “This next song is dedicated to all the women in the world, especially Kamala ji… this is for you… And you know what it means,” he says with a smile, wishing her well for the November 5 general elections. Following his cue of “let’s go,” the percussions begins and the chorus joins him to sing “Singappenney” (lioness), a song he created for the 2019 film Bigil, directed by Atlee Kumar and starring “Thalapathy” Vijay. The song serves as a motivational anthem for women, with its video featuring a team of female football players preparing for the national championship.

AR Rahman performs #Singapenney in support of @KamalaHarris. @arrahman pic.twitter.com/AnrXKDK9Kf

— Kolly Buzz (@KollyBuzz) October 14, 2024

Besides “Singappenney,” AR Rahman also performed his other beloved tracks, “If I Rise,” “Tere Bina” and “Jai Ho”. “With this performance, A R Rahman has added his voice to a chorus of leaders and artistes who are standing up for progress and representation in America,” news agency PTI quoted Shekar Narasimhan, chairman of the AAPI Victory Fund, as saying.

Kamala Harris is the first woman, first African American and first Asian American to hold the office of Vice President of the United States. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan, a biomedical scientist, emigrated from India in the 1950s, while her father Donald J Harris is a Jamaican-American economist.