New Delhi: Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman has launched Tamil Idol, a new musical reality show aimed at providing a platform for aspiring Tamil singers. For the project, Rahman has teamed up with Sony Vizha.
Rahman will lead the search, with the show aiming to discover, celebrate and nurture the next generation of Tamil voices.
“The search for new voices is at the heart of music that goes on to reach millions. Through this journey, we uncover new talent, fresh perspectives and the untold stories of generations,” a report from Bollywood Hungama quoted him.
Sony Vizha teased the show on social media, calling it “India’s biggest singing stage”.
“Our very own Isai Puyal A.R Rahman sets out to discover the first-ever Tamil Idol,” their Instagram post said.
The show will stream on Sony Vizha and SonyLIV, with registrations opening for contestants from August 18.
Rahman to pay tribute to Asha Bhosle
Rahman is also set to release a tribute music video for legendary singer Asha Bhosle. In posts on X, he announced that Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan will also be part of the project.
“A heartfelt thank you to dear ShahRukh Khan for graciously agreeing to be part of Asha Bhosle ji’s tribute music video,” Rahman wrote.
In a separate post thanking Salman Khan, Rahman wrote: “Your affection for Asha Ji and your generosity in celebrating her extraordinary legacy make this moment incredibly special.”
Rahman’s track record of discovering new talent
Rahman has previously backed projects aimed at discovering and nurturing emerging musicians, including ARRived, a musical reality show launched on his YouTube channel in 2018. The show featured Shah Rukh Khan, Shaan, Clinton Cerejo and Vidya Vox as judges. The winner was promised an opportunity to work on Khan’s film Zero.
The show ran for 18 episodes, with Swagat Rathod emerging as the winner. He later sang “Issaqbaazi” for Zero.
Rahman later joined NEXA Music, a platform launched in 2019 in collaboration with NEXA and Qyuki Digital Media. As a mentor and jury member, he helped identify and nurture independent artists, giving young musicians a platform to create and release original music.
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)