Lord Of The Rings musical's composer A.R. Rahman is building a global virtual band using AI

Straits Times

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Rahman used this same storytelling approach when he composed the musical adaptation of The Lord Of The Rings in 2006.
SINGAPORE – A.R. Rahman loves to tell stories. Narrative is of great importance to the celebrated Indian musician, and it is a key part of his creative approach.
Music is an immersive experience, the 58-year-old music maestro tells The Straits Times via Zoom from Oakland, San Francisco, where his The Wonderment concert tour stopped by.
The prolific film composer and singer, known for his Oscar-winning score and song Jai Ho for the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), is expanding his love for storytelling into the virtual-reality (VR) world with Secret Mountain, a virtual band he created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Rahman's first teaser came in February 2024, when he shared a trailer about the six-member group on Instagram.
While the project is still in its early stages, storytelling is central to Secret Mountain. Describing the group – comprising three males (Ekam, David and Zentamizh) and three females (Cara, Blessing and Aafia) – as 'very cinematic', Rahman has created a backstory for them and is preparing a movie.
It is this same storytelling approach that Rahman focused on when he composed the
musical adaptation of The Lord Of The Rings in 2006, which makes its Asia premiere at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, on Aug 12.
Presented by Base Entertainment Asia, The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale is based on English author J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved epic fantasy book series (1954 to 1955), instead of director Peter Jackson's action-packed Oscar-winning film trilogy (2001 to 2003).
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The three-hour show is told from the perspective of hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, and follows the four friends' adventures as they seek to destroy a powerful magical ring.
Rahman, who worked alongside Finnish folk band Varttina and Tony-winning musical composer Christopher Nightingale, admitted he did not know much about Tolkien's novels when Mr Kevin Wallace, chief executive of the theatrical production, first approached him.
Rahman had just finished working with famed British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams. It opened in 2002 in the West End in London and closed in 2004, and was Rahman's first stage production.
Rahman turned to Jackson's films for reference and started reading Tolkien's source material and the musical's book to prepare.
The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale, starring (from left) Rarmian Newton as Frodo and Terence Crawford as Gandalf.
PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD
Composing for The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale was a difficult and exhausting process. His inspiration stemmed from extensive research into the type of music that would best suit the story and setting. He avoided using Indian ragas or music styles, focusing instead on Western classical and theatrical traditions.
His favourite song is Lothlorien, sung by elven queen Galadriel, because it is 'very spiritual, surreal and mystical' – qualities that he deeply enjoys and connects with.
'Scoring for a musical is very different from composing for a movie,' says Rahman. 'For instance, songs often serve as an interval or music video that do not necessarily advance the story.
'In a musical, every song must move the narrative forward. There are no visual gimmicks or exotic shots to rely on – the music and lyrics must carry the story.'
He adds: 'If the songs don't propel the narrative forward, the musical will fail. The songs are not just standalone numbers.'
Celebrated Indian musician A.R. Rahman spent about 1½ to two years to compose the score to The Lord Of The Rings musical.
ST PHOTO: JOANNE SOH
Rahman spent about 1½ to two years on this job. He explains that his goal was to capture the right feel and vibe for the musical, ensuring that the music created an immersive experience for the audience.
The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale made its debut at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, Canada, in 2006. It then travelled to Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London in 2007, where it played until 2008, earning five Laurence Olivier Awards nominations that year.
It was revived in 2023 at Watermill Theatre in Britain, followed by a staging at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in the US in 2024 before making its way to New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, with an Australian cast.
The current production sees the actors doubling as musicians, instead of relying on an orchestra. While Rahman – who feels proud that the musical has stood the test of time – values the involvement of an orchestra, he appreciates the innovative approach and calls the production 'immersive'.
'It captures the essence of the original music while giving it more soul,' he says.
Book It/ The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale
Where: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue
When: Aug 12 to 31, Tuesdays to Fridays, 8pm; Saturdays, 2 and 8pm; Sundays, 1 and 6.30pm
Admission: $68 to $238 via Marina Bay Sands (
str.sg/tz7b ), Sistic (call 6348-5555 or go to
str.sg/gC5q ) and Klook (
str.sg/a3J j)
More epic shows heading to Singapore
Judging from Base Entertainment Asia's 2025 line-up, musical theatre lovers have much to look forward to in the coming months. From the famous Swan Lake ballet and acrobatic adventure Cirque Alice to the fantastical The Witcher In Concert and rock concert experience Queen: It's A Kinda Magic International Concert, there is something for everyone at the Sands Theatre. Here are the three biggest shows coming up.
Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen musical will make its Singapore premiere at Sands Theatre on Oct 30.
PHOTO: BASE ENTERTAINMENT ASIA
While many musicals are adapted from books or films, Dear Evan Hansen is an original stage production by American songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – best known for their Oscar-winning tunes from movies La La Land (2016) and The Greatest Showman (2017) – and based on a story by American playwright Steven Levenson.
It may have debuted on Broadway in 2016, but the difficult mental health issues portrayed in the show such as depression, anxiety, bullying and suicide are still relevant almost a decade on.
The story follows titular protagonist Evan Hansen, an anxious high school student who longs to be accepted by his peers. When a misunderstanding spirals into something beyond his control, he needs to find the courage to tell the truth and face the consequences of his lies.
The Tony- and Grammy-winning musical featuring a UK cast from the West End production makes its Singapore debut on Oct 30. Tickets are available at
str.sg/FFdW
Disney's Beauty And The Beast
Shubshri Kandiah plays Belle and Brendan Xavier plays the Beast in Disney's Beauty And The Beast musical.
PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD
Based on the 1991 animated film of the same name, the evergreen fairy tale follows Belle and her encounter with the Beast, a prince transformed into a monster due to a curse. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love and be loved before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose.
This Australian production boasts new sets, costume designs and state-of-the-art technology, while keeping familiar hits songs such as Be Our Guest, Gaston and the beloved title song composed by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.
This is the first production from the Disney Theatrical Group, the live show, stage play and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company, which went on to stage The Lion King and Frozen. Beauty And The Beast has toured over 37 countries since 1994, and was first staged here in 2015 at Sands Theatre.
It is back for its Singapore run on Dec 11. Tickets are available at
str.sg/s9pB
Les Miserables – The Arena Spectacular World Tour
Les Miserables – The Arena Spectacular will make its debut in Singapore on March 24, 2026.
PHOTO: DANNY KAAN
Les Miserables, another perennial fan favourite, returns to Singapore with a concert-style twist.
Les Miserables – The Arena Spectacular World Tour celebrates the original phenomenon's 40th record-breaking year. It opened in Belfast, Ireland, in 2024 with a new stage design specifically created for larger venues.
Fans can belt out to One Day More, I Dreamed A Dream and Bring Him Home along with a 65-strong cast – which will include several celebrated Les Miserables veterans as guest stars – and orchestra.
This will be the third time a Les Miserables production plays here, following its runs at the former Kallang Theatre in 1996 and Esplanade Theatre in 2016.