A Chennai-born, globally acclaimed music legend and two-time Academy Award winner, A.R. Rahman has recorded an exclusive 30-minute performance in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 Presidential campaign.
The AAPI Victory Fund, which partnered with Rahman for this exclusive performance, in its statement called it a “powerful endorsement by one of the most iconic voices in the South Asian community,” highlighting the growing support for the Harris-Walz ticket and continued role of AAPI voters in the upcoming elections.
The world premiere streamed on the YouTube channel on October 13, 2024, features “some of Rahman’s most beloved songs, interspersed with messages highlighting Kamala Harris’s historic candidacy and commitment to the AAPI community,” it added.
“Kamala Harris’s vision for a more equitable world is an inspiration for us all. Her interest in focusing on what unites us instead of what divides us is a message that is very important, not just for the United States, but for the world,” said Rahman ahead of his music performance. “As a fellow South Asian Tamil person, I’m deeply proud of her commitment to making the world a better place. I look forward to having the first female President.”
Chairman of the AAPI Victory Fund, Shekar Narasimhan told South Asian Herald, “A.R. Rahman’s decision to perform in support of her candidacy speaks volumes about the unity and global recognition this campaign is inspiring. We’re seeing people from all walks of life, from local communities to world-renowned artists like Rahman, come together to rally behind the historic opportunity to elect the first South Asian and first woman President in U.S. history.”
Narasimhan emphasized that the 2024 election is crucial for the future of democracy and for millions of Americans who view Kamala Harris as a symbol of “progress” and “representation.” He argued that the election is not solely about stopping Donald Trump’s return to the White House; rather, it is about advancing history with a candidate who reflects the hopes and dreams of many.
In his opening statement in the video, Narasimhan underlined, “We represent the 15 million voters who are of Asian, American Native, Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage. We are representing you and urging you to come out and vote in this incredibly important 2024 election.”
Narasimhan also talked about the importance of focusing on “three basic things,” for a successful campaign. They include securing volunteer support, getting people to the polls, and raising funds to strengthen the effort.
He believes that if these goals are achieved, over 400,000 Indian Americans in seven battleground states — Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan — can make a critical difference in the election outcome.
He recalled that the 2020 Presidential election was won by a margin of just 385,000 votes across seven key states. He highlighted the importance of immigrant participation in the upcoming elections, urging them to support a first-generation immigrant for President.
He pointed out, “This is someone who understands us, someone who knows our community, and you can be proud that you will be electing the first South Asian and the first woman as President of the United States.”
Indian American entrepreneur and philanthropist MR Rangaswami, who introduced Rahman in the video, remarked, “This is MR, and I’m here with the legend, AR. As you know, people like us from Chennai, we go by initials,” to which Rahman humorously replied, “AR and MR.”
Rangaswami thanked Rahman for traveling to Los Angeles to Chennai to record this special performance.
During their conversation, Rahman expressed, “It’s such an inspiring thing to see one of us leading, and it would be nice to have a first female President with a lot of energy, love, and support coming from all of us.”
Rangaswami underscored the significance of voting, urging everyone to register and make their voices heard. He stressed the critical role of battleground states and encouraged participation through mail-in ballots, early voting, or by casting a vote in person on Election Day, November 5th.
He added, “I’ve supported her all the way. I’ve seen her grow in stature, be a quick learner, take every step forward and then to be a great Vice President. And I can tell you this, I met with her a couple of months ago. She’s fully prepared to be the President of the United States, so let’s all go out. Let’s elect one of us, Kamala Harris.”
Rangaswami mentioned that Harris’s mother, Shyamala Gopalan, hailed from Chennai, the same city where he and Rahman were born. He concluded, “So let’s get someone from Chennai, someone from India, someone like us,” to lead the country.
This exclusive performance is currently live and will be broadcast across major South Asian networks as part of a strategic initiative to rally support for Harris among South Asian voters globally.
