‘Ahimsa’ – the Sanskrit word for non-violence - celebrates the spiritual diversity of India and connects the ethos of U2 with the mastery of A.R. Rahman. The collaboration comes less than one month ahead of U2’s first ever show in India with the arrival of The Joshua Tree Tour in Mumbai on 15 December 2019.

A.R. Rahman said - “Ahimsa requires courage and strength. A quality that is impervious to weapons or power. It’s a mission which is most needed to heal the modern world and it is incredible timing to collaborate with U2, with their amazing legacy, to revive this movement.” 

U2 guitarist The Edge said – “It has been an absolute joy to work with A.R. on this track. A superstar and a talent both towering and generous, we are especially excited to visit his homeland in just a few weeks. India has been on our bucket list for a very long time, the principles of ahimsa or non-violence have served as an important pillar of what our band stands for since we first came together to play music. We can’t wait to experience the culture of India first hand, a place that brings together the modern and the ancient all at once.”

Bono said – “The fight against injustice has always been so important to us. We were somewhat shaped and formed by Martin Luther King who was a student of Mahatma Gandhi. Martin Luther King said ‘The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice….’. I don’t believe that any more… It doesn’t bend towards justice, it has to be bent towards justice. We have to be actively involved in our democracy to preserve it and show people how we feel and what we care about… We come as students to the source of inspiration… That is ahimsa… non-violence... India gave this to us… the greatest gift to the world… It is more powerful than nuclear energy, the armies, the navies, the British Empire. It is power itself. And it’s never been more important.”

2019 will also see the release of four highlights from U2’s extensive catalogue of songs, remixed by local Indian artists, coming soon on all streaming platforms.

Listen to ‘Ahimsa’ here

Notes To Editors:

‘Ahimsa’ artwork and press photos available here: http://www.U2.com/rmpphoto

About A.R. Rahman:

A.R. Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician, multi-instrumentalist and philanthropist.  Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating Eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and traditional orchestral arrangements.

He has won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, four National Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards and thirteen Filmfare Awards South in addition to numerous other awards and nominations.

Rahman's film scoring career began in the early 1990s with the Tamil film Roja and his extensive body of work for film and the stage earned him the nickname "the Mozart of Madras". In 2009, Time placed Rahman in its list of World's Most Influential People. 

Working in India's various film industries, international cinema and theatre, Rahman is one of the world's all-time top selling recording artists. In a notable career spanning three decades, Rahman has garnered particular acclaim for redefining contemporary Indian film music and thus contributing to the success of several films.

Rahman is currently one of the highest paid composers of the motion picture industry. He is a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising money for beneficial causes and supporting charities.

About The Joshua Tree Tour:

The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 is a celebration of the original album and tour of the same name undertaken by U2 in 1987 reflecting the group’s fascination for the American landscape, its people, literature and myths. Dutch photographer and film-maker, and long term collaborator, Anton Corbijn, whose iconic photography accompanied the original recording has again visited Death Valley and Zabriskie Point – and other locations - to produce a new series of haunting and evocative films which feature in brilliant 8k resolution on a 200 x 45 ft cinematic screen behind the group in live performance. The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 features the complete Joshua Tree album played in sequence, as well as a selection of highlights from U2’s extensive catalogue of songs. The 2019 tour will also see select songs and striking visuals from U2’s recent indoor arena tours - iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE (2015) and eXPERIENCE +iNNOCENCE (2018) – go outdoors and direct to fans in New Zealand, Australia and Asia for the first time via the largest LED screen ever used in a touring show. The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 will bring U2 to Singapore, Seoul, Manila and Mumbai - for the first time ever – with what promises to be very special concerts from “the biggest band in the world” (The Guardian).

By the time it reaches Mumbai on 15 December 2019, The Joshua Tree Tour will have played to almost 3 million fans in just 66 shows across Europe, North & South America, Mexico, New Zealand and Asia.

http://www.U2.com

http://www.arrahman.com