U2 Team Up With Composer A.R. Rahman For New Track Ahimsa
Friday, 22 November 2019
Written by Laura Johnson
U2 have joined forces with Indian composer A.R. Rahman for a new single.
Ahimsa, which is the Sanskrit word for non-violence, is a rousing pop-rock track with earnest lyrics. It arrives ahead of the band's first show in India. They'll take The Joshua Tree Tour to Mumbai on December 15. 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 also commented on the collaboration:
“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.”
Vocalist Bono added:
“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.”
The Joshua Tree Tour will also head to Australia, New Zealand and Japan before the end of the year, continuing the celebrations of their 1987 record of the same name.
The rock veterans' last album, meanwhile, was 2017's 'Songs Of Experience'.
U2 Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Fri November 22 2019 - SYDNEY Sydney Cricket Grounds
Sat November 23 2019 - SYDNEY Sydney Cricket Ground
Wed November 27 2019 - BURSWOOD Perth Stadium
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