India’s musical legacy is one that dates back centuries rich, diverse, and deeply spiritual. It spans from classical ragas to regional folk and contemporary Bollywood tracks. But what’s truly remarkable is how Indian music has managed to transcend borders.
On this World Music Day, we celebrate the unforgettable collaborations between Indian artists and international icons that prove that music is beyond borders and
Not just Arijit Singh and Ed Sheeran
While Arijit Singh and Ed Sheeran’s recent offering 'Sapphire' made headlines, India’s bond with global music legends goes way back. One of the earliest and most iconic associations was that of George Harrison from The Beatles with sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. What began as a student-teacher relationship in 1966 blossomed into a creative partnership that introduced Indian classical music to the Western mainstream. Their work culminated in a four-disc collection titled Collaborations in 2010, showcasing Shankar’s experiments across genres.
Then came Chammak Challo ft. Akon and Shah Rukh Khan, and people just could not keep calm. The Senegalese-American singer lent his voice to ‘Chammak Challo’, composed by Vishal-Shekhar, creating a chartbuster that made waves in India and worldwide.
Around the same time, Sunidhi Chauhan joined forces with Spanish heartthrob Enrique Iglesias for a special Indian edition of his album Euphoria. Their duet Heartbeat was smooth, soulful, and of course, supremely memorable!
And who can forget A.R. Rahman, who has made more international collaborations than most Indian composers put together. From working with The Pussycat Dolls on Jai Ho to scoring Hollywood films like 'Slumdog Millionaire', Rahman has earned name even outside India.
One lesser-known collaboration was with Australian guitarist Orianthi Panagaris, who played those electrifying riffs on the rebellious anthem Sadda Haq from ‘Rockstar’. Even pop queen Kylie Minogue sang the peppy Bollywood number starring Akshay Kumar, Chiggy Wiggy, which was a mega hit in 2009.
So, as we groove to our playlists today, let’s take a moment to appreciate the fusion of tabla with techno, ragas with rock, and Hindi hooks with hip-hop beats. Happy World Music Day, everybody!
