As ARR fans, we are of course pleased that ARR was allowed to showcase osme of his talents in a very exclusive atmosphere at the White House State Dinner, the first one under the Obama administration. The larger picture of this struck me when I read a FB post of another ARR fan who mentioned its significance.
Was ARR the logical/default choice of a performer given the Indian/American partnership being celebrated at The White House? One could argue that. But, I think the fact that ARR was selected alongside a list of very popular and distinguished artists highlights his overall esteemed status in the West post Slumdog, largely because of Slumdog, but not just because of Slumdog. ARR is now a brand name, exclusivity personified when it comes to high quality popular Indian music, and recently his musical entrance into hollywood with Couple's Retreat being met with overall praise and appreciation by both East and West only adds to his towering resume. In India, he has always been a celebrity since Roja, but now, even in the West, he has achieved celebrity status through his accolades and efforts, which will continue to be appreciated as he continues to build on his hollywood career. While he is not a household name in the US and will likely never reach public celebrity status like superstar pop musicians (which to me is a good thing!), the global respect and admiration for his work is right up there amongst the musical elite around the world. No other MD in India has achieved this before. How fitting that India's Mozart be recognized world wide, but to me, it's not a given that he would achieve this. While I had always hoped and prayed that his talents would be recognized outside of India, I was very cautious about my hopes, since it's not talent alone that achieves this, but the right timing, smart decision making, marketing, personal relationship skills, attitude, contacts, and little bit of good ol good luck. I hope that the Obamas get a chance to delve into ARR's music beyond Slumdog and uncover more musical riches.
