AR Rahman, known for bringing innovation in his music time and again, is working on using artificial intelligence in music for his upcoming project 'Secret Mountain'. To discuss details of the virtual global band, along with using AI tools to address generational challenges, the eminent composer recently met Open AI CEO Sam Altman.
He wrote on his X handle, "It was a pleasure meet Sam Altman at his office...we discussed “Secret Mountain”, our virtual global band, and to empower and uplift Indian minds to use AI tools to address generational challenges and lead the way forward."
He had also met Open AI vice president Srinivas Narayanan where Rahman held a Q and A session about his work. Srinivas called him a "true innovator" who constantly pushes boundaries.
That was not all, he also interacted with CEO Aravind Srinivas of Perplexity AI to share details about Secret Mountain.
What is Secret Mountain?
Secret Mountain is a virtual global band project made with the help of AI. Aimed at immersively blending technology and art, it narrates the story of a woman named Luna who is taken to the Secret Mountain universe and meets a variety of musical figures from diverse cultural backgrounds.
The first glimpse of the project was announced in February 2024. The video began with the character introducing herself. "Like most of us, I have been wandering the jungle instead of gratification, dooms of scrolling," she says.
Hedera, a distributed ledger technology that functions as an alternative to blockchains, is associated with Secret Mountain. It is a Metahumans project. A human character that exists online or in the metaverse is referred to as a metahuman.
According to AR Rahman's website, Secret Mountain invites its audiences to unveil the mysteries surrounding Cara, Blessing, Ekam, Zentam, David, and Aafia. Good Fellas Studio, in collaboration with Qyuki, conceptualised Secret Mountain which has been "meticulously crafted" and involves "intricate design and conceptualization, blending elements of fantasy, mythology, and technology."
AR Rahman’s musical compositions serves as the core of the project, with each melody and rhythm intricately woven into the fabric of the narrative.
He will use this project to bring mentors and singers from China, Africa, India, Ireland, and other countries together on a single stage.
Previous innovations
AR Rahman had previously used AI to bring back voices of Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed for Aishwarya Rajinikanth's Lal Salaam.
He has also created the Virtual Reality film Le Musk (2022). The film stars Nora Arnezeder, Guy Burnet, Munirih Grace and Mariam Zohrabyan, and a preview of it was shown in 2017 at the NAB, Las Vegas in a room with multi-sensory Positron Voyager VR motion platform.
Rahman contacted Grace Boyle, the founder and director of Feelies, a London-based firm that had created the technology to diffuse perfume during a film.
In 2016, Rahman used Intel's Curie-based technology to make music using hand gestures and body movements for a show in Las Vegas.