AR Rahman has unveiled his latest track, 'Thoothukudi Chinnaponnu', an energetic folk-inspired number that fuses traditional Tamil sounds with the composer’s trademark contemporary flair. Released on Tuesday, the song marks the grand finale of Season 3 of NEXA Music.

“We’ve always seen folk music carry a teasing, raw charm,” Rahman said in a statement. “With this track, we wanted to keep that authenticity, but bring it to life with a young voice and fresh production. It’s a song that celebrates Tamil Nadu’s soul with a sound that belongs to today.”

With lyrics penned by Vivek, 'Thoothukudi Chinnaponnu' captures the spirit of playful folk storytelling while aligning with NEXA’s modern, design-led identity. The song is pitched as a vibrant celebration of Tamil culture, rooted in tradition yet reimagined for today’s listeners.

Partho San, Executive Director, Marketing, MSIL, praised the track’s role in wrapping up the season. “Season 3 has outperformed every benchmark we set from reach to relevance. This finale with Rahman sir is more than a song. It’s a celebration of where we’ve come and a signal of what’s next. NEXA Music stands for sophistication with soul and that’s exactly what this track represents,” he said.

Beyond this release, Rahman recently spoke about the music that continues to inspire him. He shared that songs from his debut film Roja (1992) remain close to his heart. Naming his most admired composers, he said: “Definitely Naushad saab, SD Burman, Salil Chowdhury, RD Burman, Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Amit Trivedi, and Pratik, who's an independent composer and singer, and there are many other beautiful young artists who are coming in, and every day they are getting better and better. So, I want to wish them all the very best.”

He also revealed that during movie outings with his team, they enjoy Marvel films “just like regular fans” and love listening to the music that powers the franchise.