‘Sing like you’re on Broadway’
This is what AR Rahman told Italian-Canadian singer Natalie Di Luccio before recording their first Tamil opera
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 27, 2014)

Italian-Canadian singer Natalie Di Luccio has recently sung an opera number for director Shankar's upcoming Tamil film I. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that this is the first time Grammy-winning composer A R Rahman is dabbling in the genre.

Titled Aila Aila, the song mixes opera with pop, and classical music.

The 24-year old singer, who has also sung the Hindi and Telugu version of the song, calls this her toughest project till date. "This was the first time I sang an opera in Tamil. I didn't understand the lyrics at all. And I had to sing for minimum lengths of 10-15 seconds. Three different lyricists penned down the words for the versions and their job seemed tougher than mine as they were trying to keep the lyrics as easy to pronounce as possible," says Natalie.

When asked what it was like to work with Rahman, she says, "'Sing like you are on Broadway', that is what he told me and then he let me improvise."

The singer first came to India in 2009, after her recording of Sonu Nigam's Maha Ganesha went viral. And once she recorded a tribute to Michael Jackson with Nigam, offers started trickling in from B'town.

After recording this song, it seems A R Rahman has taken a keen fondness for her voice and the singer can be seen accompanying the maestro to most of his concerts. "We sang Aila for the first time together at a concert in Chennai last week. Generally, Rahman leaves immediately after his performance is over. But this time since it was his first experimental opera number and the concert was his hometown and he waited for a group hug," she quips.

The Tamil song has already become a hit number in the South and the Hindi and Telugu versions will be released on New Year's Eve.

Natalie will next be seen in three music videos by Canadian songwriter and music producer Matthew Tishler. Shooting for the same will begin next month in Rajasthan.

Natalie has also recorded another number with Rahman for a big Bollywood film, but the singer refuses to divulge the details. "I cannot reveal anything about the song. Only that we have finished recording the song and it will be released in Tamil and Telugu as well."