In a recent development surrounding the controversy surrounding the Maajja music platform, renowned musician AR Rahman has clarified his involvement with the platform and the associated global music festival, YAALL. Responding to claims made by music composer Santhosh Narayanan, Rahman stated that his role was solely that of a mentor and that he did not receive any financial benefits from Maajja or YAALL.
The Academy Award-winning composer explained that he initially agreed to mentorship due to Maajja’s ambitious goal of promoting Tamil music globally. Rahman’s clarification follows Narayanan’s public revelation on social media that artists, including himself, did not receive financial compensation for their contributions to the Tamil independent song ‘Enjoy Enjaami,’ which gained immense popularity under the Maajja music label.
Rahman expressed his lack of awareness regarding the agreements and promises made to other artists, highlighting a communication gap from the Maajja team. He emphasized that he had no financial stake or shareholding in the company, reiterating his involvement was driven by goodwill and artistic collaboration.
In response to Rahman’s statement, Narayanan took to Twitter, thanking Rahman for his support and labeling him a “pillar of support” throughout the Maajja fiasco. Narayanan further revealed that many indie artists, including Arivu, Svdp, and Dhee, had not received their revenues and had faced bullying through emails. He urged support for indie artists and pledged to address the issue with his mentor in the coming days.
Narayanan’s tweet shed light on the challenges faced by indie artists in the Maajja controversy, calling for solidarity and fairness in compensating artists for their contributions.