Dhaka holds its breath for AR Rahman and Akon
The streets of Dhaka have worn a new look over the last month or so, in the countdown to the ICC World T20 -- the biggest T20 tournament of the cricket calendar. Well lit roads embellish the city that has had a major facelift as anticipation builds up. To add to the entertainment quotient of sport that has been the hallmark of the T20 format, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is organising a mega celebration concert on Thursday, February 13 -- bringing two major names of world music today to the Dhaka audience: AR Rahman and Akon.
AR Rahman needs no introduction to even the most casual of music listeners of this part of the world. The composer extraordinaire -- hailed as “the world's most prominent and prolific film composer” has transcended Indian borders to win two Oscars, two Grammys, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe -- aside from countless other awards in his country. He has fused Eastern classical music in world music genres to great effect, composed music for the Olympic opening ceremony, and has worked with musicians ranging from Mick Jagger to Vanessa-Mae to Michael Jackson.
Senegalese-American hip-hop/R&B artiste Akon took the global music industry by storm with his 2006 album “Konvicted” – featuring hits like “Smack That” and “I Wanna Love You” that resonated all over the world. The album went on to become a triple-platinum, paving way for him to have, till date, over 300 guest appearances in songs performed by the world's most popular musicians. The Guinness World record holder as the number one selling artiste of master ringtones, has one thing in common with AR Rahman, though: neither have performed in Dhaka before.
Apart from the two international sensations, the concert will also feature the best of Bangladeshi artistes -- Runa Laila, Sabina Yasmin, Momtaz, Kumar Biswajit, Ornob and bands LRB and Miles.
While the 2011 World Cup Opening Ceremony was a spectacle in all senses, this year's concert is focused more towards entertainment, and with the line-up at hand, eager fans can be sure that there will be an abundance of it.
The concert – to be held at the Bangabandhu Stadium – is being managed by Grey and Blues Communications.
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