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Nov 22, 2019 By Christopher Roberts U2

U2 have teamed up with Indian musician A.R. Rahman for the new song “Ahimsa.” It is being shared ahead of U2’s first ever performance in India, on December 15 as part of their tour performing their classic 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The song’s title translates to the Sanskrit word for non-violence. A.R. Rahman is perhaps best known to North American audiences for his music for the Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire and its single “Jai Ho.” Listen to “Ahimsa” below.

A.R. Rahman had this to say about the song in a press release: “Ahimsa requires courage and strength. A quality that is impervious to weapons or power. It’s a mission which is most needed to heal the modern world and it is incredible timing to collaborate with U2, with their amazing legacy, to revive this movement.”

U2 guitarist The Edge had this to say: “It has been an absolute joy to work with A.R. on this track. A superstar and a talent both towering and generous, we are especially excited to visit his homeland in just a few weeks. India has been on our bucket list for a very long time, the principles of ahimsa or non-violence have served as an important pillar of what our band stands for since we first came together to play music. We can’t wait to experience the culture of India first hand, a place that brings together the modern and the ancient all at once.”

U2 frontman Bono also had this to say: “The fight against injustice has always been so important to us. We were somewhat shaped and formed by Martin Luther King who was a student of Mahatma Gandhi. Martin Luther King said ‘The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice….’. I don’t believe that any more… It doesn’t bend towards justice, it has to be bent towards justice. We have to be actively involved in our democracy to preserve it and show people how we feel and what we care about… We come as students to the source of inspiration… That is ahimsa… non-violence… India gave this to us… the greatest gift to the world… It is more powerful than nuclear energy, the armies, the navies, the British Empire. It is power itself. And it’s never been more important.”

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