New Delhi: Assamese singer and composer Joi Barua recently performed a live rock rendition of a climactic song from the forthcoming animated film Cosmic Rhapsody at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, accompanied by musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a piano concerto.
The track, composed by Barua with lyrics by Susan Lim and arranged by Manu Martin, was released on Signum Records on Friday to mark World Space Week.
Titled Star Among the Cosmic Clouds, the song serves as the film’s dramatic climax and is part of the soundtrack recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Voices, and Irish tenor Killian Donnelly.
Alongside this live version, the song also exists in an orchestral format featuring Donnelly, acclaimed pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and London Voices, included in the album Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra released in May.
Another live rendition took place at London’s Barbican Concert Hall with Tom Ball, Thibaudet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Voices, and the City of London Choir.
Barua described Cosmic Rhapsody as a celebration of humanity’s exploration of space and the boundaries of science and imagination.
“Our team has used music to express ideas that words alone cannot capture — the limitless potential of human imagination, identity, and consciousness, soaring as ‘stars among the cosmic clouds,’” he said.
He added that the project probes where humanity and science are heading, venturing into uncharted territories and blurring the lines of reality.
The musical’s UK premiere in 2023 featured Manu Martin’s Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall under the baton of Robert Ziegler.
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Barua’s compositions, alongside works by Ron Danziger, Martin, and Matthieu Enyard, included pieces like ALAN the Musical theme, Ode to Alan, Teleportation, New World Order, Synthetic DNA, and The Jungle Song.
Barua has an extensive career in playback singing and music composition, contributing to films such as Agent Vinod, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, DevD, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., and Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
He also lent his voice to the popular track O Meri Laila from the 2018 film Laila Majnu and composed a song for Shonali Bose’s Margarita with a Straw in 2014.
This live performance at Abbey Road underscores Barua’s versatility as a composer and performer, bridging cinematic storytelling with orchestral and rock music elements.
