MUMBAI: From scoring for movies to launching a solo album, composing hit tracks to winning some of the most esteemed awards, AR Rahman seems to have done it all in his music career. But the Mozart of Madras is perhaps yearning more. On the occasion of his 48th birthday, the famed musician announced his very own band- NAFS.

The band members include a few students from his academy- KM College. According to sources, students in his college are fans of the ‘King of Pop’- Michael Jackson, and have often rearranged his music. The band has also started recording an album, which will tentatively have eight to ten songs. The album will cover a few songs composed by Rahman, namely ‘Oh Humdum Soniyo Re’ from ‘Saathiya’, and will also include a few Jackson covers. The music is said to be arranged by Arjun Sandy, who works for AR Rahman.

“The album will not have any original tracks as the band does not have a drummer and has only one instrumentalist. The kind of music that Rahman is look at is very international,” the source further stated. Recording took place in his studio in Chennai.

Rahman has also been part of the band SuperHeavy, which comprises Dave Stewart (lead guitarist), Mick Jagger (Vocals, guitar and harmonica), Damian Marley (Vocals and programming) and Joss Stone (Vocalist). The singer/composer has also been a part of Coke Studio with a group of musicians that featured himself, Anni Choying and Farah Siraj. Rahman, who received an honorary doctor of music degree from the Berklee College of music last year, has also been nominated for an Oscar for Original Score at the upcoming Academy Awards.