Rahman believes in maintaining a consistent, modest lifestyle, even with immense wealth. This allows him to prioritize spending on tools that enhance his craft, like top-tier studio equipment, rather than on external displays of success, which he views as

Suno's rapid revenue growth isn't just from original compositions. A key driver is users applying new styles (e.g., 1960s jazz) to popular songs (e.g., DMX), creating highly shareable content. This mirrors the viral "Studio Ghibli" AI art trend.

Companies like Nintendo and bands like Radiohead achieved longevity by pursuing their own vision, even when it contradicted what their fans wanted. This willingness to alienate the current audience is a key, albeit risky, path to true innovation and creating cult classics.

Technical talent is not the primary driver of resonant creative work. The key ingredient is 'taste'—an unteachable ability to discern what will be emotionally pleasing and impactful to an audience. This intuitive sense separates good creators from great ones.

The desire to be a worthy role model for the students at his music conservatory is a primary driver for AR Rahman. The responsibility of being their principal compels him to continuously evolve and achieve more, turning his philanthropic work into a catalyst for personal excellence.

Witnessing the thankless nature of the film industry through his father's experience, Rahman intentionally took on fewer projects after his breakout success. This resistance was a strategy to preserve his creative energy, avoid stagnation, and ensure he always had something new to offer.

Since AI learns from and replicates existing data, human creators can stay ahead by intentionally breaking those patterns. AR Rahman suggests that the future of creativity lies in making unconventional choices that a predictive model would not anticipate.

AR Rahman felt empowered by his home studio because it eliminated the pressure of being watched by other musicians. This private space allowed him to experiment, make mistakes, and develop his unique sound without fear of judgment, which was key to his breakout success.

Feeling inferior to prodigious peers, Rahman's musical ability was forged through relentless work. A key factor was a mentor who intentionally played with mistakes to boost the young Rahman's confidence, proving that clever mentorship can be more effective than raw talent.