Vande Mataram (album) effort. Both, Rahman's music and singing, were appreciated, and the lead track "Maa Tujhe Salaam", with its brilliant orchestration, is a befitting '90s ode to the motherland. Another highlight is Rahman's duet with Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, "Gurus of Peace"." Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as "a vibrant, exciting album that has the potential to reach beyond the traditional world music fan." Initially there was some negative criticism against Rahman for using phrases of India's national song "Vande Mataram" in the title track; "Maa Tujhe Salaam". With
I Will Praise You light. She further commented on the development of the song saying, "...in the middle of Hollywood, about 600 young people gather to worship, seeking God passionately, and every week our pastor is encouraging us to be that light in the darkness. So the song also represents what I encounter every week at my church." On 17 February she released an update about two of the new songs, "You Never Let Go" and "I Will Praise You". The former, a cover of the Matt Redman song, was picked because it inspired St. James not to worry. The title track was inspired