Music Trends for 2019 in India
Take a look at the music scene in India with the latest trends from Interactif. Last year, I, Shveta had started writing about a new artist every month on Musique — Artiste of the Month and made new discoveries. Also, I had hopped on to the MySpace bandwagon as early as 2005 and eagerly await the arrival of Spotify in India. With some research and industry networks, I could spell out some details about artists, venues, festivals etc. But really let’s see what the music industry will bring us by the end of 2019.
#1 Indie artists to perform for the home audiences
With the recent uprising in the independent music scene in India, more and more musicians are choosing to perform on the home turf. Be it solo gigs, performance venues, pop-ups or music festivals, indies are performing in their local language and English, dressed up in ethnic wear. From folk to rock, carnatic to jazz, hip-hop to electronica, you can find more indie acts creating sounds that are now accepted in their own culture.
#2 Music retailers will target gear for women
Guys and guitars is a known phenomenon. How about women taking up beginner’s lessons for guitar? Look at bassist Mohini Dey — at 21 years she’s known to have performed with Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan and Marco Minnemann. Watch out for more girls with gear, this year.
#3 Music venues will target the 65+ crowd online.
Well, it’s not just the classics that the generation before us is listening to. Look at the turnout at NCPA and Prithvi for newer gigs and you will be surprised to see that majority of the seats belong to the seniors. Venues like these appreciate their audience and don’t forget that it is the 65+ age-group that looks at social media and reads every bit of information out there.
#4 Vinyl will grow among niche music collectors.
We’ve moved on from the gramophone but with digital LP players, there could be takers of Vinyls in India. Vinyls are believed to have outdone digital in the UK already.
#5 Emergence of a contemporary jazz scene in India.
The Quarter is the latest hangout for jazz lovers with jazz-acts from across the world performing here. Brass bands from New Orleans and music groups from Latin America have performed here. Jazz collectives consisting of Indian and Western musicians seem to be getting bigger as we speak. Move on Jazz by the Bay and Jazz Yatra or have they moved on already. [sic]
#6 Re-Resurrecting the Royal Opera House for not just opera.
It was a grand opening of the ravishingly refurbished and coolly curated Royal Opera House with noted soprano Patricia Rozario and the presence of the original owners of the property — Maharaja Joytendrasinhji Jadeja and Maharani Kumud Kumari Jadeja of Gondal, Gujarat. Royal Opera House can seat over 500+ people on 3 separate levels divided in royal stalls, dress circle and grand balcony. One can now re-visit this opera venue to watch contemporary musical performances as well as experience the old-world charm and architecture.
#7 Audiences will continue to appreciate Indian and International Musical Productions.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was a mega-success as the cast and crew toured India with sold-out performances. After which, the magnum opus film Mughal-e-Azam was introduced to audiences in the form of a contemporary musical play. This play and Aladdin, the second musical production by Disney are still running shows in India.
#8 International musicians to perform at private parties of Indian billionaires.
In 2018, John Legend and Beyoncé performed for Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal’s pre-wedding bash comprising of the engagement and sangeet respectively. No doubt that one music magazine has termed Beyoncé as ‘The Wedding Singer.’ During the recent past, Kylie Minogue and Jennifer Lopez are known to have performed for the Indian NRI crowd. This trend will continue since Nick Jonas has become the official son-in-law of the country after being married to Priyanka Chopra.
#9 Who’s next after world-class music acts like Michael Jackson, Coldplay and Justin Bieber in India?
Coldplay was in Mumbai recently, re-creating the same atmosphere that the Michael Jackson concert had attracted in the ’96. Before that Coldplay recorded the song “Hymn for the Weekend” around the city in collaboration with Beyonce and featuring Sonam Kapoor. Of course, Biebermania was seen in the city with teenagers flocking to watch Justin Bieber live! What’s in store for music fans in 2019? Any guesses…
#10 An Indian music artist or band to be featured in the lineup for Woodstock Festival’s 50 years concert.
If Ravi Shankar could make it to Woodstock in ’69, then maybe one of our homegrown musicians could be on the artist lineup 50 years later. Yoga was a quite a rage amongst the audiences then and still is in 2019. We’re far out, man!
