Ziddi Blog
Cherry Blossom Shillong 2026 Lineup Reveals Khalid, Swae Lee, and Boys Like Girls
The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival returns this year on November 20 and 21. The Meghalaya Tourism Department announced American R&B singer Khalid, hip-hop artist Swae Lee, and pop-punk band Boys Like Girls as the primary international headliners for the 2026 edition. Festival organizers plan to announce two additional major headliners soon. A New Venue for…
Yash Raj Films Enters Indie Music With Raah Records Artist Incubator
Yash Raj Films launched Raah Records this August. The new music label and artist incubator focuses strictly on original musicians operating outside the traditional film music sector. This move signals a deliberate expansion for the entertainment studio, aiming to find and develop independent talent. Raah Records operates under the direction of Nakul Sharma, the Senior…
Believe India Launches BL/UR for a New Generation of Indian Pop
Global artist development company Believe India recently launched its fourth music imprint, BL/UR, in Mumbai. The imprint focuses strictly on independent Indian pop, specifically targeting artists who merge regional styles with contemporary production. The label functions as an exploration space for musicians and positions itself as a direct alternative to commercial Bollywood film soundtracks. A…
“Sound of Women”: The Mobile Recording Studio Archiving India’s Radical, Unheard Folk Voices
A new cultural initiative is placing a fully equipped recording studio inside a custom-designed bus and driving it directly into remote Indian villages. The project, named "Sound of Women," operates under the Folksoul platform. It aims to document, produce, and archive the oral traditions of women living in regions where female participation in commercial music…
Regional Industries Still Dominate India’s Music Landscape
Despite the rapid rise of independent music and streaming-driven discovery, regional industries and film soundtracks continue to dominate India’s music consumption. Across platforms, a large share of streams still comes from Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, and Hindi film music, with movie soundtracks consistently topping charts and playlists. In many cases, the biggest songs of the year…
Live Music in India Is Expanding Beyond Metro Cities
Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru no longer hold a monopoly on the domestic touring circuit. Event promoters and independent booking agents are actively routing multi-city tours through locations like Shillong, Indore, Kochi, and Lucknow. This geographical shift responds to saturated metro markets and a measurable surge in inter-city concert travel. A recent Ministry of Information…
Tip of the Day: Turn One Song Into Weeks of Content
Why repurposing content matters for artists A release date is only the beginning of a song's campaign. Many independent artists spend months producing a single track, post about it once on release day, and then wonder why the momentum stalls. Relying on a single announcement limits your reach to whoever happened to be online during…
Tip of the Day: Make Your First Few Seconds Count
Secure More Streams with Better Song Intros Listeners on streaming platforms make decisions in seconds. If a track starts with thirty seconds of silence or a slow, repetitive build, most people skip before the first verse begins. This behavior directly hurts your visibility, as streaming algorithms track skips and penalize songs that fail to hold…
Prateeksha Srivastava Signs With Warner Music India and Releases “Sajna Ve”
Prateeksha Srivastava recently secured a recording contract with Warner Music India. The singer-songwriter marked the agreement by releasing her new single, "Sajna Ve,". This move positions her directly within the major label pop market. A Female-Led Narrative Srivastava wrote, composed, and performed the new track. "Sajna Ve" focuses on young romance but flips the standard…
Yamaha India Revives Teens Rock Battle of Bands After a Six-Year Hiatus
Yamaha Music India announced the return of its flagship competition, Teens Rock The Battle of Bands. The seventh edition marks the event's first appearance after a six-year gap. This year, Yamaha partnered with Trinity College London to structure the competition around formal music education and live performance standards. The organizers significantly expanded the entry requirements…
Spotify and UMG Announce First-Ever Licensed AI Fan Remix Feature
Spotify and Universal Music Group agreed on a new licensing deal that lets listeners create artificial intelligence-generated covers and remixes of songs directly on the streaming platform. Announced during Spotify's Investor Day on May 21, 2026, the tool will launch as a paid add-on for Spotify Premium subscribers. This marks the first time Spotify has…
India’s 2026 Concert Wave Continues as Global and Local Acts Expand Touring
India’s live music industry is experiencing a sustained surge in 2026, with both international headliners and homegrown artists expanding their touring presence across the country. From large-scale festivals in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune to standalone arena shows and regional tours, the number of live events has grown significantly compared to previous years. The…