Music's Next Gen

How nationwide talent discovery platform NEXA Music is building a new league of independent music stars with the mentorship of A.R. Rahman, in partnership with Qyuki Digital Media

- DAVID BRITTO and NIRMIKA SINGH

An unparalleled platform for emerging talent

IN DECEMBER 2022, on a massive stage at India’s biggest music festival, we witnessed the dreams of six young musicians come true right in front of our eyes. Singer-songwriters and composers Nisa Shetty, Simran and Riya Duggal (from pop duo Simetri), John Oinam, Medha Sahi and Shruti Dhasmana shone bright over the three days of Sunburn Goa, playing their brand of unapologetic independent music. Musicians and industry folk will tell you that an opportunity like this has to be earned over years and years of relentless passion. And these six young guns earned every bit of that glory.

In January 2023, this brilliant cohort of musicians, now joined by Hanu Dixit, rocked out at the inaugural Indian edition of the cult festival Lollapalooza, which received a record-breaking turnout of over 60,000 attendees.

The seven young musicians, who come from across India, represent not only various cultural backgrounds but also different phases of an emerging career in music. While some have been flitting between studios and stages for years, a few are grasping the full potential of a music career ahead. Each of them, undeniably talented and driven, would perhaps have had a slightly different, even arduous path to take for these elusive opportunities, if not for the one thing that connected their collective dreams: NEXA Music, an audacious nationwide hunt promoting indigenous talent among emerging artists. Each of these seven artists have been the mentees of two seasons of NEXA Music.