Away from the heard

Sound check. Indie music is growing up. Artists are pivoting from old themes, singing in regional languages, taking new risks. It's scary. Scary good

- By Christalle Fernandes christalle.fernandes @hindustantimes.com

It's a good time to be an indie musician. Spotify's Indie India playlist has just 75 songs, but it's been saved over 8,87,000 times. Last year, the majority of nominations at the IRAA (Indian Recording Arts Academy) Awards came from independent artists. Indie sounds are emerging in hip-hop, rap and Urdu rock. In a country that's hung up on Bollywood tunes, this is good news for the guys on the fringe.

"We're in a phase where Bollywood music is starting to sound the same. So, listeners are hungry for something different," says musician Viepsa Arora. There are new collabs, new collectives, and exciting new hustles on the scene. Tune in.

Love and other drugs

Kayan, aka Ambika Nayak, 28, Mumbai

In indie music, Kayan is something of a celebrity. The singer-songwriter-DJ opened for Ed Sheeran in Shillong in February. She was part of Lollapalooza India's inaugural lineup in 2023 and featured on Forbes India's 30 Under 30 list that year. She's built a rep for fierce, soulful music. Oh, and fans can't get enough of her glittery bodysuits, rhinestone corsets and bodycon outfits.