‘NOW’S THE TIME TO SHARE THE STAGE’

For TM Krishna, the real question is, what does democracy mean in our homes, our environments, and the music we make? A conversation with TMS as the stage is set for Delhi's KNMA music festival the Carnatic vocalist is curating.

- ADITHI REENA AJITHI

Rock band Parvaaz

MUSIC has the power to begin conversations and emotional exchanges that words often can’t,” says Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna, who is curating the second edition of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art’s music festival ‘Voices of Diversity’.

“That’s why the sounds and rhythms of those at society’s margins are so important; their voices can move and change people like me.”

Scheduled from October 9 to 12 in the scenic Sunder Nursery, the festival embraces the theme “Voices of Diversity,” showcasing both celebrated and emerging artists from across India in a dialogue around freedom, identity, resistance, and cultural belonging.

The lineup spans genres-from a Lavani performance that celebrates the lives of traditional artists from Maharashtra, followed by a poetry-driven collaboration by singers Pallavi MD and Bindhumalini, featuring the works of Mirabai, Lingamma, and other women whose stories have often been overlooked.

The four-piece band Parvaaz brings Kashmiri poetry to life through rock, while folk-rock ensemble Imphal Talkies & The Howlers from Manipur India sing about struggle, dreams, and resistance, adding a political dimension to the lineup.