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The Indie’N Folk Project recently achieved a remarkable milestone as it featured on the iconic billboards of Times Square, New York. The podcast by HT Smartcast (Fever) is dedicated to showcasing the vibrant fusion of traditional folk with the dynamic power of rock, ghazals, and rap. It offers insights into the stories and inspirations behind the melodies defining India’s rich musical tapestry.
The podcast also featured music icons such as AR Rahman, Piyush Mishra, Mohit Chauhan, Jasleen Kaur and others. Shikhar Varshney, Podcaster and Founding Member at HT Smartcast speaks to Hindustan Times regarding the vision behind Indie’N Folk Project.
(Also read: AR Rahman says his mother thought his Oscar statuettes were made of gold: She ‘wrapped it in a towel’)
Indie folk music needs larger representation
When asked about origin for Indie’N Folk Project, Shikhar said, “Since we are a radio company, music is an integral part of who we are. We chose to focus on indie music and artists because mainstream artists already receive significant recognition. We observed a lack of representation for newer artists and folk music from various cultures in the local Indian music scene. This led us to launch the Indie N Folk Project, aiming to showcase folk music and support artists within this genre. Under this project, we host concerts featuring performers such as Piyush Mishra, and Kailash Kher, who align with the project’s vision.”
Piyush Mishra’s Aarambh Hai Prachand is still popular
On importance of popular artists such as Piyush Mishra and Kailash Kher’s in promoting indie folk music, Shikhar points out, “We have been hosting digital shows with interviews, but when we organized a concert in person featuring an indie or folk artist, we were able to draw a crowd of five to six thousand people, which was a major achievement for us. Piyush Mishra’s association with the show added to its prestige, and as a result, the shows organized by Indie N Folk Project were sold out because audiences were eager to see these artists perform. People still listen to Piyush Mishra’s Aarambh Hai Prachand and share it on their Instagram stories. Artists bring tabla, guitar, and other musical instruments for unplugged sessions in our shows.”
He also says, “Whenever a celebrity comes for an interview, they have a purpose regarding some promotional event. Here, the idea was to invite people who did not have any such purpose at that time so that we could focus on their story. We try to cover their journey from where they started and how somebody sitting in a village can be inspired by such stories and can create art for themselves.”
Indie artists and folk music need to feature in Bollywood
On being quizzed how can indie music be promoted at a mainstream level similar to K-Pop, Shikhar says, “Ever since K-dramas were released on Netflix, they have become hugely popular. Indian audiences have also started resonating with Korean culture. The popularity of K-pop received a boost after these shows became popular on OTT platforms. In folk and indie music, independent artists may struggle unless their songs are featured in Bollywood movies or promoted by big music labels. They may need to promote themselves on social media to gain recognition and become influencers as well as singers. However, the support of films is crucial to bring their music into the mainstream culture.”
Indie’N Folk Project Podcast is available on Amazon Music, HT Smartcast, and other major podcast streaming platforms.
