Streaming platforms and social media have helped independent musicians' fan bases to expand. Will this trend continue or will it pass much like the Silk Road and Lucky Ali eras?
Indie music is now steadily gaining popularity in India, a nation where Bollywood and cricket dominate the entertainment industry.
Rising living standards and the development of new media technologies are also to blame for the rise of independent artists in this country.
In many areas, including technology, culture, and the arts, East and West have long exchanged knowledge and ideas.
There is no doubting that a country like India has been open to the quickly developing global music business in terms of music, as well as receptive of it. Its independent scene has developed as a result.
The American indie music movement, which eventually spread to India, has had a significant impact on today's youth in India.
Indian emerging indie musicians started to take an interest in Bollywood as soon as people started to appreciate fusion music.
The tone of Indian music was altered by musicians like Pritam Chakraborty around the turn of the century and the beginning of the new millennium.
By the middle of 2005, it was clear that experimental music and videos were becoming more popular in the Indian entertainment industry. But it didn't really make them popular.
Although it didn't have an immediate effect, the indie music subgenre started to gradually gain popularity on music streaming services like YouTube in the later decade. This was because of how simple it was for young people to access music and how many of them developed an interest in the music business.
One of the well-known independent musicians is Vivek Verma. Verma was only 21 years old when "Colors of Sufi," a Hindustani classical fusion record, was released. Even though he has 22 songs and three albums to his name, his favored musical themes have varied. One of his most recent tracks, "Mai Aur Tu," is a pop song.
Verma's trip wasn't an easy one. The Indian artist struggled in his early career. His hometown is New Kenda, which is six hours' journey from Kolkata. The 26-year-old decided to go to Mumbai to become a successful musician.
Verma asserts that an independent musician seeking to flourish there must put in more effort and collaborate with other Bollywood singers because most of the nation's music production takes place in Mumbai. Bollywood in a way overshadows all of India's musical subgenres.
India's independent music sector is undeniably growing. Since Indian musicians frequently play abroad and those who live abroad frequently support Indian artists, the market is surely not limited to India alone.
Artists get famous overnight. Himesh Reshammiya gave Ranu Mondal a break, and he immediately became well-known. He switched from singing in the Bollywood film "Happy Hardy and Heer" to performing on a train platform. The music industry is finally accepting real talent with open arms.
Artists including Nucleya, Gajendra Verma, Darshan Raval, Shirley Setia, Arjun Kanungo, Nikhil D'Souza, Vivek Verma, Amit Trivedi and Sanam Puri have created some of the country's best music. Additionally, YouTube helped these musicians create and advertise their songs internationally.
Producers like Aditya Dev, Aditya Pushkarna, and many more have changed the independent music market by creating their own distinct styles.
One of the most well-known musicians to come out of the indie music movement in recent years is Darshan Raval. Over 27 million people have viewed Darshan's most recent video, "Dil Mera Blast," on YouTube. The data demonstrates the growing influence of the independent music sector.
The success of independent musicians in India is modestly acknowledged, and they attribute it to the general public's acceptance of their music.
Young musicians have a platform because to hip hop and indie music, but the competition has gotten tougher. This has led to the fight for sustainability.
People in the music industry remain optimistic about the future of independent music in India, nevertheless.
