Music beyond borders: New music fest in city’s cultural calendar

With a line-up that boasts of the country’s top musical talent, a 100-acre canvas and carnival-themed food and beverages, this upcoming musical festival promises a spectacular debut

Mumbai: It’s a winter of music festivals for Mumbai and the latest addition to the list is Parx Music Fiesta, a two-day event that will bring together some of the hottest names spanning genres, including Bollywood names, indie bands and fresh musical talent. The festival, which is styled in a carnival theme, is touted to be a multi-sensory experience for attendees, featuring food, fashion and extravagant visuals.

Gautam Singhania, MD of Raymond Ltd

The line-up, admittedly, has something for everyone, with Salim-Sulaiman and Amit Trivedi leading the charge on the Bollywood front; Euphoria and Indian Ocean adding nostalgic value; and When Chai Met Toast and Benny Dayal vying for Gen Z’s attention. “I think what makes this festival special is that there’s something for everyone. For me, as an artiste, it’s very special to be able to share the stage with artistes that I’ve grown up listening to and also those I’ve collaborated [and look forward to collaborating] with,” said Dayal, adding that the diversity of the artistes will ensure that there is cultural representation from all parts of the country. “Many newer audiences have been introduced to indie artistes for the very first time via social media, thanks to the influence of reels. Although I have mixed feelings about how music is consumed on these platforms, the upside is that they have led to many new listeners discovering and following us; this festival, in that sense, will close the loop as it will give them the opportunity to interact with these artistes whose music they’ve been listening to and using for their content,” he said.

“When the pandemic happened, music came to an abrupt halt. There were no live gigs and no events and all of us wondered about the future of music, in the post-pandemic world. It’s important for audiences to experience music outside the context of Bollywood and for them to discover and explore indie talent. Festivals such as these definitely play a huge role in encouraging that,” said Sulaiman Merchant, one half of the composer-duo Salim-Sulaiman. Commenting on the recent popularity of music festivals, he pointed out that with the world being cooped up during the pandemic, people have been ever more eager to explore the outdoors. Events such as this one give youngsters an opportunity to enjoy themselves in the open.

It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by Gautam Hari Singhania, chairman and managing director, Raymond, who is spearheading the event. He said, “I believe that music is a universal language that brings people together. This is our attempt to create a unique musical fest for India. Live musical performances are back after a span of two years and they will only get bigger from here on. It’s time for music to take centre stage!”

The festival will be hosted on November 19 and 20, at a 100-acre wheelchair-accessible venue, at Raymond Ground in Thane. The event will feature carnival-themed food and beverages and is open to children of all ages.