In India, music fans are diving into classical music. Recent data shows that over the last two years, India's classical music consumption grew by nearly 500% on Spotify. And while users of all ages are tuning into these songs, more than 45% of listeners are under the age of 25. Classical music, it turns out, is indeed for everyone.
Indian musical instruments have a rich cultural heritage and are consumed widely not just in the country, but across the world. Generations of artists have taken this music to listeners across the globe, with instruments such as the sitar, flute, tabla, and more, recognized and beloved everywhere. So, to celebrate and highlight this legacy, we launched Echo, an initiative that puts the spotlight on Indian classical music and musicians. Over the past three months, we've focused on the flute, tabla, and sitar, educating our listeners via playlists that celebrate artists who have mastered each instrument, including sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma with the Soulful Sitar playlist, flutist Naveen Kumar with the Fascinating Flute playlist, and multi-percussionist Anuradha Pal with the Tabla Rhythms playlist.
NEXT
All three of these artists, along with more than 30 additional Indian classical instrumentalists, recently put their talents together to record a first-of-its-kind piece that celebrates India's rich classical music heritage.
Composed by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, Kautilya (The Echo Project) blends traditional Indian instruments with modern production techniques.
Kautilya' revolves around the soulful sounds of the sitar, the rhythmic beats of the tabla, and the enchanting melodies of the flute, explained Rishab. Drawing inspiration from the rich heritage of Indian music ragas, these three instruments gracefully whisk listeners away to another realm of musical enchantment.
September is the month of the sitar. You've probably heard the stringed instrument before, even if you don't realize it. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) by The Beatles prominently features the sitar. George Harrison, the lead guitarist of the band, was introduced to the sitar by Ravi Shankar and became fascinated with the instrument, Rishab explained to For the Record. The collaboration between Ravi and George was a significant moment in the history of Western and Indian music. The influence can be heard on The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. George played the sitar on several tracks, including Within You Without You, which was entirely composed by Harrison and heavily influenced by Indian classical music, shared Rishab. Other popular songs that feature the sitar include The End by The Doors and Paint It, Black by The Rolling Stones.
For the Record chatted some more with Rishab about the rise in classical music in India and the captivating sounds of the sitar.
You first picked up the sitar when you were 10. Why were you so drawn to the instrument? I picked up the sitar when I was 10, but I had been eyeing it for a couple of years before that. My parents put me in vocal lessons when I was eight-Hindustani vocals primarily. I come from a family of musical instrument makers, so it's a tradition in my family to go through vocal lessons before we even pick an instrument. My great-grandfather believed that in order to make good instruments, you need to be a musician first and understand the music.
I saw sitars being made in our factories and being sold in our shops, and there was just so much hype and grandeur around the sitar. And my dad always used to say, You know, you can play this instrument, but you have to learn it properly, have respect for it, and receive proper training. Only then can you pick it up. So I was always drawn to the instrument, but my dad wouldn't let me touch it for the longest time.
Now I always try to keep the sound of my sitar very authentic. I don't like much distortion or other funky effects on the sitar. I like preserving the integrity of the instrument and the sound it is known for. The sound has been the same for hundreds of years.
What was it like to work with Spotify for the Echo campaign and composing the original song Kautilya ? Working with Spotify on this project was hands down one of my favorite collaboration experiences. I was so excited. For the song, the turnaround time was pretty quick because I was at a point where I was writing a lot of songs every day. I composed the whole song in New York, sent Spotify a demo, and the team vibed with it.
Then I flew down to Mumbai to work with the entire group and we recorded in multiple studios. The song is a hit. It's a revolutionary project.
Our data shows that in India, streams of classical music are growing on Spotify. Why do you think people are tuning into this music? I think people are just becoming more aware of the benefits of Indian classical music. I try to promote the mental health benefits of the sitar and Indian classical music in general. There are various studies about music enhancing your mood and making you feel a certain way.
To get someone like me to meditate, you have to set the right environment. I try to create that safe space and that environment where people can actually meditate. It can have a very deep impact on you. I've seen people weeping at my shows, and sometimes they are smiling from ear to ear. So everyone goes through their own journey when they listen closely to the depth of the instrument or the music.
And now, all these other wonderful playlists are also generating that awareness. This is great for the future and makes me so happy.
How has Indian classical music moved beyond the borders of the country? I live in New York, so I can speak for at least the East Coast, or America at large. A lot of people use our music for meditation because of its high m
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
29/05/2026
At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...
29/05/2026
Experimental HIV vaccine achieves a long-sought goal In a first for the field, all non-human primates given a new series of vaccines generated antibodies capabl...
In India, music fans are diving into classical music. Recent data shows that over the last two years, India's classical music consumption grew by nearly 500% on Spotify. And while users of all ages are tuning into these songs, more than 45% of listeners are under the age of 25. Classical music, it turns out, is indeed for everyone.
