Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

India's Classical Music Takes Center Stage in Spotify's Echo Campaign

26/09/2023

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
LINK: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2023-09-26/indias-classical-music-takes-c...
See more stories from spotify

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 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...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

09/04/2026

Yospace surpasses 10 billion ads stitched in a single month, as ad-supported streaming surges

Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 09, April, 2026 - Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynam...

09/04/2026

just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026 Sneak Preview News for NAB 2026

just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026 Sneak Preview News for NAB 2026 More Details:At NAB 2026, ToolsOnAir will showcase just:play pro 2026 and just:live p...

09/04/2026

just:in mac pro 2026 - The Next Level of Professional Recording on macOS at NAB 2026

just:in mac pro 2026 - The Next Level of Professional Recording on macOS at NAB ...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: Zixi to Demonstrate Live Video Workflows and Satellite Replacement

Zixi will demonstrate IP-based live video workflow solutions at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2057). The industry is moving quickly toward IP-based distribution as br...

09/04/2026

Deloitte Research: Women's Elite Sports Revenues Expected to Reach at Least $3 Billion in 2026

Global women's elite sports revenues are expected to reach at least $3 billi...

09/04/2026

Monitor Engineer Gavin Tempany Mixes Kylie Minogue's Tension Tour on Solid State Logic L550 Plus

Monitor engineer Gavin Tempany mixed Kylie Minogue s Tension Tour on a Solid Sta...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America to Debut New 4K Camera and Remote Control Panel

KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at NAB Show 2026 (Booth C5507), debu...

09/04/2026

NBC Sports Reviews Innovations and Milestones from Its 2025-26 NBA Regular Season

With the 2025-26 NBA regular season concluded and the playoffs beginning next we...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: Telestream and Mimir Announce Integration for Ingest-to-Editorial Workflows

Telestream and Mimir have announced an integration connecting Telestream's V...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: Bitmovin Expands Live Encoding and Observability Solutions for End-to-End Live Streaming Monitoring

Bitmovin has expanded its Live Encoding and Observability solutions to provide r...

09/04/2026

Nashville Predators and Scripps Sports Announce Multi-Year Broadcast Agreement

The Nashville Predators and Scripps Sports have announced a multi-year media rights agreement covering local preseason, regular season, and first-round playoff ...

09/04/2026

ASG Partners with Beam Dynamics for Asset Intelligence Platform

Advanced Systems Group, LLC has announced a partnership with Beam Dynamics to offer the Beam Asset and License Intelligence Platform to its clients. The platfor...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: Lawo Introduces Edge One Converged Video and Audio Stagebox

Lawo has unveiled Edge One, a combined video and audio stagebox for broadcast and Pro AV workflows. The device will be on display at NAB Show (Booth C2108, Apri...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: SMPTE to Host ST 2110 IP Media Roadshow

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) will host the SMPTE ST 2110 IP Media Roadshow on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Las Vegas Conven...

09/04/2026

Atlanta Braves Upgrade Video Displays at Truist Park

The Atlanta Braves have completed upgrades to video displays in and around Truist Park ahead of the 2026 MLB season. The upgrades include the Delta Out-of-Town ...

09/04/2026

USC Installs Daktronics LED Displays Across Four Athletics Venues

The University of Southern California has contracted Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota, to manufacture and install 22 LED displays across fou...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026: Backlight to Showcase Iconik and Wildmoka Integration

Backlight, the media technology company behind Iconik and Wildmoka, will showcase its Creative Operations Platform at NAB Show 2026 (Booth N2829, April 19-22). ...

09/04/2026

MotoAmerica Superbike to Air on VICE TV for 2026 Season

MotoAmerica and V10 Entertainment have announced a partnership to broadcast MotoAmerica Superbike racing on VICE TV for the 2026 season. Coverage begins live on...

09/04/2026

Proton Camera Innovations Appoints Tod Musgrave as US Sales and Marketing Director

Proton Camera Innovations has announced the appointment of Tod Musgrave as US Sa...

09/04/2026

Former UEFA, Orange Executive Nicolas Dal Launches OVERCAST Private-Cloud Production Service

Designed specifically for live sports broadcasting, new platform features IP-nat...

09/04/2026

NEWstalgia: How the Return of the NBA on NBC Was Driven by a Bold and Ownable' Graphics Package

Blending 1990s DNA, modern motion theory, and a distinctly colorful brand identi...

09/04/2026

SVG Sit-Down: Christy Media's Amy Vacher on What It Takes To Find the Best Person for the Job

Technical capability is essential, but long-term success often depends on how we...

09/04/2026

Sundance Film Festival: CDMX 2026 by Cinpolis Unveils Official Program for Its Third Edition

15 feature films, including fiction and documentaries, along with six short film...

09/04/2026

Spotify Introduces New Video Controls for Listeners

Spotify has always been about putting listeners in the driver's seat. Today, people don't just want more ways to spend their time; they want that time t...

09/04/2026

New Spotify Video Controls Put Families and Parents in Charge

Our Chief Public Affairs Officer Dustee Jenkins shares how we're building a more positive experience for families on Spotify. As Spotify's Chief Public...

09/04/2026

Get Festival-Ready With These 4 Spotify Features

Festival season is upon us. From sun-soaked weekends out west to iconic stages in Chicago and New York, fans are getting ready to see their favorite artists liv...

09/04/2026

Spotify Introduz Novos Controles de Vdeo para Ouvintes

O Spotify sempre teve como foco colocar os ouvintes no controle. Hoje, as pessoas n o querem apenas mais formas de passar o tempo - elas querem que esse tempo s...

09/04/2026

Novos controles de vdeo do Spotify colocam pais e famlias no comando

Read the original note in English here. Nossa Chief Public Affairs Officer, Dustee Jenkins, compartilha como estamos construindo uma experi ncia mais positiva ...

09/04/2026

Spaces from Smokestack Sounds

New synth focuses on sci-fi scoring Following their formation and debut releases in December 2025, Smokestack Sounds - the brainchild of composer and produc...

09/04/2026

Reason Studios preview Reason 14

Latest version set for May 2026 launch Reason Studios have revealed that the latest version of their DAW software will be launching in May 2026. Currently a...

09/04/2026

Shy Audio introduce EQT-1M

New EQ aimed at mix-bus & mastering duties Shy Audio's first two releases focused on the past, delivering recreations of the budget mixers that were com...

09/04/2026

PBS' The Forsytes' Puts a Glamorous New Spin on the Beloved Family Drama as the series premieres in the US.

Based on John Galsworthy's novels known collectively as The Forsyte Saga a...

09/04/2026

The Forsytes' Renewed For Season 3 At PBS Masterpiece

The Forsytes has been renewed for a third season before the period drama has even premiered on PBS Masterpiece. The adaptation of John Galsworthy's novel, ...

09/04/2026

BBC brings Danny Robins The Witch Farm to the screen Inspired by the hit podcast of the same name, filming begins soon

IThe BBC has commissioned new drama The Witch Farm, starring Gabrielle Creevy (T...

09/04/2026

NAB 2026 Major Announcement

The next big thing To help broadcasters fully embrace dynamic hybrid workflows, Calrec will make a major announcement that unlocks even more freedom for broadca...

09/04/2026

ENCO to Showcase New aiTrack Capabilities at 2026 NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/04/2026

LTN Unveils Network Enhancements in Advance of C-Band Changes

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/04/2026

FOR-A Buys Tamura Corp. Information Equipment Business

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/04/2026

Imagine Showcases Expanded Multiviewer Portfolio at 2026...

Purpose Built Monitoring From Live Production to Master Control to OTT, Across On Prem and Cloud Environments At the 2026 NAB Show (April 19-22, Las Vegas Con...

09/04/2026

Harmonic Extends Hybrid Streaming Leadership with AI and...

Purpose Built Monitoring From Live Production to Master Control to OTT, Across On Prem and Cloud Environments At the 2026 NAB Show (April 19-22, Las Vegas Con...

09/04/2026

LTN unveils network enhancements as broadcaster satellite...

New advances meet surge in demand for broadcast-grade IP migration as C-band spectrum auctions approach LTN announces major enhancements to its purpose-built g...

09/04/2026

Hitomi Broadcast Expands Sales Team with Nicola Milburn

Hitomi Broadcast has expanded its sales team with the addition of Nicola Milburn as Technical Sales Manager. In this role, Nicola will work with customers and p...

09/04/2026

Layercake and Ceeblue Announce Strategic Integration to D...

Revolutionary combined solution brings sub-second latency, resilient delivery, and workflow orchestration to global broadcasters and digital platforms Layercak...

09/04/2026

BIA Increases 2026 Local Ad Forecast to $184.5 Billion

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...