Entertainment
Music discovery is at the heart of the festival’s curation, and the upcoming edition brings in veterans across genres, rising North East stars and more
Itanagar-based indie rockers Yesterdrive live at Ziro Festival of Music 2018. Photo: Shiv Ahuja
Ziro Festival of Music might be a destination festival to many, but it also remains among the handful of long-running festivals that place music discovery at the heart of its curation.
In action since 2012, international and Indian artists have often been picked with an astute eye (and ear, of course) for the Ziro Valley setting, amid greenery and hills in the day, and the starry—and sometimes rainy—night sky. It’s also one of the few festivals in the country that does not place emphasis on a headliner—every artist is given equal footing, often gaining a platform here before mainstream festivals take notice of them.
Over the years, Ziro has offered early glimpses of artists who would go on to define India’s indie landscape, from the likes of Prateek Kuhad and Taba Chake playing intimate solo sets in 2014, to Prabh Deep’s commanding performance fresh off his debut album Class-Sikh in 2018. Meanwhile, North East talents like Shillong/Dimapur’s Street Stories brought their irreverent pop-punk sound to the very first Ziro Festival of Music in 2012 and Manipur’s indie rockers Meewakching used the stage to experiment and propagate new sounds in 2022.
Here are 12 artists from this year’s roster who will undoubtedly be top revelations for any festival-goers looking to find new favorites at the festival.
Anna Erhard
Switzerland-origin, Berlin-based singer-songwriter Anna Erhard brings her indie rock singer-songwriter edge to the festival. With tracks like ‘Botanical Garden,’ she has a knack for infusing satire and irony into layered songwriting, reminiscent of acts like Wet Leg and Fiona Apple. With her tongue-in-cheek take on indie rock, Erhard’s Ziro set is sure to be a refreshing change of pace for Indian audiences.
Donn Bhat
Coming out of a “self-imposed hiatus” after the pandemic, New Delhi artist Donn Bhat brings back his live show for the first time since 2020 at Ziro Festival of Music. A whole new generation of listeners are about to get introduced to Bhat’s hypnotic yet powerful electronic-informed music. In the time between performances with his band Passenger Revelator, Bhat has seen streaming success with songs like “Ishq” that came out in 2023, so this one’s a long-anticipated return to the stage.
Da Minot
Led by guitarist-composer Hammarsing, Shillong-based Da Minot have been at it for a few years now. There’s an idyllic, philosophical, and almost pastoral quality to songs like their recent “Spah Mynsiem,” making them perfect for the open, communal energy of the Danyi stage.
Rudy Mukta
On the back of releasing her latest single “Love & Limerence” with producer Kalmi and appearing on “Cause” off rap star Hanumankind’s mixtape Monsoon Season, Bengaluru singer-songwriter Rudy Mukta is bound to bring the R&B aesthetic to Ziro Festival of Music. Past accolades include the Toto Funds the Arts Music Award, but there’s no better time to discover Mukta as she forges ahead in a path towards what will likely be international stardom.
Ford Trio
What the heck is “neo Thai funk”? You’re about to find out courtesy of Ford Trio, the Thailand band making their India debut on Sept. 26, 2025, in Ziro. It’s noisy, groovy, and soulful all at once, which might just turn Ziro Festival of Music into one big dance party, courtesy of songs like “R.I.P.,” “Mujina,” and more.
Guitar Prasanna
Among the artists representing a unique form of playing, Indo-American Carnatic guitarist Prasanna often brings a mix of crowd-pleasing, recall-value covers, as well as his original material from seminal albums like Electric Ganesha Land (2006) and Be The Change (2004) to his sets. For those not familiar with a veteran figure in jazz-fusion, his fretwork is bound to make fans.
Gauley Bhai
With two albums out—Joro in 2019 and Sunbari in 2025—Kalimpong-origin Nepali folk-rock band Gauley Bhai are a great example of energetic, groovy music that transcends any supposed language barrier. From frenetic jazz-informed turns to unpredictably somber passages, Gauley Bhai can make an audience move any day, and they’re coming back Ziro this year after making their debut at the festival in 2018.
Larger Than 90
Jowai, Meghalaya band Larger Than 90 might be one of the North East’s best-kept secrets, considering they’ve been at it ever since their 2019 self-titled album dropped. Ever since then, they’ve just gotten faster and more fun. Case in point: their 2024 EP Caught The Funk, which will no doubt bring vibrant Khasi funk and dance energy to Ziro Festival of Music.
Barmer Boys
Only recently returning to live performances after the passing of vocalist Mangey Khan in 2024, Barmer Boys are representative of the traditional music programming at Ziro Festival of Music. It’s not just bands, but powerful voices and oral history that get a stage at the festival, and Barmer Boys are among the best bets for it.
The Dreamcatchers
Sikkim band The Dreamcatchers are also on our radar as one of the standout Nepali bands to listen to. Led by founder and singer-composer Angu Bhutia and composer Abhishek Sherpa, The Dreamcatchers bring soothing, introspective songs, including “Bitawney Chu,” “Yaad,” “Khusi,” “K Bola Na,” and more.
Chorun Mugli
Arunachal Pradesh’s very own singer-songwriter Chorun Mugli has been steadily rising on festival lineups and rightly so. His inimitably warm vocal melodies have gone over everything from electronic-pop (his song “Telo Belo” with fellow artist Ponung Taki is in the Adi language) to folk-indie, and at Ziro, you’ll discover a star in the making.
Signal W
Goa-based act Signal W are heading up to Ziro Festival of Music in Arunachal Pradesh in September, and the band’s swirling electronic-alternative sound is bound to find new takers. It’s been two years since the release of their second album, Wonder How We Got Here, and the live version of songs like “Bejewel” quite appropriately match music festival grandiosity.