Latest news with #LollapaloozaIndia
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
India's concert economy set to generate 12 million jobs by 2032, report
India's live concert industry is no longer a niche entertainment segment, and is rapidly becoming a significant economic force. According to NLB Services, the country's 'concert economy' is projected to generate up to 12 million jobs by 2032, driven by expanding demand in tier II and III cities and increasing participation from global entertainment brands. In recent years, live music events in India have grown in scale and frequency, drawing global acts like Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Cigarettes After Sex, Guns N' Roses and more. While major metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru remain central, emerging cities such as Guwahati, Jaipur, Kochi, and Chandigarh are now regularly hosting large-scale concerts. This geographical shift is helping to decentralise employment opportunities. Each major concert can create between 15,000 to 20,000 temporary jobs across logistics, security, hospitality, artist liaison, digital media, and event technology. In some cases, about 10–15% of these temporary roles are converting to full-time employment, particularly in technical areas like production, lighting, and audio engineering. NLB Services CEO Sachin Alug said the sector has moved beyond seasonal shows to become 'year-round economic engines,' calling for urgent investments in skill development, especially in smaller cities. 'The concert economy is not just about entertainment — it's about job creation, formalisation, and youth empowerment,' he added. The economic ripple effect of major events is already evident. Coldplay's 2024 Ahmedabad concert reportedly added ₹641 crore to the local economy, including ₹72 crore in GST revenue. Hotels saw a surge in occupancy, flights were overbooked, and F&B outlets reported record sales. Platforms like BookMyShow Live have played a central role in shaping India's concert landscape. Naman Pugalia, Chief Business Officer for Live Events, noted that concerts now operate 'at an international scale,' citing events like Lollapalooza India and Bandland, which have created over 8,500 jobs each. Looking ahead, the sector is poised to become a ₹15,000 crore industry, though its continued growth depends on infrastructure, state support, and upskilling efforts. Meanwhile, social media and the fear of missing out (FoMO) are also driving ticket demand, with fans eager to attend global acts that may not return soon. With a packed 2025 lineup featuring Travis Scott, Enrique Iglesias, and more, India's concert economy shows no sign of slowing. Industry stakeholders believe the momentum could lead to a long-term transformation of how entertainment, tourism, and employment intersect in the country.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Listicle: 10 designers behind the visuals you love
Aaquib Wani's concert scenography. Wani's bright eye-popping palette, fat squiggly letters and peppy Instagrammable props have made Lollapalooza India seem like fun even to those who haven't attended the festival. His studio also crafted the look and feel of Sunburn 2025's Underwater Ocean Symphony stage and the overrun garden city theme of Bengaluru's Bandland last year. He admits that nothing comes close to designing the Team India cricket jerseys for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Aaquib Wani is the designer behind Lollapalooza India's bright eye-popping palette. (INSTAGRAM/@AAQUIBW) Kriti Monga brings a trendy, inviting vibe to the restaurants and bookstores she designs. (INSTAGRAM/@KRITIMONGA) Kriti Monga's restaurant styling. The Delhi-based graphic designer and artist is why Delhi's Perch Wine & Coffee Bar and Smoke House Deli, Mumbai's Americano, and Bengaluru's Champaca Bookstore Library & Café have such a trendy, welcoming vibe. Monga, who runs Turmeric Design, fashions everything, from the menu, the typeface, and wallpaper. For Champaca, she crafted a forest-themed look (deer logo, olive green tones) and even picked the name, inspired by Bengaluru's summer bloom. Mira Felicia Malhotra designed the thumbnail of Spotify's I-pop icons playlist. (INSTAGRAM/@@KOKUMKOHLA) Studio Khol's Spotify thumbnails. Remember that bold, blocky, glossy text on the thumbnail of Spotify's I-pop icons playlist? It's the work of designer Mira Felicia Malhotra's Mumbai-based studio. Malhotra's work always has a bold, feminist edge. She goes for vibrant neons, characters with strong features, bodies that take up space. The firm has also done Snapchat and Instagram stickers for Diwali, mythology-themed book covers, and a T-shirt collab with Nike. Rodrigo Corral designed the cover of Sally Rooney's Intermezzo and John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. (INSTAGRAM/@RODRIGOCORRAL_) Rodrigo Corral's book covers. Sally Rooney's Intermezzo, Patric Gagne's Sociopath: A Memoir, John Green's The Fault In Our Stars, and the entire Rachel Cusk collection — the white, minimalist, picture-heavy style dominates the NYC designer's portfolio. Corral treats the creative process almost as an act of cinematography. 'You are the reason why I buy these books,' an Instagram user commented on his Insta post. Hard relate. Shamika Chaves's characters include Gopi the dog from Sudha Murty's The Gopi Diaries series. (INSTAGRAM/@SHAMIKASDOODLES) Shamika Chaves's kiddie illustrations. The children's book illustrator says her creations — exaggerated, larger-than-life, and comical — are the product of an 'overactive imagination'. Chaves's characters include Gopi the dog from Sudha Murty's The Gopi Diaries series, the little pastry chef Pinkoo Shergill, and the people in Ruskin Bond books. They're what kids growing up today associate with leisure, summer holidays and book fairs. Ann Shen's WhatsApp stickers featured women sending finger guns and flying kisses. (INSTAGRAM/@ANNDANGER) Ann Shen's WhatsApp stickers. Every WhatsApp user has been through a respond-with-a-sticker phase. In 2020, one of the packs everyone obsessively used was Shen's Fearless and Fabulous — women sending finger guns, flying kisses, and rolling their eyes. Shen, an LA-based author and illustrator, says she's 'always dreamt of creating magical things'. You can see it in her gouache-themed food sketches and her limited-edition Disney fashion collabs. Kruty's sketches are all over Blinkit's brown-paper packaging. (INSTAGRAM/@WHOISKRUTY) Kruty's Blinkit doodles. If you've seen these, you've probably made one too many late-night decisions. The Gurugram artist's illustrations (over 30) are all over the brand's brown-paper packaging. Kruty, who calls herself a 'full-time intern', posts BTS Reels about her digital doodling process. Our favs from her designs: The Christmas, Valentine's, and travel essentials themes. Brent David Freaney and his team sifted through 500 shades of green for the iconic BRAT cover. (INSTAGRAM/@SPAMRISKMISSEDCALL) Brent David Freaney's album art. How could a lime-green square with a single word in Arial font spawn a meme fest and even influence a US presidential campaign? Freaney worked on Charlie XCX's 2024 album Brat. That lazy-looking design took more effort than a glam, airbrushed stock image. Freaney and his team sifted through 500 shades of green for it. 'I wanted to go with an offensive off-trend shade of green to trigger the idea of something being wrong,' the singer has said in interviews. Animal, Jewel Thief to Sikandar — Raj Khatri's poster art is everywhere. (INSTAGRAM/@POSTERJUNKY) Raj Khatri's film posters. Khatri has created poster art for Animal, Jewel Thief, Sikandar, Housefull 5, and Tiger Shroff's upcoming Baaghi 4. Do you sense a pattern here? Dimly lit surroundings, fine dust signifying an explosion, smoke and blood. The artist, who has been designing movie and TV-show posters for over 20 years, loves textured lighting to deliver a sense of drama. Neethi's murals have shown up in Tamil Nadu, Belgium, Sri Lanka, Milan and Google Doodles. (INSTAGRAM/@KNEETHEE) Neethi's murals. The Bengaluru illustrator's art has shown up in Google Doodles, street art, and murals as far apart as Tamil Nadu, Belgium, Sri Lanka and Milan. Much of her work is about interior scenes — domestic life, a terrace at night, quotidian clutter. 'I'm drawn to the elements that often sit in the background of our lives,' she says in a social media post. In 2023, she took over a facade in the Lodhi Art District, turning it into a colourful mural that represented six global goals for sustainable development. So iconic. From HT Brunch, July 26, 2025 Follow us on
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First Post
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
India's Hip-Hop Renaissance: From streets to stadia with Travis Scott & Beyond
With Travis Scott set to perform two already sold-out shows in Delhi-NCR this October, it's not just witnessing a major international debut, we are witnessing hip-hop in India step into its most visible, powerful era yet. read more The energy that once lived in street corners is now being amplified on the country's biggest live stages. There is a seismic cultural shift in India's music landscape - one that's echoing across youth culture, fashion, streaming platforms and global touring circuits. At the heart of this transformation? Hip-hop. With global rap superstar Travis Scott set to debut in India with two sold-out shows in Delhi this October, the country's hip-hop narrative is hitting an undeniable inflection point. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What began in cyphers and street corners is now spilling into stadiums. From Divine, Raftaar, Kr$na, Hanumankind, Talwiinder, The Karan Kanchan Experience, Prabh Deep and AP Dhillon taking over the stage at Lollapalooza India, to artists like Yung Raja lighting up Nykaaland, with King opening at the Feeding India concert in 2022 produced by BookMyShow Live, Badshah performing at YouTube FanFest 2023, India has quietly built a vibrant, raw and relevant hip-hop ecosystem, and now, the world is taking note. On October 18th and 19th, 2025, Travis Scott will perform two back-to-back sold-out shows at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium marking not just his India debut, but a cultural milestone for hip-hop fans across the country. What was once 'underground' is now a movement that's shaping pop culture at large. Music has always been a countercultural force and hip-hop has led that charge. In India, it's more than a sound, it's a movement where marginalised communities speak for themselves and through their words, for an entire generation. India's Hip-Hop Renaissance: From streets to stadia with Travis Scott & Beyond From India to the world; a new era for hip-hop With global giants like Travis Scott now entering the Indian touring circuit, the narrative is shifting. India is no longer a fringe market - it's fast becoming a strategic stop for international hip-hop tours, just like Europe or Southeast Asia. What's more, Indian artists are increasingly collaborating across borders, bringing their unique regional sounds and lyrical identities to the global stage. How Hip-hop is no longer niche, what the data says It's now amongst the Top 4 streamed genres in India on Spotify, with 70% of its fans being youth one of the highest age skews for any genre globally. India also ranks 8th globally in hip-hop listenership. BookMyShow has already sold more hip-hop tickets in 2025 (Jan–May) than it did in all of 2024. Artists like Hanumankind and Diljit Dosanjh who performed at BookMyShow Live shows, went on to perform at global festivals like Coachella. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Audiences from metros and non-metros alike are tuning in top hip-hop ticket buyers in 2024 included those from cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Shillong, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Raipur, Thrissur and Nashik. It's a truly geography-agnostic genre, speaking to identity, authenticity and rebellion - themes that resonate with Indian youth today. Reasons for the popularity of hip-hop Hip-hop shows as 'therapeutic', 'emotionally liberating' and 'a form of collective release'. They're drawn to the lyrical honesty, genre fluidity and the emotional range hip-hop offers: from rage to loneliness to joy. The way artists rhyme and construct their lyrics resonates with me deeply. They have a unique ability to evoke a wide range of emotions—from rage to loneliness—through their words and music." About Rap cyphers Naman Pugalia, Chief Business Officer – Live Events, BookMyShow explains that Cyphers are the heartbeat of hip-hop. They're less about fame and more about skill, respect and the raw joy of wordplay. In a cypher, there's no autotune, no elaborate production, just bars, beats and authenticity. It's where talent is tested and sharpened. Even today, cyphers remain the truest form of expression in hip-hop culture, where emerging voices earn their stripes and veterans remind everyone why they still matter. It's hip-hop in its most democratic form where anyone can step in, but only a few can hold the floor, and that's the beauty of it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From underground roots to become mainstream It's not so much a shift as it is a slow takeover. Naman says, 'This evolution has been a steady rise. Audiences started craving honesty in music and hip-hop delivered raw, unfiltered and unapologetically.' He further explains, 'Add to that the internet penetration and audio streaming across the world and you have a generation that grew up on Kendrick, Nas, Divine and Prabh Deep where suddenly, the underground became the blueprint. Over time, as social consciousness shifted and the world became more open to diverse narratives, hip-hop found its place not just on playlists, but in advertising, cinema and global discourse. Artists stopped waiting for validation from traditional gatekeepers and instead built their own communities online.'
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BMC mulls dome-like indoor event space near horse stables at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai
Mumbai: Buoyed by the Rs 7.5 crore revenue boost from hosting mega events at Mahalaxmi Racecourse over the past year, BMC is now considering a dedicated indoor event space near the horse stables — similar to the NSCI Dome in Worli. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During a meeting held on Tuesday evening at the BMC headquarters, civic officials discussed the possibility of developing a 15-acre land parcel near the horse stables for closed-door cultural, music, and corporate events. "There were talks on whether a facility can be built which can be rented out for events as currently a part of the open space is given out during the summer and winter months, but hosting events during the monsoon months is not preferred. BMC is currently already using a portion of the open space for commercial activity," said a civic official privy to the discussions. BMC's idea builds on the success of open-air international events like Lollapalooza India last March, Guns N' Roses concert in May 2025, and the international equestrian shows in Feb. Of the total 212.7-acre racecourse plot, BMC took possession of 120.1 acres — the central open space and two smaller land parcels near the stables — on an "as is where is" basis on July 2, 2024. The remaining 92.6 acres were leased back to the Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd for 30 years — from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2053, subject to specific terms, usage conditions, and permissions. At Tuesday's meeting, civic officials were also instructed to begin mapping all underground utility lines — stormwater drains, sewerage, and water pipelines — to enable further development of the 120-acre racecourse land without disrupting horse racing activities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Plans include constructing portions of the new infrastructure one level below ground. Officials from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd also attended the meeting to coordinate the proposed pedestrian tunnel that would connect the racecourse with the underground Acharya Atre Chowk Metro 3 station. Mapping utilities is a crucial step not only for the racecourse's open space redesign, but also for integration with the underground Metro 3 line and the Mumbai Coastal Road project. Architect Hafeez Contractor's team, which is helping BMC design the open space, was also present at the meeting. "The 120-acre space will stay open, and efforts are being made to ensure that any design done on it doesn't impact the horse racing ground. Addition to the existing parking facility was also discussed," said the civic official, adding that another meeting would be held soon to take these plans forward.
India Today
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Is India ready to create history with a BTS concert? ARMY weighs in
Remember when BTS once said, 'Indian BTS ARMY, aap humare dil mein rehte hai (you live in my heart),' and promised to hold a concert in India? Well, it's been five years since that heartfelt moment, and now, there's finally a reason to believe it might actually happen. HYBE, the company managing BTS, is making its way to India. With plans to set up operations here by late 2025, it's a big move that has sparked fresh hope among fans. With such news coming in, do you think India is embracing their newfound concert culture?Concert culture in India has always had a bit of a slow start. Music festivals, international tours, and global artist performances were, for the longest time, something we admired from afar. India, despite its massive population and love for music, often got left off the global tour maps. Why? Well, there were many reasons, but contrary to popular belief, it wasn't because of the lack of fans. It was more about the logistics and technical to an old The Times of India report, India lacked the kind of infrastructure required to support a global tour. We didn't have world-class venues, highly skilled production crews, or the right technical equipment needed to match the scale of these that was years ago. Today is a different story. In the past couple of years, a wave of international A-list artists have begun making their way to India. From packed music festivals to full-blown arena shows, we've seen it all. But apart from the fun and excitement, let's analyse these concerts. Were they really as successful as we believe them to be? Not in spirits, but in terms of technicalities - how did we do? Do you remember Coldplay's Ahmedabad concert? It was their biggest show ever. Yes, and it happened in India. The concert set a new benchmark, not just in terms of fan turnout, but in execution. India not only managed to host the grand event seamlessly but also made history with the biggest turnout online. If you don't know, Coldplay's Music of Spheres concert was also live for fans on OTT. And this concert has put India back on the tour map for other artists. And yet there's one thing missing: the rising popularity of K-pop in India, only a handful of artists have performed here. Jackson Wang's Lollapalooza India performance remains a highlight, but full-scale K-pop concerts? We haven't seen them yet. The reason why big groups like BTS don't perform in India is that their concerts are renowned for their spectacular stage designs, often featuring multiple levels, extended runways, and dynamic set elements. They utilise state-of-the-art lighting, high-quality sound systems, and striking visual effects, including large LED screens that display captivating visuals and real-time graphics. While it is not impossible to manage, it requires India to put in significant effort to arrange for proper arenas, logistics, and crowd management. Similarly, more efforts are needed to streamline complex bureaucracy, permits, and arrange for robust security. This doesn't mean that we don't have potential. K-pop artists can and might now come to India for June 30, K-pop powerhouse HYBE (home to BTS) officially announced plans to open a subsidiary in India, with operations expected to begin by late 2025. Naturally, this has sparked huge speculation and excitement among fans, especially now that the Bangtan Boys are back from their military service and already planning tours. The question remains: Are we ready for BTS if or when it decides to come to India?BTS is the biggest K-pop boy band in the world. They have a huge fan following, and they are known for hosting massive concerts. Concerts like these require a lot of work, technical support, energy and preparedness, and good management. Can we handle the fan fever?For many Indian ARMYs (BTS fans), the answer is a resounding course. I do not doubt this because please remember BTS was supposed to host a Mumbai concert in 2020 before the pandemic hit. So a BTS concert in India is not a dream, it is a possibility. And India is definitely ready for a show of that scale,' says Bhavna, an avid concert-goer and BTS Singh, another BTS ARMY, agrees but adds a note of caution. 'I think the country has the capability to manage the concert since it has previously hosted various international music festivals, including the likes of Lollapalooza and more," she she continues, "BTS is a different ballgame altogether. It has a massive fan base and things could get out of control if proper facilities and infrastructure aren't in place. After all, we are talking about arguably the biggest boy band in the world. So safety considerations for managing that kind of crowd should also be kept in mind. Bottom line: we can do it if we are thorough and rigorous about the set-up. But I don't know if we should. Because if we have the Lollapalooza example, we also have that tragic KK concert too."advertisementAre we ready, then? Yes, and we have the numbers to prove it. According to a year-end report by online ticketing platform BookMyShow, India had "30,687 live events across 319 cities," showing an 18 per cent growth. We have over 1.4 billion people, millions of BTS fans, and a huge digitally active youth population. it's a market that makes sense. And with HYBE's move into India, the wheels are definitely in fans are ready. The excitement is real. But hosting a BTS concert is not just about demand, it's about delivery. Safety, logistics, infrastructure, and planning will all have to be world-class to handle the scale of such an event. If India can get those pieces right, then yes, a BTS concert is just not possible, it's inevitable. When it happens, it won't just be another concert. It'll be a cultural moment.- EndsMust Watch
