International Music Day 2025: From Ancient Chants To Global Tours

On International Music Day, we speak to musicians, lyricists, music entrepreneurs and more to see what all the world of music is currently going through.

1. Shweta Bothra, lyricist and writer, Tu Meri Poori Kahani 

Lyrics, to me, are more than words set to a tune.  It’s the lyrics that give voice to what’s truly felt through those emotions, what we often struggle to say aloud. Good lyrics linger in the mind, make us sing along, and sometimes even send chills down our spine. In today’s world, where texting has become our primary way of communicating and often replaces real conversations, songs play a unique role. This is why songwriting is such a deeply personal journey, putting thoughts and feelings into words and then sharing them with the world. When music and lyrics come together honestly, they influence hearts and minds and offer listeners new perspectives. Authentic lyrics have the power to create a genuine connection between the artist and the audience, giving music its true meaning and soul.

2. Gaurav Dagaonkar, Co-Founder and CEO, Hoopr

"India is no longer just a consumer of music; it has become a cultural hub for international talent and collaborations. In 2024, it hosted approximately 14,470 concerts and will likely host nearly 24,500 concerts by 2030. Artists like Ed Sheeran, Post Malone Coldplay are performing to record-breaking audiences, highlighting India’s emergence as one of the fastest-growing live music markets in the world. Adding to this momentum in 2025, international superstars Travis Scott and Central Cee are slotted to play in India. Global superstars, like Rihanna and Beyoncé, are also performing at private events, which reinforces India's global music importance. At the same time, Spotify's 2025 Loud & Clear report shows that nearly half of the royalties earned by Indian artists are sourced from international fans, an increase from 40% the previous year, with Indian artists getting discovery over 11.2 billion times worldwide in 2024. These trends reflect evolving consumer habits and growing opportunities in a borderless yet locally rooted music economy."

3. Nirvaan Birla, Founder/Singer, Sounds for the Soul & Founder/MD, Birla Open Minds & Birla Brainiacs

The spiritual sounds that once anchored daily life in India have seen a significant decline, overshadowed by rapid modernization and urbanization. In the race of life, we inadvertently set aside our ancestors' profound knowledge, forgetting that ancient chants and ragas are not merely rituals, but powerful tools for mental and physical well-being. Today, with stress and anxiety at epidemic levels, especially among the youth, the need for an antidote is urgent. Case studies globally are now confirming what tradition always knew: Spiritual Music has tangible healing power. To truly address the well-being crisis, we must meet the majority of our population, the youth, where they are. The answer lies not in a retreat from modernity, but in a fusion. By blending the purity of traditional spiritual music with engaging, contemporary sounds, we create a powerful new appeal. As a singer who is part of this generation, I understand their pulse and their music preferences. This insight allows me to craft music that is both spiritually enriching and irresistibly modern. This approach is more than just a musical experiment; it's a vital intervention. By strengthening the inner core of our youth, we equip them to better fight stress and anxiety. This massive shift will not only revive our rich heritage but also contribute to a fitter, brighter, and faster-developing nation in the long term. This is my pledge: to make music that helps us build our future together.

4. Devraj Sanyal, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group, India SA

We want to develop a wellness eco system that spans everything from wearables to experiential living - it’s a vision my teams and I hold dear and we are charged to make the world a better, calmer & kinder place, one song, one playlist & one artist at a time. Vedam Records is our concerted effort to offer wellness music to the world, that’s deeply rooted in the Indian cultural and spiritual fabric. At Universal, we have been breaking artists across genres to audiences from all over - whether its taking a daring leap into I-pop music (non-film music as it was called then) at a time when film music was ruling the charts to aligning Indian Hip-hop with global audiences and winning or championing indie music in its truest and most authentic essence. Given the state of distractions in the world’s social existence today there couldn’t be a more apt time to launch our wellness business. While it’s one of the newest businesses in a long list of our allieds, a few early wins both here & globally are very encouraging and makes us even more determined to take the is all the way.