12 Artists You Can’t Miss At Ziro Festival 2025 if You Love Discovering New Music

Itanagar-based indie rockers Yesterdrive live at Ziro Festival of Music 2018. Image: Shiv Ahuja

Ziro Festival of Music may be a location celebration to numerous, however it likewise stays amongst the handful of long-running celebrations that put music discovery at the heart of its curation.

In action because 2012, global and Indian artists have actually frequently been chosen with an astute eye (and ear, obviously) for the Ziro Valley setting, in the middle of plant and hills in the day, and the stellar– and in some cases rainy– night sky. It’s likewise among the couple of celebrations in the nation that does not position focus on a headliner– every artist is provided equivalent footing, typically getting a platform here before mainstream celebrations pay attention to them.

For many years, Ziro has actually used early glances of artists who would go on to specify India’s indie landscape, from the similarity Prateek Kuhad and Taba Chake playing intimate solo sets in 2014, to Prabh Deep’s commanding efficiency fresh off his launching album Class-Sikh in 2018. North East skills like Shillong/Dimapur’s Street Stories brought their profane pop-punk noise to the extremely first Ziro Festival of Music in 2012 and Manipur’s indie rockers Meewakching utilized the phase to experiment and propagate brand-new noises in 2022.

Here are 12 artists from this year’s lineup who will certainly be leading discoveries for any festival-goers wanting to discover brand-new favorites at the celebration.

Anna Erhard

Switzerland-origin, Berlin-based singer-songwriter Anna Erhard brings her indie rock singer-songwriter edge to the celebration. With tracks like ‘Botanical Garden,’ she has a propensity for instilling satire and paradox into layered songwriting, similar to imitate Wet Leg and Fiona Apple. With her tongue-in-cheek take on indie rock, Erhard’s Ziro set makes certain to be a rejuvenating modification of speed for Indian audiences.

Donn Bhat

Coming out of a”self-imposed hiatus”after the pandemic, New Delhi artist Donn Bhat restores his live program for the very first time considering that 2020 at Ziro Festival of Music.

Led by guitarist-composer Hammarsing, Shillong-based Da Minot have actually been at it for a couple of years now. There’s a picturesque, philosophical, and nearly pastoral quality to tunes like their current” Spah Mynsiem,”making them ideal for the open, common energy of the Danyi phase.

Rudy Mukta

On the back of launching her most current single”Love & Limerence” with manufacturer Kalmi and appearing on”Cause”off rap star Hanumankind’s mixtape Monsoon SeasonBengaluru singer-songwriter Rudy Mukta is bound to bring the R&B visual to Ziro Festival of Music. Previous honors consist of the Toto Funds the Arts Music Award, however there’s no much better time to find Mukta as she advances in a course towards what will likely be worldwide fame.

Ford Trio

What the heck is”neo Thai funk”? You’re about to discover thanks to Ford Trio, the Thailand band making their India launching on Sept. 26, 2025, in Ziro. It’s loud, groovy, and emotional simultaneously, which may simply turn Ziro Festival of Music into one huge dance celebration, thanks to tunes like “R.I.P.,” “Mujina,” and more.

Guitar Prasanna

Amongst the artists representing a special kind of playing, Indo-American Carnatic guitar player Prasanna typically brings a mix of crowd-pleasing, recall-value covers, along with his initial product from influential albums like Electric Ganesha Land (2006) and Be The Change (2004)to his sets.

With 2 albums out–Joroin 2019 andSunbariin 2025– Kalimpong-origin Nepali folk-rock band Gauley Bhai are a terrific example of energetic, groovy music that goes beyond any expected language barrier. From mad jazz-informed turns to unexpectedly mournful passages, Gauley Bhai can make an audience move any day, and they’re returning Ziro this year after making their launching at the celebration in 2018.

Larger Than 90

Jowai, Meghalaya band Larger Than 90 may be among the North East’s best-kept tricks, considering they’ve been at it since their 2019 self-titled album dropped. Since then, they’ve simply gotten much faster and more enjoyable. Case in point: their 2024 EP Caught The Funkwhich will no doubt bring dynamic Khasi funk and dance energy to Ziro Festival of Music.

Barmer Boys

Just just recently going back to live efficiencies after the death of singer Mangey Khan in 2024, Barmer Boys are representative of the standard music shows at Ziro Festival of Music. It’s not simply bands, however effective voices and narrative history that get a phase at the celebration, and Barmer Boys are amongst the very best bets for it.

The Dreamcatchers

Sikkim band The Dreamcatchers are likewise on our radar as one of the standout Nepali bands to listen to. Led by creator and singer-composer Angu Bhutia and author Abhishek Sherpa, The Dreamcatchers bring relaxing, reflective tunes, consisting of “Bitawney Chu,” “Yaad,” “Khusi,” “K Bola Na,” and more.

Chorun Mugli

Arunachal Pradesh’s really own singer-songwriter Chorun Mugli has actually been progressively increasing on celebration lineups and appropriately so. His inimitably warm singing tunes have actually discussed whatever from electronic-pop (his tune”Telo Belo”with fellow artist Ponung Taki remains in the Adi language) to folk-indie, and at Ziro, you’ll find a star in the making.

Signal W

Goa-based act Signal W are directing to Ziro Festival of Music in Arunachal Pradesh in September, and the band’s swirling electronic-alternative noise is bound to discover brand-new takers. It’s been 2 years considering that the release of their 2nd album,Wonder How We Got Hereand the live variation of tunes like “Bejewel” rather properly match music celebration grandiosity.