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From Javed Akhtar’s call to preserve Indian music to Adnan Sami’s musical journey, here’s everything that shaped the opening day

The 9th edition of All About Music kicked off with Chandni Soni, Business Head of Create and Collab, setting the tone with a welcome note around this year’s theme: “Momentum – Turning Moments into Movements.”

In his keynote address, Vikram Mehra, MD of Saregama India, shared valuable insights into the evolving Indian music landscape.

The session “Past to Future: The Enduring Legacy of Indian Music” featured renowned lyricist and composer Javed Akhtar, who spoke passionately about the importance of keeping Indian music alive and relevant for younger audiences.

Victoria Oakley, Chief Executive of IFPI, highlighted the inclusion of India in IFPI’s global charts and underlined the immense potential of the Indian music market. She also emphasized the need for government support, citing how K-pop has been backed in South Korea, and suggested that similar initiatives could transform the Indian industry.

In a candid conversation with Bobin James, singer Sid Sriram advised emerging artists to look beyond labels of “Indian” or “Western” music, stressing that music is inherently international. He encouraged musicians to explore their unique sound and reminded the audience that Indian music is not limited to meditative traditions, but is as diverse as the country itself.

At “The Art of Vocal Production” session, Sunny MR discussed how shorter song durations today are making music production more flexible and creative.

During the panel “Levelling Up the Art of Live,” singer Kavya spoke about envisioning every element of a performance—from colors and design to choreography, lights, and sound. She also stressed that collaboration is the driving force for independent artists.

In the session “Gaana – Home of True Fans,” Udit Tyagi and Indira Rangarajan emphasized that music must be valued and paid for, as creativity cannot come free. They also showcased Gaana’s latest features, noting that it has become India’s first fully paid music streaming platform.

One of the most engaging moments came during “Lift Kara De”—a conversation between Adnan Sami and Atul Churamani of Turnkey Publishing. Sami reflected on his journey from a young pianist to one of India’s biggest pop icons of the 1990s. He also spoke about the role of autotune and fondly recalled his connection with Michael Jackson.

With such a power-packed Day One, music lovers are eagerly awaiting what Day Two will bring.

The Free Press Journal is a media partner for this mega event.