Five new and very distinct voices are shaping Indian and global music through genre defying sounds, cultural narratives, and bold experimentation.
Reble
Reble’s work is twenty-first century world music; angry, irreverent, unapologetic and on occasion, giddy. Her songs are about aggression, women’s bodily autonomy, diversity, struggles and especially, her beleaguered North Eastern homeland. Her recent single, Set It Off, in collaboration with Kim the Beloved, who is also from the North-East, is a standout track. With its technical prowess, relentless beats and impressive hook, Reble’s flow is unyielding, further solidifying her place in the rap scene.
Excise Dept
Excise Dept is a Mumbai/New Delhi artist collective known for blending surreal visuals with genre-bending music. Formed during the pandemic, the group quickly built a reputation for its unconventional, satirical style. Excise Dept’s debut album Sab Kuch Mil Gaya Mujhe Vol. 1 (SKMGM), was years in the making, and the band breathed a sigh of relief upon its release. Listeners were struck by how deeply fans engaged: people scrutinized lyrics, hunted for Easter eggs on the website, and spun elaborate lore around their universe, exactly the kind of interaction they had hoped for.
Radhika Vekaria
Grammy-nominated, multi-instrumentalist and sensory artist, Radhika Vekaria was born with a gift; a flair for reciting the most sacred scripts without losing her breath. Before Radhika could even speak, at the age of two, she was singing perfect melodies and devotional songs, hitting the perfect pitch, without even knowing what they meant. Today, she resides in Los Angeles, with a Grammy nomination under her belt, where she infuses her music with the wisdom of ancient Sanskrit narratives, blending tradition with innovation.
Sijya Gupta
Sijya Gupta is a composer, producer and designer who grew up in Delhi, surrounded by a family who were neither musical nor artistic so it was quite a magical surprise for her to gravitate to the arts. Her first inclination was explored through Visual Arts she delved into while at NID. Her latest EP was a bold, visceral dive into raw textures and unfiltered emotion, and marked a pivotal chapter in her sonic evolution. From distorted synths run through abused guitar pedals to lyrics that linger in ambiguity, Leather & Brass is an exploration of weight, density, and contrast in sound and sentiment.
Dhanji
Jayraj ‘Dhanji’ Ganatra burst onto the Indian hip-hop scene from the unassuming city of Amdavad, Gujarat. From the outset, he chose to rap in Gujarati, a bold move in a music industry dominated by Hindi & Punjabi rap music. When asked about performing in his native tongue, Dhanji was clear that Gujarati was integral to his identity. This authenticity set Dhanji apart early on, as he honed his craft through a run of seven genre-bending mixtapes before announcing himself to the world with a bang with his debut album, Ruab. Ruab, hailed as ‘one of the most innovative projects of the year’ for its Motown- and funk-inspired hip-hop, exemplifies his genre-blurring approach.
Words Platform Desk
Date 22.12.2025