Havells mYOUsic
India's music landscape is filled with stories waiting to be heard. Across cities, smaller towns, college campuses and independent music communities, aspiring musicians are writing, composing, performing and experimenting with sounds of their own. While digital platforms have made it easier than ever to share music, finding the right opportunities, industry guidance and resources to turn creative potential into a sustainable artistic journey remains a challenge for many.
The question, therefore, is no longer just about discovering talent. It is about what happens after that discovery.
This is the space that Havells mYOUsic, a grassroots artist-development initiative by Havells India, in collaboration with WPP Media and The Shakti Collective, seeks to address. Built around the idea of discovering, nurturing and amplifying independent musical talent, the initiative looks beyond the audition stage to give emerging artists an opportunity to experience the larger process of creating, developing and presenting original music.
The journey began with a nationwide talent discovery drive that received over 3,000 registrations and conducted more than 750 offline auditions across three cities: Delhi, Indore and Dumka. The auditions brought together aspiring singers, musicians, composers and performers, creating a platform for talent from diverse backgrounds and musical influences to be discovered.
But the initiative was designed to go much further than selecting performers.
The next phase brought together 40 shortlisted artists for an immersive creative bootcamp at Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, where the focus shifted from individual auditions to collective music-making. Over the course of the programme, the participants worked towards creating 25 original tracks, gaining exposure to different stages of the music-making process, including songwriting, composition, music production, recording, performance development and visual storytelling.
The bootcamp was envisioned as a hands-on learning environment where artists could experiment, collaborate and understand what it takes to take an original idea from its earliest stages to a finished musical property. Beyond developing their own compositions, participants had the opportunity to work alongside fellow musicians, exchange creative perspectives and experience the discipline and collaboration involved in professional music production.
An important part of this journey was the opportunity to interact with established names from the music and creative industries. Osho Jain, Laksh Maheshwari, Faheem Abdullah, Vishal Chaturvedi and Sadhu Tiwari were among the guests and industry voices associated with the programme. Their presence brought different perspectives on music, performance, creative practice and the realities of working in the industry, giving participants an opportunity to learn through direct interaction and experience.
Music director Sadhu Tiwari, during his interaction with the participants, emphasised the importance of consistency and sustained practice in an artist's journey. Drawing from his own experiences, he encouraged the musicians to remain committed to their craft, reminding them that talent must be supported by discipline and years of dedicated effort.
Singer Faheem Abdullah also shared his perspective on the importance of finding an audience as an emerging artist. His interaction highlighted how encouragement and acknowledgement can become important sources of confidence for musicians who are still discovering their creative identities.
The programme also extended beyond music-making into the visual and performance aspects of an artist's journey. Participants engaged in recording sessions, music video shoots, interviews, rehearsals and live performance preparation. This allowed them to understand how an original composition can evolve into a complete creative offering, with its own sound, visual language and identity.
The final showcase brought together the work developed during the bootcamp, offering an opportunity for the participants to present their music and the progress they had made through the programme. It also marked an important milestone in the initiative's larger journey: moving from talent discovery to the creation of original musical content.
What makes this approach relevant is its recognition that an artist's development does not happen in isolation. Access to recording facilities, experienced mentors, creative collaborators and opportunities to perform can make a significant difference to musicians who may have the talent but lack the ecosystem to take their work forward.
For Havells mYOUsic, the bootcamp is one part of a larger journey. The next phase will see the release of all 25 original tracks, followed by their respective music videos, taking the work created during the programme beyond the campus and introducing it to audiences across India. The audio releases will be rolled out from November, followed by the music video releases in December 2026.
The upcoming releases will also give the initiative an opportunity to extend its reach through media, radio, digital platforms and music communities, helping create visibility for the original work and the artists behind it.
At a time when conversations around independent music often focus on streaming numbers, viral moments and digital discovery, Havells mYOUsic brings attention back to an equally important part of the ecosystem: the process of helping artists develop their craft and create something original.
Ultimately, the initiative is built on a simple belief: talent can emerge from anywhere, but it needs the right opportunities to grow. By bringing together grassroots discovery, mentorship, collaborative creation, professional production and a pathway to wider audiences, Havells mYOUsic is attempting to make that journey more accessible.
Because the next generation of Indian music may already be creating its sound in places we haven't looked closely enough. Sometimes, all it needs is the right platform to be heard.
