Mahindra Blues Festival 2026: Here's all you need to know about the lineup for the 14th edition

Weeks after announcing the dates for the upcoming edition, Mahindra Blues Festival, which is set to take place on February 14 and 15 in 2026, has now announced an interesting lineup for the two-day blues music festival in Mumbai. 

This year’s lineup marks the reunion of several of the festival's legends, along with artists who have captivated audiences with their distinct interpretations of the genre at the iconic Mehboob Studios in Bandra.
 
It spans generations and geographies. From multi-award-winning artists to homegrown acts, to young voices defining blues in the new era. Across both evenings, the audience will witness soul-stirring music, gritty basslines, soaring trumpets, and defiant pulsing through every performance.
 
Matt Schofield, one of the prominent names in the British blues scene, performs on Day 1 of the festival. With over 30 years of experience commanding stages, including 20 years of his solo act, his artistry lies in channelling deep emotion through every note, his improvisational brilliance leaving the audience spellbound. He is the first guitarist inducted into the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame, marking his return after his first appearance in the first edition of the festival. 
 
All the way from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the dynamic quintet, Altered Five Blues Band, has been dominating charts and ruling hearts since 2002. The collective’s frontman and singer, Jeff Taylor, may remind you of legends like Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King, but his smooth, buttery voice remains authentic and unmistakably his own. The group has remained at the forefront of contemporary blues for over a decade, and now the band is all set to make the audience groove to its tunes on day one of the festival.
 
Multi-Grammy Award nominee, Shemekia Copeland, will grace the Mahindra Blues Festival’s stage again. Daughter of the legendary blues artist Johnny Copeland, Shemekia’s music is shaping the soundtrack of modern America—powerful, ferocious, and hopeful. The Harlem-born artist established herself as a powerful blues and R&B artist at the age of 18 with debut album Turn The Heat Up. After mesmerizing the blues fans with her acts in 2011 and 2017, she is bringing back her deeply soulful roots voice which will be a perfect end to the power-packed first day.
 
India’s original blues-rock pioneers, Blackstratblues, returns to the festival. Founded by Warren Mendonsa, the collective made instrumental blues cool. Composed of drummer Jai Row Kavi, bassist Adil Mistry, and keyboardist Beven Fonseca, this quartet has seamlessly infused electronic and psychedelic influences, while also drawing heavily from ‘60s and ‘70s blues-based melodic rock. The collective’s inspirational work led to the Soulstrat Saloon, a stage named as a tribute to them at the festival.
 
Amidst this wave of a renewed interest in blues, young voices like D.K. Harrell are taking the baton forward. His debut album Talkin’ Heavy has already made him the defining voice of this generation.
  
The 27-year-old's musicality is adventurous, exploratory, and a fusion of traditional music and contemporary compositions. The 14th Edition marks his debut at Asia's biggest celebration of blues.
 
Central to this resurgence, we must acknowledge Eric Gales, who has become a driving force in this new era. With a unique style and a genre-defying grunge sound, the Grammy-nominated artist has easily become a favourite in the blues circuit. Recently, he was featured on the soundtrack of Ryan Coogler’s globally acclaimed and smash-hit horror film Sinners. This isn't his first rodeo at the festival. In 2017, he was a guest feature with the headliner Supersonic Blues Machine. Now, the Memphis blue-rocker is all set to bring the house down with his act, transporting the audience in a musical trance.
 
Talking about the 14th edition of the festival, Jay Shah, who is the vice president, Cultural Outreach at the Mahindra Group, said, “We are witnessing a growing interest in blues. This cultural shift is significant, as there are so many talented individuals and pioneers who are striving to preserve and propel the magic of this genre. This year’s line-up is as diverse as it can get, an act from the homeland, a British act, along with veterans and the future voices. This gives us hope that through our efforts, the globe is becoming a unified village, basking in the glory of the blues.”
 
VG Jairam, founder of Hyperlink Solutions, said, “The world is rediscovering the resilience, love, and power that blues holds. Blues has been one of the genres that told diverse and authentic stories in the most audacious ways. Like every edition, we have an ensemble of the best talents across the world coming together for evenings filled with love, hope, and everything Blues.”
 
Like the past two editions, the Mahindra Blues Festival will continue its tradition of giving a platform to the young artists through the Kanakia Beatz Crew and Nanhi Kali Choir. The girls performing are part of one of the company’s philanthropic endeavours called the Nanhi Kali Project, a programme helping the underprivileged girls to continue their education. While empowering young girls, the festival also nurtures and promotes young artists through The Big Blues Band Hunt competition. The winning band performs at the Garden Stage during the festival.