Maed in India

It’s our birthday week, month, YEAAAR. Maed in India turns 10 and we’re still feeling emo, nostalgic, and very, very proud. As we blow out the candles on a decade of discovering awesome Indian independent music, we’re throwing it back to one of our most jam-packed years yet: 2016. We dropped a wild 45 episodes that year - a fever dream of folk, punk, blues, alt-rock and more. While most bands are still kicking and many others have bloomed onto the scene, some vanished into the great indie abyss, and others live on only in our headphones and hearts.  Tune into this Best Of special to hear everything from the then up-and-coming The F16s, "suburban" punk band Punk on Toast, Gowri Jayakumar in her many avatars, and much much more. We also feature the heart-on-his-sleeve Vernon Noronha, virtuoso guitarist Aditya Balani singing long songs, and a musical breakdown by guitar nerd Warren Mendonsa. This re-release is introduced by our Head of Video, Jishnu Guha, who once sang on our mic and now spends most of his time making sure our videos come to life. He’s here to remind you (and himself) why we’re still doing this 10 years later. So hit play and celebrate the year 2016 that was part music, part existential crisis.   Song List: Gowri - WaterLilly (03:29 - 06:06) The F16s - Blackboard (07:13 - 10:33) The Tripp - Minor Blues (11:21 - 14:21) Vernon Noronha - Come Back Jack (15:09 - 20:34) Warren Mendonsa - Folkish Three (21:30 - 23:04) Punk On Toast - For Hire (23:44 - 26:33) Barefaced Liar - Chocolate (27:17 - 30:01) Aditya Balani - 1979 (30:41 - 34:03)   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Instagram: @maemariyam Twitter: @maebemaebe Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Meghna Gulati Sound Edited & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Artwork: Alika Gupta

We're 10 years old!!! And we’re still reelin’, reminiscing, and replaying the bangers that made our indie hearts beat faster.   This week, we’re flashing back to the not so distant past - our Best of 2023 – a year that gave us Assamese jazz-pop, Urdu blues, Punjabi folk, and a Marathi abhanga with a guitar solo that’s soooo good, it deserves its own Aadhaar card.    We even celebrated our 300th episode that featured a cult band from the early 2000s, and went gaga over a shoegaze dream pop  band from Nepal who put across a strong case that momos from Nepal were the best EVVVAAAAAA!   This re-release comes with a fresh intro by Senior Producer Ruchi — whose official review of the episode is just one word: “CHILLS.”   So plug in, get comfy, and vibe out to the voices that made 2023 unforgettable.   Song List: Zero - Take Me Away (04:32 - 09:32) Sampriti - Xathor (10:07 - 16:02) Sameer Rahat - Tasalli (17:37 - 23:02) Banat - Daachi Waaleya (23:38 - 27:09) Swarupa Ananth - Happy Dance (27:54 - 30:54) Abhanga Repost - Aise Kaise Zhale Bhondu (32:14 - 37:47) Nimisha Shankar - Duniya (39:32 - 42:33) Phosphenes - Are You Gonna Leave Me? (44:14 - 48:18)   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Instagram: @maemariyam Twitter: @maebemaebe Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Meghna Gulati Sound Edited & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Artwork: Alika Gupta

Maed in India turns 10! And the party continues as we throwback to the Best of 2015: Part Deux to celebrate a whole decade of Maed magic!   Though this was released originally in 2016, it’s looking back at 2015. It features artists who were just beginning to make waves, songs that didn’t even have names, and even a track that became our studio engineer’s ringtone. True story.   This repackaged gem comes with a fresh intro by our senior producer Meghna who didn’t witness the chaos of 2015, but still got hit by the feels. Was it nostalgia? Or the questionable food order?   So grab your headphones, time travel with us, and soak in that indie acoustic goodness.   Song List: Prathamesh Tambe - Summertime Salvage (03:33 - 08:35) Zoya Mohan - What’s Done Is Done (09:13 - 11:36) Tejas - Make It Happen (12:50 - 17:20) Awkward Bong - Waste the Night Away (17:49 - 21:22) Alisha Pais - Purple Heart (22:31 - 26:01) Jose Neil Gomes - Tree Outside (26:41 - 32:04) Nirmika Singh - Khilaune (33:14 - 36:00) Rohit Vasudevan - Untitled1 (36:47 - 39:29) Stones From The Sun - People In The Sun (39:50 - 43:10)   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Instagram: @maemariyam Twitter: @maebemaebe Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Meghna Gulati Sound Edited & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Artwork: Alika Gupta

IT’S BEEN 1O YEARS! Yes, shocking but true, 10 years of Maed in India means it’s time for us to show off some of the awesome music we’ve had on the show. You’ll be getting a blast from bast as we celebrate Maed in India’s 10th BIRTHDAY!    Today, we’re throwing it waaay back to where the magic began… in 2015 (the same year Hotline Bling was haunting us). This was the first time Mae picked her fave unplugged performances from the earliest days of Maed in India — when our mics were held together by hope, a borrowed mic, and a semi-functional bar stool.   In this throwback edition, you’ll hear everything from Nikhil D’Souza crooning about secret relationships, Mae talking about how she got ruthlessly roasted by Laxmi Bomb, and music by bands who have long since vanished from the scene.   Bonus: This repackaged throwback is introduced by Kartik, our Head of Audio and keeper of all sonic secrets. 10 years on, and we’re still geeking out about great sound.   So plug in and step back in time to some indie nostalgia, a generous dash of sass and to a bunch of acoustic sessions we never want to forget.   Song List: Nikhil D’Souza - Amelie (03:59 - 06:50) Last Remaining Light - Conclusions (07:48 - 12:49) Laxmi Bomb - Kitto and a Penny (13:55 - 17:47) Marshall & the Mischief - Don't Underestimate (19:19 - 23:23) Ankur Tewari - Wagairah Wagairah (24:50 - 28:01) Duncun Rufus - The New Song (29:38 - 34:43) Akash Vincent - She (35:51 - 39:53) Mohit Mukhi - In My Head (40:45 - 43:14) The Koniac Net - Crawling (45:01 - 48:15) Vasuda Sharma - Never Lose Heart (48:56 - 51:21)   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Instagram: @maemariyam Twitter: @maebemaebe Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Meghna Gulati Sound Edited & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Artwork: Alika Gupta

For the final episode of our Lost & Found series, Kolkata-bred dream-pop duo Parekh & Singh chat with Mae about how their musical upbringing influenced their songwriting today, why they aren’t called “Zap” anymore, and the story of the classic tailor who makes their signature suits. They also dive deep into the making of The Night is Clear, an album that’s as personal as it is dreamy. Some episodes are too special to be left behind - good thing we found this one. Note: Nischay and Jivraj via a post on Instagram in February 2025 announced that they were bidding farewell to Parekh & Singh. Maed in India wish them all the best and will continue to follow their work as loyal fans.    Song List (Audio): The Nightingale (01:57 - 05:15) Ocean (20:09 - 24:59) King (48:07 - 52:00)   Parekh & Singh is: Nischay Parekh on vocals and lead guitar Jivraj Singh on synths   Follow Parekh & Singh: Instagram @parekhandsingh Facebook @parekhandsingh Twitter @parekhandsingh   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producers: Shaun Fanthome, Husein Haveliwala, Nikkethana Kamal, Sean D’mello, Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Social Media Managers: Meghna Gulati and Natasha Vakil Content: Quoyina Ghosh Music Mixed by: Aria Nanji Recorded at Island City Studios

For the final episode of our Lost & Found series, we’re handing over the aux to Maed in India’s Head of Admin, HR, Production Coordinator, and all-round boss lady, Natasha. She's cooked up a mixtape packed with the most gangsta tracks, perfect to hype you up on a lame day, a much needed boost of confidence when you’re feeling low, or even a sneaky dance break during an awkward conversation.  So plug in, turn up the volume, and let Natasha take you on a ride through some of the freshest beats in the indie rap scene.   Song List: Fat Krrent - Bade Bhai (01:59 - 05:36) Akhil OSO - Mission Accomplished (07:05 - 08:48) Bramoz - Swerve (09:27 - 10:52) Brave Wrld - Bluetick (11:46 - 13:57) Pratika (ft. Prabhuneigh) - Growing Up (16:00 - 19:45)   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia Facebook @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Natasha Vakil Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Meghna Gulati Audio Assembly, Edit, Sound Design, Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati and Natasha Vakil Content: Quoyina Ghosh Recorded at Island City Studios

Next up in our Lost & Found series, we’re bringing you an episode that proves music and self-discovery go hand in hand. Mae is joined by indie-pop singer-songwriter and producer Atteev. They also chat about his Ed Sheeran sad boy days, balancing a nine-to-five business career with his musical pursuits, his love for efficiency (I’m talking about Lima Sigma Seven Ninja Black Belt… whaaaaat), and how he has come to harness his anxiety disorder to help him be more productive. He also performs a single, and two songs from his EP Look How Far We've Come. This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt torn between two worlds, cause he's here to tell you, you don’t have to choose.    * This episode was recorded on 18 January 2023. Atteev’s EP dropped on 17 March 2023.    Song List: Look How Far We've Come (01:49 - 05:06) Where You Going? (19:27 - 21:56) Fitoor (37:42 - 40:24)    Follow Atteev: Instagram @atteevmusic Twitter @atteevmusic Facebook @atteev   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Husein Haveliwala, Nikkethana Kamal, Sean D’mello, Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati and Natasha Vakil Content: Quoyina Ghosh Music Mixed by: Aria Nanji Recorded at Island City Studios

Ever lost something so good you kicked yourself for it? Well, we did. But lucky for you, we’ve found it! Welcome to our Lost & Found series, which features episodes we recorded but you’ve not had the chance to see! On the episode we’ve got brothers Sarthak and Shashwat Karkare with their rock duo, St. Cyril.   If spending every waking minute with each other wasn’t enough, then why not start a SECOND band together! Out with their debut album, Hurt People Hurt People, vocalist and guitarist Sarthak and drummer Shashwat take us through their telepathic abilities, why their songs bear the hallmark of their 80s/90s influences, why self-awareness is the key to breaking cycles of hurt, the struggles of creating basslines without a bassist, and hopefully they’ll invite us to that neighbourhood block party we’ve coaxed them into doing.   Song List: Trouble (01:55 - 05:20) Twice Over (15:35 - 18:48) My Therapist Says (32:58 - 35:56) I Got You (42:56 - 46:08)   Follow St. Cyril: Instagram @stcyrilmusic   St. Cyril is:  Sarthak Karkare on vocals and lead guitar Shashwat Karkare on drums   Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Husein Haveliwala, Ruchi Sawardekar, Sean D’mello, Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional Engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati and Natasha Vakil Content: Quoyina Ghosh Music Mixed by: Aria Nanji Recorded at Island City Studios

Pulling up at the best station from this nation, we have the Ladies Special coming in with Producer & chillwave, trip hop electronica artist from Delhi, Tarana Marwah aka Komorebi. She’s out with a new record that released in Sept 2023 called The Fall. It was a behemoth multimedia project that was 6 years in the making and includes a 6-song album, a 30-page comic book and music videos made with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. We talk about how family is our kryptonite and invariably the greatest inspiration for her work; how collaboration, as much as it’s fulfilling can also be intimidating; and whether it’s a soliloquy or an intergalactic sci-fi story every record is autobiographical. Also, Tarana is on the lookout for a good choreographer for her next musical venture.    Song List: The Fall (01:15 to 06:51) Watch Out (17:14 to 21:15) Better Not Bitter (26:30 to 31:57) I Grew Up (48:22 to 54:11)   Follow Komorebi on Instagram    Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Sean D'mello, Ruchi Sawardekar  Content & Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional Engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Artwork Design by Alika Gupta Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Music Mixed by: Aria Nanji Recorded at Island City Studios

Halt all engines! For the 2nd instalment of our #LadiesSpecial, our train has taken us to jazz pop singer songwriter and budding actor Aditi Saigal, aka Dot.. Tune in as we find out about the first song she ever wrote (filled with that glorious youthful angst we know and love), as well as how she began playing piano at age of 6 and composing at the age of 12.  Mae and Aditi bond over their Welsh connection, and she reveals how her return to India led to her first tattoo, the making of a brand new album and acting in Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies. She also performs 3 brilliant unreleased tracks, one of which she wrote 3 days before she came to record with us.    Song List: Faster (01:26 to 03:55) What Edie Said (23:52 to 27:33) Girl’s Night (34:47 to 38:20)   Follow Dot. on Instagram    Accompanying artists Aoife O’ Brian   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Sean D'mello, Ruchi Sawardekar  Content & Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional Engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Artwork Design by Alika Gupta Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Music Mixed by: Hersh Desai Recorded at Island City Studios

Choo choo! Yaatri kripya dhyaan dein… Mumbai ki Maed in India Ladies special will be releasing a new episode every week in March, with women who inspire us in all the right ways. Agle station ki tayyaari rakhein.   Opening this season is **drumroll** hip hop artist, singer, and metal vocalist: Pratika. She spills the beans about her days growling into a mic when she was barely a teenager for her brother’s band Chronic Phobia, finding her safe place among metalheads, we even talk about Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life, as well as how her music channels a powerful feminine rage.   Song List (Audio): Ever Wondered (02:06 to 05:46) Growing Up (17:25 to 21:12)  Same Mistake (43:28 - 47:15) Follow Pratika: Instagram  Twitter   Accompanying artists Roop Thomas on Bass Reinhardt Dias on Acoustic guitar Pritesh Prabhune (PrabhuNeigh) on Synths, Tracks, Percussion Shishir Tao on Drums   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Sean D'mello, Ruchi Sawardekar  Content & Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional Engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Artwork Design by Alika Gupta Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Music Mixed by: Harsh Karmakar Music Mix Supervision: Ashyar Balsara & Jehangir Jehangir Recorded at Island City Studios

Here’s a very special episode of Maed in India.  You may have heard of this very cool gig called the Red Bull Tour Bus. It’s a behemoth music tour that travels across India, bringing you extraordinary Indian indie performances. It’s now been 10 years since it started and recently, our very own Mae Mariyam Thomas along with fellow music aficionados Nirmika Singh and Amit Gurbaxani were the judges got to judge the Red Bull Off The Roof Band Hunt, where young artists or bands have the chance to play the gig of a lifetime. Though they were spoiled for choice with the talent there had to be one winner - soul R&B crew Queendom!    Brecilla D'Souza and Damini Gautam are back (check out their 2021 Ladies Special episode here) and with their whole band in tow and new unreleased music to share.   Learn how to manifest a performance on Red Bull Off The Roof tour bus, the power of 3 part harmonies, why the stage is their safe space and of course, what it really means to be a queen and making that word less la di da.    Song List (Audio): Pussy Talk (01:41 - 07:09) Colony (16:11 - 18:26) Search for Meaning (31:26 - 35:42)   Follow Queendom: Instagram @queendomindia   Queendom is:  Brecilla D'Souza on vocals Damini Gautam on vocals                      Accompanying artists Meera Desai on vocals Pratika on vocals Shivang Kapadia on drums                     Pranav Kamat on electric guitar Adi Ahir on bass guitar   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Sean D'mello, Ruchi Sawardekar  Content & Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional Engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Music Mixed by: Jehangir Jehangir Recorded at Island City Studios

On the special occasion of Sri Lanka’s Independence Day on Feb 4th, Mae sits down with Sri Lankan reggae/dub/rock band, The Soul. They chat about the band's insistence on NOT being a cover band and making only original music (and being a broke musician in the process), the sad sad situation of Sri Lanka’s economy but also how it’s not sad and everything is perfectly fine (right?). When talking about their music it ranges from dystopian futures and reflections on political turmoil all the way to the woes of being a struggling independent artist. Oh and they teach Mae some Sinhalese too (whether it was successful or not you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out).   Song List (Audio): Dancer Wake (01:13 - 06:35) Light Bringer (25:52 - 32:27) Lucky Child (38:38 - 48:34) Grasshopper (57:16 - 1:04:41)   Follow The Soul: Instagram @thesoulsrilanka Facebook @thesoulsrilanka The Soul is:  Dave Roberts on vocals Khazim Miskin on lead guitar Uvindu Perera on bass Sarani Perera on rhythm guitar Divanka Sewmin on drums   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Producer: Shaun Fanthome, Nikkethana Kamal, Ruchi Sawardekar  Content & Social Media Manager: Meghna Gulati Sound Editing & Additional Engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Video Editing by: Jishnu Guha Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Music Mixed by: Ashyar Balsara Recorded at Island City Studios

This week on the show, we have bass player and producer NATE08 joining Mae in the studio. They discuss his debut full length album Furaha, from which he performs three songs with a little help from Jeremy D'souza on drums, Sid Shirodkar on keys, Harsh Gadhvi on the guitar, and Azamaan Hoyvoy on vocals. Nate also tells us about how his dad bought him his first bass, how a good drum-bass pairing comes together, and how he approaches sessions gigs and making his own music differently.   —   Song List: Trigger Fool ft. Azamaan Hoyvoy (00:51 - 04:41) Furaha (16:18 - 19:38) Cold Muse (30:40 - 33:17)   —   Follow NATE08: Instagram @nate08music Twitter @nate08music Facebook @nate08music   Band: Jeremy D'souza on drums Sid Shirodkar on keys Harsh Gadhvi on the guitar Azamaan Hoyvoy on vocals   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Twitter: @maebemaebe Instagram: @maemariyam Sound Editing & Additional engineering by: Lakshman Parsuram Episode Mixed & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Husein Haveliwala Music Mixed by: Hersh Desai Recorded at Island City Studios

It's that time of the year again, where we settle into changing 2023 to 2024 in our diary. However, before we completely say goodbye to 2023, Mae brings you the Best of 2023 (and no we’re not talking about that bikini vacation in Andaman), with her favourite music performances from the ghosts of Maed in India’s past! From celebrating 300 episodes with a cult band from the early 2000s, to Assamese jazz-pop, Urdu blues, Punjabi folk and a Marathi abhanga with a guitar solo that’ll knock your socks off! Tune in now on the podcast platform of your choice for our #MaedinIndia #Bestof2023   — Song List: Zero - Take Me Away (02:40 - 07:40) Sampriti - Xathor (08:15 - 14:10) Sameer Rahat - Tasalli (15:44 - 21:10) Banat - Daachi Waaleya (21:46 - 25:17) Swarupa Ananth - Happy Dance (26:02 - 29:02)  Abhanga Repost - Aise Kaise Zhale Bhondu (30:22 - 35:55) Nimisha Shankar - Duniya (37:40 - 40:39) Phosphenes - Are You Gonna Leave Me? (42:22 - 46:27)   Come be our friend: Facebook @maedinindia Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia   CREDITS: Host: Mae Mariyam Thomas Producer: Shaun Fanthome Audio Editor Post: Kartik Kulkarni