Kunal Merchant still feels odd calling himself an artist. The Houston-born Gujarati musician is part of Indo Warehouse, a South Asian music collective and label that he formed with Armaan Gupta, a.k.a. Kahani. The house act led a dazzling Coachella set which blazed the desert alight with vibrant costumes, dancers, percussionists and music.
As their music and culture colorfully burst to life in front of thousands of festival-goers, it was only afterwards they realized the enormity of the moment. "And having the crowd cheer the way they did was so validating because we specifically made our Coachella set to showcase our culture," Merchant tells GRAMMY.com. "We could’ve just tried to have the best DJ set, but we thought, If the world’s tuning in, how can we make their jaws drop, get them interested in our culture and convince them this region’s the next big thing? People got it and it was a great feeling."
While Indo Warehouse's Indio set certainly convinced Coachella attendees, they are part of a larger explosion in South Asian music. Sounds from India factor prominently in the global music landscape, and can be heard across genres. India has dominated streaming stats on Spotify, where global consumption of the country's music grew by more than 2,000 percent between 2018 and 2023.
Add in the rapid rise of Indian rapper Hanumankind – whose TikTok hit "Big Dawgs" broke the Billboard Global 200 chart’s Top 10 — and superstars such as Ed Sheeran and Martin Garrix collaborating with acts like Arijit Singh, and if ever there was a time for Merchant to feel at ease shouting his occupation from the rooftops, it’s now.
"We're building this entity and every day’s like [chipping away at] a block of ice that's slowly melting," says Merchant. "I was just in the studio working with another artist and am finding myself more comfortable wearing that [artist] hat … hopefully soon, I’ll be fully convinced this is my profession."
It’s not that Merchant and New York native Gupta aren’t comfortable and confident as musicians; cultural tradition long steered many Asian communities away from creative paths. Only in recent decades have youth more frequently and fervently explored artistic professions. Increased exposure to Western sounds and the pandemic have propelled development of contemporary music in places like India, with ripple effects to diaspora communities.
Learn more: 6 Indian Hip-Hop Artists To Know: Hanumankind, Pho, Chaar Diwaari & More
Spotify’s explosive growth since its 2019 launch in India has meanwhile propelled local artists to the world stage (Indian musicians were discovered on the platform more than 11 billion times in 2024, up by 13 percent from 2023), while a large youth market (40 percent of the population is reportedly under the age of 25) and an increase in disposable incomes has hoisted it to a touring powerhouse. Subsequently, the country’s global impact is now undeniable.
The appetite for Indian beats has long existed, whether it was GRAMMY-winning 2008 Slumdog Millionaire hit "Jai Ho," chart-toppers like Jay Sean’s "Down" or Timbaland sampling Bollywood classics or using instruments like tambi and tabla while producing Missy Elliott’s 2001 smash "Get Your Freak On."
Shifting from Bollywood to Billboard charts
In the early 2000s, the Internet gave South Asian communities heavier exposure to international music. Missouri native Abhi Kanakadandila began noticing changes during his family’s yearly visits to Hyderabad, India.
"It started with friends transitioning from consuming film music to international music," says Kanakadandila, who co-founded Los Angeles label D36 to support South Asian artists in 2021. "In 2009, they were listening to Drake just like I was. But what evolved was this proliferation of contemporary homegrown music."
Kanakadandila says he saw friends listening to Indian "versions of Drake or Ariana Grande." But rather than simply aping North American convention, "It was all rooted in local language, whether it was Hindi hip-hop, Pakistani electronic pop or the singer/songwriter scene."
By 2018, he continues, South Asian music (that is, music that wasn’t made for film) was here to stay. At the same time, he noticed diaspora communities in New York and L.A. were also starting to make contemporary music. Kanakadandila adds that unlike region-originating genres like K-pop, South Asian music developed across multiple genres and languages, and exploded as COVID shut down Bollywood.
"There was no Bollywood music being released, so suddenly we saw singer/songwriters from India going from two to 10 million listeners," says Kanakadandila. "Shubh, Karan Aujla and AP Dhillon started to rip. It was the same with the indie scene in Pakistan."
"If you looked at India’s Spotify charts in 2020, 90 percent of the top 50 songs would’ve been film songs, but yesterday, six of the top 10 records were non-film records," says Kanakadandila.
Producer and DJ Diplo moved to India for five months in 2001 and saw first-hand how the industry revolved around Bollywood. He continued to follow Indian music and return to the country over the next two decades. "In the last 20 years, we’ve seen an advent of rap and pop and the music’s shifted from [Bollywood] soundtracks to promoted artists. It’s become really progressive," he tells GRAMMY.com. "They've always been great at fusion — Indian soundtracks from the ‘70s to 2000s would take psychedelic rock and add Indian rhythms or vocals, or they’d get Snoop Dogg in a movie. They've always been able to take different sounds and create something new, or just make straight pop or rock music."
South Asian hip-hop has become particularly notable, with Punjabi Canadian rapper Karan Aujla and Houston-raised Hanumankind, whose "Big Dawgs" video has 234 million YouTube views. "Hanumankind’s really special because of the power of his video and how it gets people excited about the culture," says Diplo. "People now want to visit India for well of death parties!"
Guitar rock acts like New Delhi-based Peter Cat Recording Co., Indian New Zealand country singer Keith Pereira (who made such a fan out of Zac Brown Band’s Caroline Jones that she co-produced his first single, "Yeehaw") and Minnesota pop/dance queen Debbii Dawson are also on the rise. Dawson landed a co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music and Katy Perry’s Unsub Publishing after Perry declared her a "rare find and someone I believe has the brightest of futures ahead as an artist, songwriter, and creative force."
Read more: Peter Cat Recording Co. In 'BETA' Mode: How The Elusive Indian Band Melds Sounds & Sincerity
Meanwhile, house music has long integrated South Asian sounds. It helps that Diplo, as one of the world’s most influential DJs, credits India for shaping his musical journey. The three-time GRAMMY-winner was 20 as he motorcycled around Delhi and Gujarat with a keyboard and speaker.
"There weren’t many clubs, so I would go to random people’s weddings and that was my introduction to the [live] music," he says. "There were also sketchy bars in Delhi which had crazy shisha/tabla s— going on. That was fascinating."
Diplo’s not the only leading DJ inspired by the region. Dutch DJ and producer Martin Garrix recently spent time in Bollywood starArijit Singh’s West Bengal hometown recording tracks like "Weightless" and "Angels for Each Other."
Indian DJs are increasingly adding to the mix, including a wave of female talent. Indian acts like Shilpi Sharma, DJ Rink, JSMN and Suggahunny, who went viral performing from a rickshaw, are continuing to grow their global fanbases.
With dance music experiencing another surge in popularity, it's no surprise that groups like Indo Warehouse have been celebrated on global stages. But what largely sets them apart is how they celebrate their culture while elevating fellow South Asian creators, whether it’s by incorporating rising singers like Anvaya, garba dancers or dhol (a type of drum) players in their performances.
It’s a contrast to Kunal Merchant’s childhood, during which he shunned his parents’ love for classical Indian music and Bollywood. "The most beautiful thing about our journey now is rediscovering things I put aside when I was younger. I watch Bollywood movies with such joy now," he says.
Young Gupta, meanwhile, was obsessed with Bollywood. "I'd see [actor] Hrithik Roshan dancing and think, ‘I gotta dance like this guy.’ But I was one of six brown kids at school, so I didn't have anyone to share it with."
Nor did music seem a realistic career. Gupta imagined a future in tech startups, while Merchant worked in advertising then at Meta, where he fed his music obsession by DJing company events.
While engrossed in house music during a Mexico trip, Gupta noticed a lack of South Asian offerings. He made a playlist of songs he found and began experimenting with making samples, before bringing Merchant on board. Soon, their Indo Warehouse playlist became a burgeoning live act – and now it’s a radio show on Sirius XM’s Diplo’s Revolution channel.
"Our first live show, someone stopped me and said, ‘Thanks. We needed this,’" recalls Merchant. "It’s not just about us as creatives, but people wanting to hear their own music in clubs or event spaces. We’re giving people space to feel comfortable, proud and go, ‘That’s us.’"
"And for people who aren’t South Asian, our music’s so soulful they’re instantly transported to a different place. Then you add the percussive elements, dancing and fashion. People discover something new which we hope leaves them feeling inspired, excited and welcomed."
Eastern music has fewer technical limitations, which may be attractive to creators, Gupta notes. Where the Western or chromatic scale has 12 tones, there are an infinite number of sounds between tones on Eastern scales.
"If you explain that to someone who only knows Western music, it unlocks this new perspective of how they can create," he says. "That's why when musicians like Ed Sheeran are introduced to the A.R. Rahmans of the world, they're enamored. There’s a learning there you don't have access to unless you immerse yourself in it."
Tapping into the lucrative Indian market
Beyond the creative evolution, exploring India opportunities is ultimately a smart business move. "If you don’t have a strategy to tap into the South Asia market…you’re going to get left behind on the global charts," says Kanakadandila. "Folks who are collaborating there understand that. As international artists, historically they’ve ignored the region because the only way to enter was Bollywood, but now contemporary music's rise offers a more exciting sphere for the import and export of music."
British artists like Ed Sheeran and Coldplay (who filmed their "Hymn for the Weekend" video in Mumbai in 2015) have long been nurturing the Indian market. "They view India strategically and have built their fanbase through multiple emotional touchpoints, which means each time they return, they’re rewarded with fan love," says BookMyShow Live's Naman Pugalia, Business Officer – Live Events. "They shape their strategy with the understanding that the country’s poised to become the largest English-speaking market and possibly their biggest fanbase."
After their January shows in India, Coldplay re-released "We Pray," featuring their opening act Jasleen Royal. In February, Sheeran was joined on stage by A.R. Rahman in Chennai and Diljit Dosanjh in Mumbai. After gushing that he "fell in love" with Arijit Singh’s artistry, Sheeran also headed to West Bengal, where they collaborated for Sheeran’s forthcoming album, Play – which also features percussionist Ganesh Murali Iyer and Goa musicians.
Meanwhile, before the Bengaluru stop of his Who I Am tour, Nick Carter, who has recently released solo album Love Life Tragedy, shared hopes for an Indian collaboration. "I'm a drummer at heart, so I love the rhythm of Indian music," he tells GRAMMY.com. "Indian beats are some of the most incredible in the world – very unique and beautiful. I can envision doing an awesome pop song with an Indian artist. I learn more about Indian music every time I visit, and often Backstreet Boys fans reach out wanting to collaborate, so I’m very open to it."
Pugalia says BookMyShow Live – the main company bringing major American acts to India, which often works in collaboration with LiveNation – has worked with local clients to curate viral moments like Dosanjh and Rahman joining Sheeran onstage. While they may be strategic moves, such collaborations and tours have lasting creative impact.
"Touring in South Asia can reshape how artists think about songwriting, performance, and production," says Pugalia. "We’ve seen musicians return home with a renewed focus on fusion, collaboration, and cross-cultural storytelling."
That cross-border effect’s only set to continue given the region’s one of the fastest-growing live entertainment markets. In 2024, BookMyShow offered 30,687 live events across 319 Indian cities, marking 18 percent growth from 2023. Acts like Maroon 5, Backstreet Boys and Coldplay (who reportedly grossed $30.5 million across five shows) have toured there for the first time in their decades-long careers, with Travis Scott making his Indian debut next.
Pugalia says such tours demonstrate the region’s capacity to host major musical, comedy and theater events. "This is just the beginning," he says. "India’s no longer a wildcard on the touring circuit, but a permanent hotspot."
Most major labels now also have a South Asian presence on their rosters. To wit, Warner Music Group launched an Indian branch in 2020. Kanakadandila regularly monitors the scene on the ground in South Asia, so D36 can identify artists who will resonate internationally, as well as support diaspora acts. The label previously teamed up with Sony to re-release Pakistani band AUR’s hit "Tu Hai Kahan," featuring half-Pakistani One Direction star Zayn Malik.
Meanwhile, Canada-based 91 North Records launched to support artists of South Asian heritage, while entrepreneur Anjula Acharia teamed up with Warner Music Group to start 5 Junction Records to help South Asian artists crack North America. Their roster includes Nora Fatehi, who collaborated with Jason Derulo on "Snake," and rapper King, who re-released "Maan Meri Jaan" with Nick Jonas.
The flow-on effects can be felt throughout showbiz, with British singer/songwriter Luke Sital-Singh experiencing increasing demand for his music on-screen. Recently, his "Killing Me" soundtracked a tearjerker scene in The CW’s "Sullivan’s Crossing," attracting new listeners who subsequently explored his catalogue. In film, Bollywood track "Mera Joota Hai Japani" famously featured in blockbuster "Deadpool."
"I’ve noticed a growing presence of South Asian artists in U.S. music and media, which reflects a broader push for diversity and inclusion," says Sital-Singh. "It’s exciting to see more space being made for different voices."
Meanwhile, five of the top 10 videos on YouTube in early May were of Indian origin.
"It’s a relentless pursuit"
Still, for Indo Warehouse, chasing success remains a "constant slog," involving persistently educating the industry.
"It’s difficult because we’ve accomplished things that artists who have been at this for 20 years don't get to do, like playing Coachella or selling out Brooklyn Mirage, but that doesn’t mean things just happen for us," says Merchant. "We have to continue proving what we're doing is valuable. It's a relentless pursuit."
Adds Gupta: "Every day we’re trying to get the industry to understand this opportunity. We give examples like Latin house or Afro house. The industry didn't immediately latch on to those, but as soon as they bubbled up, that changed. It’s like, ‘This is the next big region. We take up almost a quarter of the world's population and don't have an adjacent genre. Why?’"
It’s not just for their generation that Indo Warehouse strive to succeed. They also hope to inspire South Asian youth, who are talented, dreaming big and less burdened by cultural pressures.
"If we succeed, there’ll be a 5-year-old or 15-year-old who goes, I can do that too," says Gupta. "That’s so important."
And hopefully, they won’t think twice about calling themselves musicians.