Music has always found its way to people, across every era, every format. Today, that format is social media and it fits right in your pocket. Instagram is no longer just a place to post pictures. It has become one of the most powerful platforms for Indian Musicians to build a real audience.
Every day, thousands of musicians share their work with the world through social media. But only a few make you stop scrolling. Here are seven Indian musicians doing something worth your attention and why you should know their names.
Prajwall Jadhao (@prajwall.music)
Some voices don’t need additional work. One of them is Prajwall. His cover of “Manwa Lage” is quite memorable. No heavy lifting. Just his voice and a lot of love.
Prajwall is different because he believes in simplicity. He chooses to take everything away at a time when most artists feel the need to add beats, filters and effects. There are no masks or edits; what you hear is exactly what he sounds like. It’s hard to find that kind of honesty. His voice does all the hard work. And it does a good job. He reminds us that the best music doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be real.
Shivani (@shivanii.music)
Have you ever heard a song and thought, “This sounds new, but I’ve always liked it”? That’s what Shivani does. She takes songs you know and makes them sound new. Her mashups sound effortless.
But she does more than just covers. Shivani knows who she is as an artist very well. She doesn’t just sing a song, she gives it a new meaning. She inculcates her own phrasing, her own timing and it shows. There’s also a sharp awareness of her audience in everything she does. She knows how to get people to hit replay. Shivani is at the crossroads of classic Bollywood and today’s indie-pop, which is pop music made outside of big music labels. That’s a very exciting place to be.
Jay Mohan (@jaymohanmusic)
Most artists stick to one style. Jay Mohan doesn’t. One day it’s a Ghazal, a form of Urdu poetry set to music, steeped in longing and love. The next, it’s devotional. He moves between both with ease.
It’s hard to switch between styles, but Jay does it well. Every genre has its own rules, feelings and methods for doing things. It takes years of practice and a deep love of music to be able to move between them without losing quality. Jay undoubtedly has both. You can hear how disciplined he is in every note he sings. His range is rare. He is really at what he does.
Adya (@adyaea)
Not all great music has to be loud. Adya proves that. His music is soft and peaceful. It feels like sitting by a window on a rainy day.
Adya’s style is minimalist, fewer instruments, fewer layers, more breathing room. And that’s where the magic happens. It lets the listener feel. His music doesn’t make you hurry. It makes you want to take your time and stay for a while. Making that kind of music takes a lot of guts in a world where content is fast and opinions are loud. His music gives people peace in a world that is always loud. And sometimes, that’s all you need.
Subhankar Sarkar(@iam_subhankar_19)
Have you ever heard a song and felt like the singer was talking to you? That is a quality that Subhankar has. His music is real and down-to-earth.
Subhankar’s online presence is warm and friendly. He doesn’t try to act like a big star. Instead, he looks like someone you might know, a friend, a neighbour, someone from your own street. And that makes his music hit differently. When he sings about love or heartbreak, it doesn’t sound distant or over the top. It feels close. Personal. Real. The little things, the everyday pains we all carry, that’s what his music is about. There’s no performance here. Just a connection. And that’s not something that happens very often.
Vishal Singh (@vishal_singsofficial)
Some artists walk into a room and you feel it. Vishal is that kind of presence, even through a screen. His performances are full of energy and confidence.
Vishal also understands something that many Indian musicians miss, performance is not just about the voice. It’s about how you carry yourself. How you engage with the camera. How you make someone watching from their phone feel like they are right there with you. He has that skill naturally. His delivery is rhythmic and sharp and his choice of songs always feels timely and relevant. He has a natural feel for what people enjoy listening to right now. His songs don’t just play. They stay with you.
Rio (@singwith_rio)
Rio is young, bold and unafraid to experiment. His catalogue is a mix of different styles and songs, all tied together by one thing, passion in earnest. What sets Rio apart is his willingness to experiment. He doesn’t box himself in. Some artists spend years trying to figure out who they are musically. Rio seems to be doing that exploration openly, in public, one reel at a time. This exploration is the cause of his huge fanbase. There is something refreshing about watching an artist grow in real time. He picks tracks that feel new and delivers them with an energy that is hard to look away from. Rio represents what the future of Indian music looks like. And it looks exciting.
These seven Indian Musicians are not just posting content online. They are building something real. Each one brings a different voice, a different style and a different story to the table. Together, they show that the next big chapter in Indian music isn’t waiting to be written. It’s already playing. All you have to do is press listen.
