Mumbai: Warner Music India has launched Maati, a musical project celebrating India's folklore with eight tracks in eight languages. The lineup includes artists like Vishal Dadlani, Mohit Chauhan, Mikey McCleary, Sushant Divgikar (Rani KoHEnur), Madhubanti Bagchi, Ash King, and Nikhita Gandhi. The tracks will be released over the next two months on Warner Music India's YouTube channel and social media, starting with the first track, Bawla, available now on all streaming platforms.
Bawla features Sushant Divgikar, with music by Mikey McCleary and traditional sounds from The Khan Brothers. The song blends modern beats with Rajasthani folk, portraying the spirit of a carefree soul.
Curated by composers Achint Thakkar and Parth Pandya, Maati explores India's musical traditions, highlighting regional music and pairing contemporary artists with folk stories that cross language and regional barriers. The first season is powered by boAt.
Warner Music India & SAARC MD Jay Mehta shared, “With Maati, our vision was to create a platform that elevates India's folk music and artists to the global stage, while celebrating the rich diversity of our folk traditions. Through this journey, we've uncovered extraordinary stories from across the country, and I am deeply passionate about sharing them with the world. This first official season marks just the beginning, as we aim to make Maati a recurring seasonal property, with plans to evolve it into a live festival next year.”
One of the curators Achint Thakkar added, “Maati is about breaking boundaries—showing that folk music isn’t confined to regional artists. Every artist involved has fully embraced the folk traditions they are representing, creating a truly immersive musical experience.”
Co-curator Parth Pandya commented, “Working on Maati has been an incredible experience. We’ve brought together an amazing ensemble of artists to tell the rich stories of India’s culture. India is a land of languages, but music is a boundless emotion. Maati embodies that freedom—it’s everything, everywhere.”
boAt co-founder and CMO Aman Gupta shared, “boAt, as a proud homegrown audio technology brand, has always been deeply rooted in the rich diversity and culture of India. Our journey with Maati feels like a natural extension of that pride. We understand that it’s not just about gaining a share of voice, but about truly embracing a share of culture—by meaningfully contributing to the music scene and celebrating the vibrant heritage that shapes who we are.”