BIG FM, Hungama Artist Aloud tie up to launch ‘The Blue Mic’ for indie music

Mumbai, Sep 30 One of the country’s leading radio networks, BIG FM, has joined hands with the premier talent and independent content platform, Hungama Artist Aloud, for their latest offering, The Blue Mic, which seeks to recognize and celebrate the talent and music of independent artists across India. Starting on October 11, the show will air from Monday to Friday between 4 and 5 p.m.

Euphoria, the pop-rock band that was among the pioneers of independent, non-film music in the late 1980s, will kickstart the show. A media release announcing the show said it would be “a platform for artists, budding as well as established, to showcase their talent and reach out to a wide base of listeners spread across the nation.”

With its network of 58 stations, BIG FM reaches out to 1,900 cities and towns, 1.2 lakh villages, and a population of 34 crores across India.

The Blue Mic, according to the media release, will present an ‘Artist of the Week’, bringing out the persona and talent of each selected performer. Each week will feature one exceptionally talented artist or band and delve into his or her “journey, music, inspirations, passions and future plans” through “interactions, on-air jam sessions and requests from listeners”.

The release added: “Building on to the excitement, each week will end on a high note, as every Saturday the ‘Artist of the Week’ will perform exclusively on BIG FM’s Facebook handle through their property BIG Cafe Online to entertain and engage with fans.”

Adding to the listener engagement, the show will also be available on-demand in the podcast format across leading audio streaming platforms, with each episode bringing out the highlights and key conversation pieces of an artist’s weekly spotlight on the radio. The show will also be promoted extensively across social media handles of BIG FM and its partner platforms.

Explaining the context of the initiative, Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Product, Marketing and THWINK BIG, BIG FM, said: “Over the last couple of years, Indian audiences have turned to independent music like never before and its loyal following is snowballing by the day. We are glad to provide a platform to renowned as well as budding talents so that they can showcase their passion and give our audience fresh content that they can enjoy.”

Reacting to the announcement, Euphoria’s founder and frontman Palash Sen said: “With new artists being discovered, it’s great to see these talented voices get the opportunities that they deserve. I am sure listeners will instantly connect to the show as they explore fresh music.”

As reported by IANS, the indie pop-rock band released its latest (and eighth) album, ‘Sale’, in the form of a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) using block-chain technology earlier this month.

Speaking about the engagement of Hungama Artist Aloud, the platform’s Senior Vice President, Soumini Sridhara Paul, said: “Music is a language that connects all. Today, almost everyone we know takes solace in music to relieve their stress and anxiety. At a time like this where we are fighting a global pandemic, we feel it is the need of the hour to provide our young listeners with content that they like and enjoy.”

Launched in 2010, Hungama Artist Aloud has emerged as a one-stop destination for commercial Independent content across languages, genres, and talent. It provides independent content creators digital and on-ground avenues and manages an ecosystem of services, including acquisition, distribution, venue programming, talent management, and digital and event IPs, all dedicated to the non-film space.

The initiative marks the coming together of two organisations, which, in the words of BIG FM’s Kumaran, “share the same vision and create opportunities for independent artists to display their talent to those who will appreciate it the most.” For the country’s indie music ecosystem, it is truly a euphoric moment.