There is no denying that the music industry continues to evolve – what with digital streaming services such as Wynk Music and Resso shutting Indian operations as the landscape changes to paid subscriptions – but, along with that evolution, so too is the growth of indie music. While film music is still dominating the consumption patterns, it is interesting to learn that a share that was 80% four years ago has since fallen to 63% as per the EY-FICCI ‘Shape The Future’ report issued in March 2025, which pointedly states that “music consumption grows towards artist-led music as compared to film-driven music”.
As is evident from these growth figures for indie music, there is also a group of youngsters who are addressing a particular niche genre in India, R&B, which is short for ‘Rhythm and Blues’, a popular music genre that originated in the African American community in the 1940s. It combines the foundations of blues and jazz, among other influences, and features soulful vocals, strong rhythms and, often, a distinctive backbeat. Over time, R&B has developed, incorporating influences from funk, soul, hip-hop, and even electronic music.
Yet there are Indian singers, both based in the country and those outside, who are passionate about incorporating R&B elements into their music. Some of the key exponents of this genre, as researched from the net, include artists like Shreea Kaul, Raveena Aurora, Dhruv Sharma, Priya Ragu, Gayathri Krishnan, Akshara, Maharani, and Pari Pradhan.
But focusing on two artists closer home, the R&B movement is being led by their recent releases, one of them being issued on 20th June, 2025, called “Boondon Mein”, a song performed in Hindi by Mumbai-based Kavya Jones. While having heard Kavya sing other genres previously, “Boondon Mein” is certainly the personification of cool, laid-back singing but, paradoxically, also projecting her voice by registering emotion, and demonstrating a certain intensity and fire on “Boondon Mein”.
Leslee Lewis
Whether that was just an attempt by Kavya to change the pace of her recorded catalogue a bit or a genuine new direction from her previous releases, there is no denying that she has more animation in her delivery tone now by providing a little more introspective edge. The lyrics are ironic as well as reflective, thanks largely to music veteran Leslee Lewis – whose multi-faceted talent combines to have him becoming the song’s composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, arranger, and producer – and, in turn, creating a R&B style that is both suggestive and hypnotic, with his production and arrangements being more in an urbane mode (check the rhythmic beats) rather than blues and jazz (although the sound of sax makes intermittent appearances). The combined effect ensuring that Kavya maintains her popularity among both the tiered and urban audiences alike but, at the same time, expanding her fandom with “Boondon Mein” which, she explains “is the most sensuous and groovy track of my career”.
Colin Leonard
The song was mastered by Colin Leonard at SING Mastering, New York. As the founder and owner of the studio, he has worked with innumerable recording artists, including Justin Bieber, Jay Z, Paul McCartney, and Elton John. In 2024, he won a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (‘Jaguar II’ by Victoria Monét) and, in 2025, for ‘Album Of The Year’ (‘Cowboy Carter’ by Beyoncé), as well as having received 14 nominations.
“Boondon Mein” can be heard here 
For those still unfamiliar with Kavya Jones’ background, she hails from Mumbai and completed her academics by graduating in Mass Media (BMM) from K.C. College. Coming from a B-town
background (her grandfather was a script writer for films, the late Charandas Shokh), Kavya wanted to extend his legacy through her very own Bollyworld.
Performing live was a forte for the young Kavya. Once she finished college, she took up a full-time singing career, performing in a choir known as The Stop Gaps. Since then, she has performed in more than 100 shows with various music stalwarts and has extensively travelled the globe. Talking about her personal life, she says that she loves music, dance, and travelling, and can be identified as a foodie too. While she is single but, paradoxically, is focused on releasing singles.
Shriya Rao
Meanwhile, the other leading proponent of R&B in India is Shriya Rao, who is also Mumbai-based, and sings almost exclusively in English. Shriya’s versatility was evident throughout her ‘Unfolded’ gig, held in March this year at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre. The event was an obvious culmination following the release of her ‘In A Box’ EP in January earlier this year that featured four self-composed tracks. Since then, Shriya has become a consummate performer, singing with assurance across her ever maturing vocals, exuding confidence, and adding natural – and impromptu – humour to her narrative.
The ‘In A Box’ EP features songs such as: “Her”, a slow-burn ballad; “I’m Not Alright”, which is lilting; then there is the mid-tempo “Are You Down” containing a spoken word interlude from Shriya; and ends with the atmospheric “Dream About It”. No doubt, there is a uniqueness to the ‘In A Box’ EP as it teems with deeply felt emotion and combines with Shriya’s sensitive and expressive voice that conveys gratitude, redemption, solace, and escape…all together.
Much credit is due to the producers on the EP, divided between Yohan Marshall (“Her”), who often performs live with Shriya, and Hersh Desai, who has produced the balance three tracks. All the songs were recorded at Mumbai’s Island City Studios. Shriya’s songs depict a typical teenager’s lost-and-found love(s), often resulting in brief acceptance, but more a longevity of a heartbreak, evoking obvious emotional feelings that Shriya has been able to capture with her often moody and contemplative lyrics. It is obvious that Shriya’s music blends contemporary and yet sultry R&B and, as she admits, is inspired by the music of Daniel Caesar, Summer Walker, Erykah Badu, Mac Miller, and Tate McRae.
The four songs on the present EP are certainly charmed with Shriya’s immediacy, spontaneity, and unguarded approach to songwriting and, combined with Shriya’s potent voice and her keen ear, she certainly delivers emotion and excitement in equal measure, paradoxically both out of, and in a box! Click on the link below to listen to Shriya Rao’s ‘In A Box’ EP:
Listen to the tracks: Her 
I’m not alright Are you down Dream about it
With the EY-FICCI ‘Shape The Future’ report further announcing that “Artist-driven engagement will be the next big monetization opportunity” as non-film music moves up “from 37% today” to what EY “estimate that artist-led music can reach more than 40% within three years”, indie music is certainly on the threshold of providing the perfect platform for indigenous R&B.
Hence, there is no better moment than now to join the indie bandwagon.
Source:https://www.sudeepaudio.com/saundcheck/indie-indian-rnb/