(From left to right) Ram MIriyala, 21 Savage, Kailash Kher will be performing at separate festivals across India between January and March 2025. Photos: Courtesy of the artist
Jaipur Music Stage at Jaipur Literature Festival
Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, 2025
Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur
Often called the evening program or afterparty of the widely-attended Jaipur Literature Festival, the Jaipur Music Stage returns to Clarks Amer this year once again, being more of an added dimension of poetry and storytelling in line with the festival. Artists on the lineup across three days include folk-fusion act Kailasa, The Amir Khusrau Project by keyboardist and fusion artist Abhijit Pohankar, Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein by Dastaan Live, singer-songwriter Kamakshi Khanna, U.K. fusion artists Susheela Raman & Sam Mills, veteran percussionist Nathoo Lal Solanki & Manganiyar artist Chugge Khan and fusion-pop artist Hrishi.
Get Jaipur Music Stage 2025 tickets here.
India Sneaker Festival
Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2025
Backyard Sports Club, Gurugram
The long road to India Sneaker Festival finally culminates in a three-day blowout in Gurugram, with the biggest draw being hip-hop star 21 Savage making his India debut on Feb. 1, 2025. Headliners for the three-day festival also include DJ-producers Ritviz and Karan Kanchan going B2B and rapper Hanumankind. Top billing at the festival also goes to music duo Oaff and Savera, rapper Agsy, experimental artist Chaar Diwaari, rapper Karma, hip-hop artist Zefaan, Nigerian rapper Yung Sammy and rising hip-hop artists like Cheerfaad and B/Hard, among others. A separate Electric Sole stage dedicated to electronic artists brings in Tech Panda x Kenzani, Almost Human, Bullzeye x Sequ3l and more.
Get India Sneaker Festival tickets here.
Ziro On Tour
Feb. 1 and 2, 2025
Tamarati Baradari, Hyderabad
After more than a decade of regaling audiences in Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, the Ziro Festival of Music is hitting the road with a traveling edition called Ziro on Tour. Their first edition takes place in Hyderabad, with a focus on their values of “community spirit, sustainability and a passion for independent music and culture.”
The lineup for the two-day festival includes Punjabi folk-rocker Rabbi Shergill, Arunachal’s star singer-songwriter Taba Chake, Manipuri folk artist Mangka, and Mizoram act HOM, Telugu pop-rock artist Ram Miriyala, singer-songwriter Shaktisree Gopalan and pop-rock band Chowraasta, blues-informed folk artist Guru Rewben Mashangva, Carnatic guitarist Prasanna, singer-songwriter Aanchal Bordoloi and more.
Get Ziro on Tour Hyderabad tickets here.
Riders Music Festival
Feb. 8 and 9, 2025
Backyard Sports Club, Gurugram
Returning after six years, Red FM’s Rider Music Festival brings in a hip-hop-centric lineup to Delhi NCR in February. Day one brings in rap duo Seedhe Maut, Punjabi hip-hop artist Prabh Deep, MTV Hustle 2.0 finalist Paradox and electronic artist Gurbax. Day two of Riders Music Festival takes it up a notch, with singer-composer Amit Trivedi, Bengaluru-based rock act Parvaaz, Delhi NCR rock artist Raman Negi and a repeat set by Gurbax. The festival also brings in curated food and beverage zones, an exclusive streetwear hub, stunt zones, and a custom bike and car showcase.
Get Riders Music Festival tickets here.
Sacred Spirit Festival
Feb. 14 to Feb. 16, 2025
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
Another long-running music gathering held in Rajasthan, the 16th edition of Sacred Spirit Festival will host Indian and international traditional styles. Carnatic vocalist duo Ranjini and Gayatri, Ghanian act Osei Kwame Korankye Ensemble, A performance titled Gypsy Beats with guitarist Juan Carmona and Indian percussionists, Italian artist Davide Ambrogio, veena artist S. Swaminathan, Armenian act Dudukner Ensemble, Deba artists from the Comorro Islands, festival regular Madan Gopal and the Chaar Yaar Ensemble, flautist Naïssam Jalal and more.
Get Sacred Spirit Festival 2025 tickets here.
Zamna India
Mar. 28, 2025 (Mumbai), Mar. 29, 2025 (Gurugram)
Dome NSCI SVP Stadium, Mumbai and Open Grounds, Gymkhana Club, Gurugram
With a quick turnaround from their debut edition in September 2024, the Tulum, Mexico-origin electronic music festival Zamna is likely establishing itself in India as a bi-annual event with their second edition returning to Mumbai and Gurugram in March. The lineup for the production-heavy, immersive festival includes Swiss duo Adriatique, Brazilian producer Bigfett aka Davi Cardoso, Slovenian DJ-producer Brina Krauss, Italian-origin house artist Toto Chiavetta and more.