India's 10 Fast Rising Local Music Videos We're Watching

In and of itself, music is a personal and healthy form of expression. Yet, with the help of the visuals and narrative structure of music videos, it integrates into the artistic culture that was popular in India during the 1990s and 2000s with pop music. That left a lasting impression on us, and it was a memorable event from our youth that helped to shape our viewpoints and musical and visual preferences.

With the rise of independent artists, that culture that had long since perished has begun to resurge. Music videos have developed over the past few years into yet another artistic outlet for performers whose ability to communicate is not constrained by the medium. Artists are reviving the audio-visual storytelling tradition that we all grew up with by creating their own stories and experimenting with ideas in the music.

Here are some musicians whose most recent music videos you should watch from our curation of works with a similar theme.

The best piece of work produced by an Indian musician this year is most likely Prabhdeep's brand-new album, "Bhram." The album is sensational in its message and execution. It takes a profound look at the artificial illusions that have permeated human civilization. The music videos for each of Prabhdeep's songs are being released one at a time. The most recent one to be released explores the interplay between a person's environment and subconscious in "Izzat," which is currently available. 

The film is a pleasant and endearing visual portrayal of Prabh driving through his neighborhood, which serves as a metaphor for his regret and shame as he advances to a life of fame and power. It's a typical Prabhdeep creation that is renowned for touching people's hearts.

The Queen is a magnificent music video that was shot by Meghna Bhalla and features writing by musician and educator Trichia Grace-Ann and composition, production, and mixing by Mumbai-based Bulli Bainbridge. The song is a sneak peek from their upcoming album, "seasons," which comes out in January of 2020. With the help of a few spirited dancers, Trichia appears in the video where she reclaims her femininity and strength while rapping some powerful, inspiring, and eccentric bars amid a sea of smoke and bright hues.

Meba is an Indian rapper and singer-songwriter who is originally from Shillong, Meghalaya. She dropped out of law school to focus on her music career. She is well-known for the hit song "Done Talking," a collaboration with the Shillong-based hip-hop group Khasi Bloodz's Big Ri. Her debut album, untitled.SHG, contains the single "Feelings," which she recently released a music video for. The song was written during the pandemic, when everyone's life became gloomy and uncertain. The movie shows the lockout and our individual responses to it while Meba dances in her room.

Abhinav Bastakoti is a Canadian-American musician and composer better known by the stage name Curtis Waters. He is well-known for his independently produced 2020 debut single, "Stunnin," which became a global sensation and catapulted him the first musical artist from Nepal to find success on a global scale. 

With his boyhood friend Chlo, he co-wrote his most recent song, "RIOT," which serves as the lead single for his upcoming album of the same name. The video, which Curtis himself directed, was released a few weeks ago. It has a 2000s cinematic feel to it and features two friends having fun with hip-hop.

Abhishek Bhatia, a singer, producer, and band member of the Delhi-based group The Circus, goes by the name Curtain Blue and works on solo projects under that identity. He is attempting to create his own textural blend by fusing eerie vocal melodies with downtempo and bass sensibilities. 

The artist finds inspiration in three very distinct musical genres”Radiohead, Apparat, and Flume”and his music, which incorporates elements of all three, reflects this fusion. His most recent song, "Is You That I Want," was released through Export Quality Records, and it features a new trippy and dizzying music video that uses virtual reality, lighting effects, patterns, and distortions to fit the song's energetic sound.

Rohan is an independent musician best known for the songs "Paani" and "Bas Ho Mere." The musician, who has his or her base in Bombay, creates melodious, acoustic tracks. Jab Se Aaya Tu, his most recent hit, is about that particular someone who makes your life brighter and feels like a breath of fresh air. 

The song, which was created during the initial lockdown, is about gratitude and exhorts us to show our appreciation for any occasion, person, or even animal that has touched our lives and altered them for the better. The song's music video is a straightforward and charming illustration of the happiness a pet can bring to a child's life.

A percussive guitarist and singer-songwriter from Bhopal, Samar Mehdi. He gained recognition as one of the top guitarists in his area, which led to offers to join the bands Acrimony and The Ferryclock Yarns. 

The musician went popular last year for a post in which he detailed a terrible incident that occurred to him while he was performing at Imperfecto in Delhi and was subjected to catcalls, harassment, and heckling from a bunch of inebriated bankers because of his acoustic music. Samar later declared that he rejects the apology from Imperfecto and won't ever play there again, standing out against the sexist treatment that entertainers and musicians encounter around the nation.

His most recent song, Raushni, pays respect to those who have made our lives happier but who might not be there anymore. The video is a tribute to the connections we forge with individuals throughout our lives, including themes of family, friendship, and gay love.

An accomplished multilingual independent artist from Arunachal Pradesh, India, is Taba Chake. He has developed a huge fan base thanks to his talent for writing and composing songs that inspire hope, positivity, and wanderlust in his listeners. He writes music in Assamese, English, Hindi, and Nyishi. His most recent song is a fond homage to kids in the 1990s who attended school.

DJ-Producer Mohan Kumar, better known by his stage name Hautewulf, is based in Delhi and has played for metal bands like Pyramid and Alien Sky Cult throughout his more than 10 years of involvement in the indie music scene. But, a break from performing metal was what first inspired the start of his new solo project. 

His most recent song, "Gamers," is a dedication to gamers. He uses music to explore themes such as futurism, contemporary/cyberpunk lifestyles, machine rights, human androids, time travel, singularity, and uploaded consciousness.

The New Delhi-based alternative rock/metalcore group Aarlon uses a wide spectrum of musical elements in their music, including dreamy guitars, snappy rhythms, and soaring vocal textures. The inventiveness that Aarlon exhibits now is fueled by six years of consistent experimentation, improvement, and problem-solving. In their most recent album, "Dafan," they released a music video for the song "Rok Lo."

India is beginning to to see a rise in the number of young people who are taking to pop music and influencing their generation through music. And with the way it is going; this trend is certain to blossom in the coming years.