The festival, whose theme this year is #ItsAMood, will also spotlight electronic music gems as well.
BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender is gearing up to ignite the festival arena once more at Pune’s Teerth Fields from December 1- 3, this year and reclaim its rich legacy of being India’s longest running and foremost multi-genre festival. Now, in its highly-anticipated 14th edition, BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender promises to deliver a phenomenal celebration, marked by the revelation of a spectacular line-up featuring over 45 exceptionally talented homegrown and global artists.
This year, India’s ‘happiest music festival’ is diving deep into music subcultures to span multiple genres such as metal, rock, pop, hip-hop, electronic, funk and Punjabi from all corners of the world. With a lineup that includes both seasoned veterans and emerging artists, this year's roster truly encapsulates the inclusive and egalitarian spirit of the iconic music festival.
In exciting news, American rap superstar and actor YG aka Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson, British pop icon M.I.A. and British progressive metal band Monuments are confirmed to headline the 2023 edition of BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender.
With talent discovery being at the heart of the festival’s history, festival goers can look forward to debut performances by Australia-based instrumental progressive rock artist I Built The Sky, New-York based electronic duo MEMBA and American progressive metal band Arch Echo alongside first-time festival showcases by recent Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective; Afro pioneer Romare, Tamil-Swiss artist Priya Ragu and Antwerp based metal upstarts BEAR.
Presenting a melting pot of diverse indie genres, the programming also includes performances by Indian pop mainstay Lisa Mishra, New Delhi based singer-songwriter Hanita Bhambri and trailblazing Bollywood composers Sunny M.R. and Oaff x Savera who will be premiering new music. Ushering in their 25th anniversary celebrations, 90’s Indie-rock band Euphoria will premiere their much awaited retrospective set while Punjabi pop legend Daler Mehndi and new age rap sensation MC Stan will also be making their long awaited debuts at the festival with high energy sets.
Other international artists to watch out for on the festival’s bill include French reggae duo – Jahneration, Canadian hip hop duo Cartel Madras and Copenhagen-based global bass star Alo Wala known for her numerous dance-floor-happy international collaborations.
The hip hop and pop curation includes a bespoke Gully Gang showcase featuring label mainstays MC Altaf, D’Evil, Sammohit as well as electrifying performances by contemporary Punjabi artist tricksingh, turntablist Spindoctor who will present the 5 elements of hip-hop through a specially commissioned set, Chennai-based Sunflower Tape Machine, Pune-based multi-instrumentalist Aarifah along with Bengaluru-based singer-songwriters BeBhumika, Mary Ann Alexander and LAVI & Foenix.
Rock and metal heads will have a rampaging range to mosh to - from New-Delhi based rock band Komodo Jane to three-piece Mumbai-based punk rock band The Lightyears Explode and rock band Naalayak from Chandigarh.
The festival, whose theme this year is #ItsAMood, will also spotlight electronic music gems such as certified-gold electronic music producer Jai Wolf, New-Delhi duo MadStarBase and newcomer Katoptris who will offer a diverse range of electronic music genres, including chill-wave, downtempo, progressive house, techno, with hints of disco and trance.
Other homegrown indie names to watch out for on the line-up include Dorwin John, The Fanculos, Corner Cafe Chronicles, Second Sight, Chirag Todi, Raj, Shia X Zero Chill, Anubha Bajaj, Frizzell D'Souza, Shreya Jain, Gauley Bhai, Lothika and Nate08 who will be performing live with his 3-piece band.
In a national first, the organizers not just unveiled their phase one line-up through an interactive video game but also announced an all-female led main stage line-up on Day 2 and the onboarding of female muralist Osheen Siva for the festival design to promote conversations around inclusivity at music festivals. Additionally, the organizers are committed to adopt eco-friendly practices on-ground during the tenure of the festival to promote the concept of sustainability amongst attendees.
With a discography that includes features with Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pharrell, and Lil Wayne, M.I.A. will be performing an array of her smash-hits including ‘Bad Girls’, ‘Borders’, ‘XXXO, and ‘Paper Planes’ and states, “It’s about time!! I'm super happy to bring the beats and the bass, and introduce M.I.A. to a new generation of India. Finally connecting with the Indian part of my sound.”
YG, best known for projecting the voice of the streets into the mainstream, and for having collaborated with hip-hop’s heavyweights such as Ty Dolla $ign, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, Nas, Post Malone and Jeezy and also having acted opposite Matthew McConaughey states, “I’m excited to let all my fans in India know that we’re working on something really special for y'all. It’s gonna be great to finally perform in India and hopefully get a chance to learn a little more about the beautiful country and the culture. I can’t wait.”
Having left a colossal footprint in the world of extreme metal music, incorporating elements of djent Monuments state, “Monuments is exceptionally grateful to our Indian audience. Your support has made this headline slot possible for us, and we will strive to bring you a monumental end to your evening at BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender. Thank you to everyone that made this possible!”
MC Stan states, “I'm absolutely thrilled to perform at BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender alongside some incredibly talented artists. Coming back to my hometown Pune is always special, and this time, it's for the biggest show of the year. Pune-town, get ready to witness an unforgettable night!"
BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender is an IP of NODWIN Gaming and is presented by BACARDÍ Experiences. The festival kickstarted in Pune in 2010 and has since been synonymous with the upsurge of independent music.