BACARDÍ and NODWIN Gaming are bringing back the 12th edition of BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender, India’s Happiest Music Festival, to its fans across Pune, Delhi and Kolkata in February 2022. The festival has announced its much-awaited line-up of top Indian artists who will perform live across multiple stages set up at the festival grounds. This year, the multi-genre festival will include comedy, art and for the first time, esports and gaming.
The festival will kick-off in Pune with artists like Anuv Jain, Bombay Brass, Raja Kumari, The Yellow Diary, and Ritviz, to name a few, who will take the stage on 5 February and 6 February 2022. The festival then travels to Kolkata – ‘The City of Joy’ on 12 February and 13 February 2022 with another stellar lineup of artists that includes Peter Cat Recording Co., Karshini, Kamakshi Khanna, Taba Chake and Tejas. BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender wraps up in Delhi NCR giving fans a chance to enjoy electrifying performances by Ankur Tiwari, Kayan, Kamakshi Khanna, Arjun Vagale and Hanita Bhambri amongst others. The audience in Pune, Delhi and Kolkata will be privy to some never seen before performances by artists created specially for the BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender.
For over a decade now, India’s Happiest Music Festival along with BACARDÍ have brought together some of the best and most diverse performances by regional and global artists. This year, the festival will have a predominantly Indian line-up because of the current global travel situation, and homegrown indie artists will feature at the forefront of the festival. Upcoming as well as established artists from different parts of the country will bring their unique sounds and culture to this mega platform.
The festival will prioritise all necessary safety and hygiene protocols and checks. Social distancing, entry for only fully vaccinated fans, mandatory use of masks and sanitizers, thermal scanning check points and temperature checks will ensure a safe and secure atmosphere where fans can enjoy the festival.
The event is subject to permissions being procured which will only be known closer to the event date based on the regulations at the time. However, NODWIN Gaming will refund all ticket money in case of any cancellations due to regulations on account of the pandemic.
Here is a quick glimpse into what’s in store this year:
Indian performers:
Ankur Tewari: A man of many talents – best known as a singer – songwriter, he is also a composer, music supervisor & a poet. He has made music as an independent artist since 1998. His debut album, Jannat, was released in 2008 and ruled the charts. His work ranges from a double album Side A/ Side B, a children’s album with Sony Music and many other singles.
Bombay Brass: India’s top-horn players perform their reinvention of classic Indian and western hits. Their music is styled around wind instruments as the lead element that unites nostalgia with a vibrant and energetic performance.
The Yellow Diary: The Mumbai-based alternative rock outfit has made a name for itself in the Indie music scene in less than half a decade. The band has released six songs in two EPs in addition to performing hundreds of live shows across the country.
The Local Train: They are a Hindi Rock Band from New Delhi that makes use of Hindi and Urdu lyrics delivering an amalgamation of ideas that they wish to express through their music.
Ritviz: He is an Indian singer songwriter, electronic musician and record producer from Pune known for his song ‘Udd Gaye’. The hit featured on A.I.B.’s official YouTube channel after becoming the winner of the 2017 BACARDÍ House Party Sessions — a talent hunt competition organized by A.I.B.
Lojal: Shillong bred and Bengaluru-based musician Lojal’s creations are an ever-growing world of emotions and music created in and around the spaces of the artist himself.
Parikrama: One of India’s iconic rock ‘n’ roll bands, Parikrama, still active after 30 years is known for their highly energised and infectious performances. Probably one of the few Indian bands who are also known for their artworks and pyro works. The band will be performing a special set that will be a tribute to the late member of the band – Sonam Sherpa.
Parvaaz: The four membered band comprising Khalid Ahamed (Vocals & Guitar), Mir Kashif Iqbal (Guitars & Vocals), Sachin Banandur (Drums & Percussion) and Fidel Dsouza (Bass Guitar) have assimilated several international progressive/psychedelic rock influences but their own expression has a rootedness that makes their sound unique. Parvaaz’s sound has often been described as one that transcends musical genres taking the listener into spaces that traverse folk, blues and psychedelia, wrapped in an ambient sound that is familiar yet elusive
Raja Kumari: Indian-American rapper, singer, songwriter, and dancer Raja Kumari is a force of nature. She’s a fearless, charismatic personality and natural-born storyteller whose mission is to create art that blends her Indian roots with her American upbringing.
Taba Chake: A Nyishi finger-style guitarist and singer-songwriter based in Mumbai. His debut EP titled ‘Bond with Nature’ was released in 2016 followed by a 10-track album ‘Bombay Dreams’ in 2019.
Sunflower Tape Machine: Is the pseudonym and experimental solo project of full-time indie/psychedelic rock, bedroom pop, and shoe-gaze musician, Aryaman Singh.
Drum Ani Bass: The brainchild of bass player Nathan Thomas and drummer Dhir Mody, Drum Ani Bass evolved out of improvised jungle/drum n bass jams at 1403.
Kamakshi Khanna: She is a Delhi-based singer/songwriter who gained recognition with the release of her EP, Much Mellow (2014), and her full-length album, Cakewalk (2017). Having established herself in the Indie music scene with numerous live performances across the country and collaborations, in 2020 Kamakshi released her first Hindi single, Qareeb, a song about a girl who grows and learns to love herself.
International performers:
Yung Raja: Singaporean breakthrough artiste Yung Raja has been dubbed as Southeast Asia’s next avant-garde bilingual hip hop artiste, known for his tasteful unification of Western and Tamil culture in his lyrics.