Music and Youth
Warner Music acquires the Indian management company E-Positive
Mumbai: Warner Music has announced the acquisition of the Indian artist management company, E-Positive. The deal further strengthens Warner Music India’s position in independent music and will allow its artists to tap into new expertise in brand partnerships and live events. The company will also continue to maintain the prestigious Indie Music Label as part of its holdings.
E-Positive is home to Darshan Raval, one of the top five most streamed artists in India and the fastest-growing artist in the region, having quadrupled his daily streams in the last 12 months. Raval is renowned for his crossover ability and has released songs in languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi and Bengali. His tracks have been streamed more than nine billion times while he has grown his monthly listeners across the DSPs to more than 43 million and garnered 17 million followers on Instagram.
E-Positive will continue to act as a stand-alone company and will be led by founder and CEO, Naushad Khan. Khan is a prominent figure in the live entertainment industry, having built an unrivalled network of contacts while promoting more than 15,000 shows. Since launching E-Positive, he has also been instrumental in managing the careers of many artists including Darshan Raval, who he discovered and developed into a star.
Naushad Khan said: “This is an exciting day in the journey of E-Positive. I’ve worked towards developing a legacy for over 10 years and carved the journey of each one of my artists. I’m delighted that we’ve found a new home at Warner Music India. The team at Warner Music India will help us grow in the international market and will help our artists connect with more fans from around the world. We’re looking forward to the next chapter of E-Positive.”
Warner Music India managing director Jay Mehta added: “Naushad Khan has done an incredible job of positioning E-Positive as a leading management company and his knowledge in brand partnerships and the live sector will be a great asset for us at Warner Music India. And it’s a privilege to welcome such a phenomenal artist like Darshan Raval into the global Warner Music family. Darshan is a true star, and we believe he can become a staple on the global stage.”
Warner Music president of emerging markets Alfonso Perez Soto concluded: “This deal once again reinforces our desire to become the number one destination for artists in India, and welcoming an artist like Darshan onto our roster is a real statement of intent. Darshan, as well as the whole of the E-Positive roster, will be able to collaborate with Warner Music’s global network and start to connect with a wider international audience. This deal helps us to level up and enhance our 360 offering to artists by bringing in the knowledge and expertise of Naushad Khan to the Warner Music family. Our improved suite of services will enable our artists to transcend the whole of India and help bring Indian culture to the rest of the world.”
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
