iWorld
Mirchi Singistan by 95 Mirchi Hyderabad discovers aspiring singers
Mumbai: Mirchi, India’s no.1 city-centric music and entertainment company, successfully concluded its hyperlocal IP, Mirchi Singistan in Hyderabad. The aim of this initiative was to unlock the hidden potential of aspiring singers in the city, empowering them to showcase their talent on a bigger stage and reach a wider audience. Over the course of three weeks, the competition witnessed intense participation from multiple talented individuals. Preethi Yagnamurthy, a finance analyst, emerged as the winner and was rewarded with the golden opportunity to perform as the opening act at the ‘Come Ride with Badshah’ concert.
The competition kickstarted with Mirchi RJs Mirchi Shadab and Mirchi Gaurika inviting entries from Hyderabad’s up-and-coming music artists, asking them to submit a video of them performing a Badshah song. The RJs also activated their social media to create awareness and generate interest among netizens to partake in the competition. Mirchi’s in-house team evaluated the entries and shortlisted two finalists for the last round. The participants were then challenged to perform the same Badshah song. Preethi Yagnamurthy’s extraordinary vocal abilities and captivating stage presence led her to win the competition. That’s not all! As the winner of Mirchi Singistan, Preethi had the opportunity to perform as the opening act at the ‘Come Ride with Badshah’ concert and also had an exclusive Meet and Greet session with Badshah backstage.
Commenting on this initiative, 95 Mirchi Hyderabad business director Harmanjit Singh said, “We are thrilled by the overwhelming response and the remarkable talent that was uncovered during Mirchi Singistan. This initiative truly embodies Mirchi’s commitment to supporting and promoting local budding talent. The success of the first edition of Mirchi Singistan is a testament to the immense talent within the lanes of Hyderabad, and we are honored to be a part of Preethi’s journey as an artist. We look forward to bringing back Mirchi Singistan in a better and grander manner for its next edition.”
Reflecting on her journey, Preethi Yagnamurthy said, “My music journey began at the age of five when I took up training in Carnatic music for eight years. I started giving stage performances after that. I remember my mom used to forcibly take me to these music classes, and now I can’t thank her enough for it, while my dad groomed me and made me stage-ready as I grew up. Though my day job is that of a finance analyst, my heart belongs to music, and hence, winning Mirchi Singistan was truly an exciting opportunity for me.”
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
