Rusk Media brings Neha Kakkar to I-Popstar Volume 2

MUMBAI: The pop is getting a little louder. Rusk Media is bringing back its original music talent IP I-Popstar for Volume 2, this time adding singer Neha Kakkar to the mentor line-up alongside Aditya Rikhari and KING, with Wicked Sunny (Vikalp Dwivedi) returning as host.

Slated to premiere in September, the second volume comes with a sizeable brand line-up. L’Oréal Paris India and Ai+ Nova Smartphone are presenting partners, while Center Fresh comes on board as the co-powered by partner and Saregama as the music partner. Additional category partnerships are currently under discussion.

The new season will run for 18 episodes across three phases, with weekly challenges testing contestants on performance, originality and their ability to connect with audiences. The artists will compete under the guidance of the mentors and producers, as the format looks to build on the music and social momentum of its first outing.

And Volume 1 has some big numbers to live up to. The inaugural season generated more than 2.06 billion song streams across Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Music, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Its breakout track, I’m Done by Maan Panu, accounts for approximately 1.76 billion streams across its two registered releases.

Beyond streaming, the first season clocked more than 1.46 billion impressions and 68 million engagements across its digital and social footprint. Rusk Media says the format helped emerging artists move beyond the conventional talent-show cycle by building music consumption and fandom around their work.

The company is now looking to turn that first-season traction into a larger entertainment property, with plans to expand I-Popstar across music, entertainment, languages and brand partnerships. The IP has already been taken to Tamil audiences, according to Rusk Media.

Shantanu Singh, co-founder and COO, Rusk Media, said I-Popstar was conceived as a franchise, with its first volume demonstrating that the format could travel to new audiences. He said the second volume represents the next stage of expansion for the IP, its audience and its partner ecosystem.

The brand associations are also being positioned around the show’s young, music-first audience. Gunjan Khetan, marketing director, Perfetti Van Melle India, said the partnership with I-Popstar fits Center Fresh’s focus on freshness, bringing together new music, emerging artists and the energy of a younger generation.

With Neha Kakkar, Aditya Rikhari and KING leading the mentor line-up, Volume 2 is set to push the format further while giving brands a season-long presence around an original music property. Further details on the contestants, launch and additional partners are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.