iWorld
Rusk Media’s I-Popstar Season 2 to premiere on Netflix and Alright TV
Neha Kakkar, KING and Aditya Rikhari mentor emerging artists across 18 episodes
MUMBAI: The music hunt is back on, and this time the pop stars have a little more to say. Rusk Media’s homegrown music IP I-Popstar is returning for Season 2 on September 29, bringing fresh voices, original music and a three-mentor musical face-off to the screen.
The second season will stream on Alright! TV and Netflix, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8 PM. The 18-episode season will feature Neha Kakkar, KING and Aditya Rikhari as mentors, while Wicked Sunny returns as host.
This time, the mentors are stepping into the Pop Sabha, with their contrasting musical identities becoming part of the competition rather than simply sitting on the sidelines.
Kakkar brings experience from mainstream Hindi music and a career built around connecting with audiences at scale. KING brings the perspective of India’s independent hip-hop and rap movement, while Rikhari adds a singer-songwriter lens shaped by intimate songwriting and contemporary sounds.
Together, the three mentors will assess contestants not just on how they perform, but on whether they can identify and develop the sound, personality and story that makes them distinct.
The competition will unfold across three phases, with challenges testing performance, originality, musical identity and the ability to connect with audiences. Beyond the performances, the season will follow contestants as they discover their sound, deal with the pressures of competition and begin building relationships with listeners.
Kakkar said the show gives young singers an opportunity to understand what it means to have their voices reach audiences, while Rikhari highlighted the importance of individuality and experimentation for emerging artists.
KING, returning for a second season, said the format gives artists the space to be themselves and take risks as Indian music continues to evolve and new routes to building an audience emerge.
The new season builds on the reach of I-Popstar’s first edition. Music emerging from Season 1 has generated more than 2.06 billion song streams across major music and video platforms, while Maan Panu’s I’m Done emerged as a breakout track, demonstrating the potential for music created through a digital-first IP to travel beyond the show.
Season 2 also arrives with a sizeable brand partnership roster. L’Oréal Paris India and Ai+ Nova Smartphone are presenting partners, with Center Fresh and Smirnoff Lemon Pop Non Alcoholic as co-powered-by partners. Denver Perfumes is the fragrance partner, Sennheiser the sound partner, Radio Mirchi the radio partner and SaReGaMa the music partner.
Founded in 2019, Rusk Media describes itself as a full-stack digital entertainment company focused on IP creation, distribution and monetisation. Its portfolio spans mobile-first video IPs for Gen Z and millennial audiences across social platforms, OTT services including Amazon MX Player and JioHotstar, as well as its own Alright! TV platform.
The company also operates Rusk Ads and produces serialised fiction, unscripted formats, animated content, vertical dramas and live entertainment formats.
With Season 2, I-Popstar is putting the spotlight not just on who can hit the right note, but on who can turn that note into an identity audiences remember.
