MAM
SOCIETY TEA PRESENTS, #SOUNDSOFSOCIETY SEASON 2, EPISODE 4: ‘AKHIYAN’, PRODUCED BY URBAN BEAT PROJECT, CURATED BY LAIQ QURESHI
A celebrated household name, Society Tea, in association with Urban Beat Project, curated by Laiq Qureshi, announced the launch of the Second Season of its live musical web series – #SoundsofSociety, https://soundsofsociety.in/, and are here with Episode 4. This episode features a collaboration of two tremendously talented musicians, between one of India's finest yet under-rated singers Tritha Sinha, and multi-instrumentalist genius musician and Indophile, Mathias Durand, presenting ‘Akhiyan’.
Sounds of Society is a genre-free, no-rules, and an all-inclusive approach to presenting music-making and its associated performing arts. It features musicians and their grassroots approach to making music, in an entirely collaborative format. Sounds of Society – Season 2 is shot with minimal fuss and equipment, and will feature both, edited as well as, one-take videos, to showcase the true organic nature of each episode.
The season’s fourth episode showcases an amazing collaboration between Tritha, a vocalist, composer and music producer based in Goa, and Mathias Durand a composer, producer and singer-songwriter from France. Having worked together extensively, their work is nothing short of exemplary. This episode is a perfect example of musical harmony. While Tritha sticks to her roots, and Mathias to his, they come together as one with this fascinating arrangement, ‘Akhiyan’.
In 2014, Tritha released her debut album ‘PaGLI’ on Sony Music, earn the license to break the rules as well as unlearn and re-interpret what she had learnt in her classical methods. Her next album ‘Raagas in Paris’ released in 2016 on Silk Road label saw her fuse Indian classical with psychedelic rock with her rock band 'Tritha Electric'. Whereas, for Mathias, as a young child he learned classical music on the piano from his grandmother and is a self-taught guitarist. He plays Folk Psychedelic music, inspired by Krautrock, Experimental and Minimal composers.
An elated Karan Shah, Director, Society Tea said, “Music, an integral part of our lives, has the power of bringing together people across borders, just the way tea does. With Sounds of Society: Season 2, we aim at bringing soulful melodies by collaborating with versatile artists. This season has an amazing line-up and is all set to brew a flavourful experience, with the aim of etching music and tea onto the hearts of our audience. We strive towards keeping this spirit of innovation alive while spreading happiness.”
Produced by Urban Beat Project and curated by Laiq Qureshi, the collaborations in each episode represent the already existing and ever evolving synergies in the musical world. Much of what is captured is entirely spontaneous, without any concrete rehearsals. “Some of the best music is made when musicians come together without any real aim in mind, and when they are free of going anywhere particular with their music. Like in a jam. What comes out is pure and organic. This is what we want to showcase.” says Laiq Qureshi, founder of Urban Beat Project.
Sounds of Society departs from a need to showcase any big industry names, but hopes to feature what music sounds like on the street, on a terrace, in your bedroom, on the beach, or in your backyard. The only real aim is to document the social and cultural milieu in which we live, by presenting the sounds of today.
Artists featured so far are – DJ URI, Delhi Sultanate, Hang Massive, Delhi 2 Dublin, Vasuda Sharma, Gowri Jayakumar, Chandana Bala, Nush Lewis and more.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
