Music and Youth
EMI Music to showcase Warner labels in India
MUMBAI: Making official a licensing agreement that had been inked in January, it was announced yesterday that EMI Music will be marketing Warner Music’s repertoire in India.
EMI Music general manager Shameer Tandon also announced a tie-up with MTV’s sibling music channel Vh1 for a special showcasing on 1 May of exclusive Warner videos, featuring some popular artists.
Why was Vh1 selected? According to Tandon, Vh1 plays only international music videos (unlike Indipop dominated MTV), which caters to the 16-44 year SEC AB demographic, mirroring the kind of TG Warner Music is targeting.
Commenting on the Warner-EMI tie-up, Tandon said, “For the last seven years, EMI has been very successfully introducing international acts ranging from Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Cliff Richards, Frank Sinatra, Beatles to George Michael, Robbie Williams, Norah Jones, etc. We are confident of replicating the same with the Warner catalogue too.”
MTV Networks director programming and talent & artist
relations Ashish Patil said, “We are thrilled to welcome old pals and partners in crime, Warner Music, to India.Together we are going to rock and roll.”
EMI Music has also not ruled out the possibility of creating DVDs of the latest albums of various artistes over the next couple of months and would explore the possibility of roping in international artistes for concerts in India.
Though Tandon doesn’t rule out the possibility of airing international tracks on other competing music channels like Channel [V], SS Music and Zee Music, Patil believes that after the 30-day exclusive on Vh1, Warner Music will not have to look elsewhere.
How about radio with the FM radio sector witnessing action these days? That is also not ruled out as EMI is open to airing international tracks of Warner’s repertoire on FM radio stations, Tandon said.
New Warner releases include Alanis Morrisette’s So Called Chaos, The Darkness Permission to Land, Green Day’s Grammy Award-winning American Idiot and Jet’s Get Born. Some of the forthcoming attractions also include Rob Thomas Something To Be.
The titles of Warner Music, a part of Time Warner Group, were earlier available in India through the Mumbai-based Magnasound. Warner also had licensing deals with Music Today, the music arm of the Living Media Group, and Tips.
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.
