Music and Youth
TuneCore grant expands to South India
Mumbai: TuneCore, the leading development partner for self-releasing artists—owned by Paris-based Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies—has announced the third edition of the TuneCore Grant program. The latest edition will provide endowments of INR 100,000 each to four independent artists who perform in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam respectively. Artists can send in their entry via the TuneCore India website between 1 March and 31 March 2024.
Artists can enter by submitting a single to be judged by a panel of industry experts consisting of Sam C.S (music composer), Ghibran (music composer), Neha Nair (singer/songwriter) and Padmanaban N.S. (Head of Artist and Label Partnerships).
The TuneCore Grant was first launched in 2022 to provide financial support for rising independent artists to help further their careers. Since its inception, nearly 300 artists have participated in the program, submitting singles for consideration for the previous two editions.
Discussing the growth of the program and this year’s focus on South India, TuneCore South Asia head Akhila Shankar, said, “We’ve seen a burgeoning independent music scene emerging from the South with more artists choosing to create music in their native tongue. This is both worth celebrating and amplifying. With TuneCore Grant Punjabi we saw that the program directly led to a 40% increase in the number of TuneCore artists releasing music in the language. With each edition of the Grant, we hope to encourage more artists to release independently, express themselves in their language of choice, and contribute to India’s robust, diverse culture.”
TuneCore artists in India release music in more than 25 local languages. The four languages selected for this edition of the grant represent some of the fastest growing languages in terms of number of releases per year.
TuneCore VP International Tash Shah added, “At TuneCore, our international strategy thrives on fostering vibrant local music ecosystems around the world. The expansion of the TuneCore Grant to South India exemplifies this commitment. We believe financial empowerment at the grassroots level unlocks their creative potential.”
Believe India & South Asia managing director Vivek Raina said, “Believe is committed to fostering local communities and artists singing in their local languages. As the independent music scene across the 5 southern states grows, we are committed to supporting artists at various stages through our network of services and programs”.
Music and Youth
TLC launches ‘World On My Plate’ with Shipra Khanna
New travel-food series premieres 29 March at 7:00 PM.
MUMBAI: Shipra Khanna just packed her bags and her flavours because when a celebrated chef takes you on a global plate tour, even the couch starts feeling like first-class. Warner Bros. Discovery India has announced the launch of World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna, a new travel and food series set to premiere on TLC on 29 March at 7:00 PM. Hosted and curated by the popular chef and television personality, the show blends food, travel and culture through an intimate and immersive lens.
Across three visually rich episodes, Shipra journeys to global destinations to explore not just what people eat, but why they eat it, uncovering the stories, traditions and human connections behind every dish. The series opens in London, weaving its iconic landmarks with diverse culinary scenes, before moving to Spain’s vineyards, olive orchards and coastal kitchens.
Warner Bros. Discovery head of advertising revenues for South Asia Tanaz Mehta said: “At TLC, our focus has always been on bringing authentic stories that reflect how people live and connect. World On My Plate builds on this by using food as a lens to explore shared traditions across geographies. We’re excited to collaborate with Chef Shipra Khanna, whose perspective brings both depth and relatability to these narratives.”
Shipra Khanna added, “Food has always been my way of connecting with people and understanding cultures. With World On My Plate, I’ve had the opportunity to step into new worlds, learn from incredible individuals, and share stories that go far beyond the plate. This show is very special to me.”
The series promises strong visual storytelling, meaningful interactions and a fresh perspective on global cuisine celebrating flavours alongside the emotions and traditions that shape them.
In a world where travel shows often feel like distant postcards, Shipra Khanna is serving up something far more personal: a passport to cultures through their kitchens, proving that the best way to understand a place is still through the plate. Tune in to World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna starting 29 March at 7:00 PM on TLC.
