The 3rd day of the inaugural WAVES Summit 2025 witnessed an insightful session titled ‘Spotify House: Evolution of Folk Music in India’ at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Hosted under the ‘WAVES Cultural and Concerts’ segment, the session brought together leading voices from India’s folk music and cultural space for a conversation on the living tradition of folk.

Renowned storyteller and host Roshan Abbas moderated the discussion. The panel featured celebrated lyricist and CBFC Chairperson Prasoon Joshi, folk singer Malini Awasthi, music composer Nandesh Umap, singer and composer Papon, and acclaimed performer Ila Arun.

Prasoon Joshi described folk as a “tactile feel of life” and a dynamic expression of shared human experience. Nandesh Umap called folk “an open university”, stressing its inclusive and democratic nature. Papon recounted his journey with folk music, including a memorable moment in Serbia when Assamese folk songs received a standing ovation, whereas Ila Arun and Malini Awasthi echoed the sentiment, stressing that the roots of folk music lie in community and emotion. The panellists also appreciated platforms like Spotify for including folk in larger cultural narratives.

The panel underscored the vast diversity within Indian folk traditions, with each state offering a unique musical idiom. It called for systemic support to nurture this diversity and credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enabling platforms like WAVES that bring traditional art forms to the forefront.

The panellists emphasised that while the essence of folk must be preserved, its form should evolve to speak to new generations. The session featured spontaneous musical moments. Several panellists broke into impromptu singing, bringing the spirit of folk to life. The audience enjoyed an authentic and immersive experience.