Saavn expands AiR roster, continuing a tradition of support for India’s most talented and creative musicians
MUMBAI, India, November 2nd, 2016 — This month, multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer, Papon becomes the third ever member of Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program - their in-house program designed exclusively
for handpicked, breakthrough artists. Papon’s inclusion on the AiR platform underlines Saavn’s commitment to showcasing the best of Indian non-film music on a global scale.Having been born into a musical family, Papon’s childhood was spent watching and learning from folk music legend and his father, the late Khagen Mahanta. Papon has carried forward his father’s legacy by pioneering folktronica in India. His folk-infused, soulful productions on series like Coke Studio India and his success as a Bollywood singer have established Papon as one of the most recognizable and sought after voices in India. Known as one of the most versatile musicians in the business, Papon transitions seamlessly from folk to new wave electronica.
"I'm extremely happy about the association with Saavn and the opportunity that it presents. I'm looking forward to working together with Saavn and I fully support their idea of enabling artists translate ideas into music and helping it reach an audience worldwide,” says Papon. “The Artist-in-Residency programme is a very positive step, and I'm very excited to be a part of it. This association comes at a great time for me as I have been working on some new ideas that I can't wait to share with my fans. There's new music coming soon and you'll hear it first on Saavn.”
With over 18 million active listeners and a growing presence on the global music scene, an association with Saavn AiR presents myriad opportunities for a path-breaking artist like Papon.
“Papon is an icon in the Indian music scene. We trust that his unique ability to transcend traditional music genres will resonate with our fanbase and continue the AiR legacy,” says Gaurav Wadhwa, VP, Entertainment and Original Content, Saavn. “We’re continuing to make AiR a creative space for India’s most innovative artists, giving them as much free-range as possible to do what they do best.”
If the success of Saavn’s first two Artists-in-Residence is any indication, fans from Guwahati to Greenland will be able to enjoy Papon’s music. Saavn’s first AiR, EDM artist Nucleya, brought newfound popularity to the desi-bass genre, growing his international fan base ahead of his “Raja Baja” album release and world tour. Following in his footsteps, Raghu Dixit created new music and audio shows for Saavn during his time on AiR, which contributed significantly to the Folk singer’s success abroad.
This fall, Papon looks to build on the AiR tradition, expanding Saavn’s unmatched audio offerings while gaining exposure to millions of listeners worldwide.
About Saavn
Saavn is India's leading digital music service, transforming how people around the world access and experience music on a daily basis. With a unique combination of Internet radio and on-demand music streaming, as well as proprietary social features like music tagging and music chat, Saavn delivers one of the richest media experiences available on mobile and web today.
The company's award-winning iOS and Android mobile products include phonetic search, dynamic bit-rate streaming, global native ad-serving, and industry-leading design. With Saavn Pro, users can listen to music ad-free and offline. And through partnerships with Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Shazam, Saavn reaches more music fans than any other South Asian music service. In early 2015, Saavn partnered with the global non-profit Akshaya Patra to launch #MusicForMeals, a streaming-powered initiative to provide midday meals for school-going children in India.
In 2016, Saavn expanded its content offering into Saavn Original Programming, a slate of original, non-music audio programs that range from comedy and storytelling to mythology and cricket. Some of the most popular Saavn Originals include Qisson Ka Kona, featuring radio icon Neelesh Misra; Trial by Error: The Aarushi Files, a serialized investigative series centering on India’s most notorious crime; Cyrus Says, an irreverent comedy talk show starring Cyrus Broacha; and Maed in India, featuring interviews and performances by top indie musicians.
This year, featuring popular electronic artist Nucelya in its first installation, Saavn also launched its Artist in Residence program (AiR), an in-house program designed exclusively for handpicked independent, breakthrough artists. This platform encourages select artists to explore their creativity through experimentation, and exclusive collaborations, all while reaching larger and wider audience through Saavn.
Saavn is currently accessed in 196 countries and offers 30 Million tracks in 13 languages: Hindi, English (India only), Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani and Urdu. The company has 900+ label partnerships and growing, including T-Series, Tips, YRF, Saregama, Eros, Universal, Sony, and Warner Music.
Saavn’s investors include Tiger Global Management, Liberty Media, Bertelsmann Investments, Steadview Capital, Ward Ferry Management, Tree Line Investment Management, Quilvest, Mousse Partners, Wellington Capital Management, and a number of strategic individuals have also invested, such as former Vodafone CEO, Arun Sarin, who joined as an investor and advisor in September 2015, Guy Oseary joined as an investor and partner on 15th June, 2016. The Saavn team has previously presented at Strata + Hadoop World in Singapore, and at Cannes Entertainment Lions.
Saavn was founded in 2007, and has offices in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bangalore, New York, and California. For more information, visitwww.saavn.com or corporate.saavn.com.