Looking for new indie music? Mumbai, here's where to head.

Done and dusted with Bollywood music? Check out Mumbai’s indie music scene. If your playlist is full of songs by indie artists, find out what’s happening around town and who to catch live.

Yeh indie indie kya hai?

Indie stands for Independent and as the name suggests, its textbook definition is ‘music produced by artists who are independent or partly dependent on record labels.’ But, here’s the thing - Indie music is everything out of the textbook. Indie has no definite structure but is solely defined by the artist. Take singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad for instance. He has a song for every mood. Feeling on top of the world? ‘Tune Kaha’ is the situation song. Dealing with a breakup? ‘Holding on’ can help lift your mood.

From light-hearted melodies to heavy buzzing metal, indie has become an inclusive genre, a breath of fresh air for all music lovers.

What’s Mumbai's indie music scene like?

Indie music and Mumbai go way back! Would you believe if we say, the city of dreams has been dreaming to explore independent music right from the 1920s. From around 2007, a number of performance spaces opened up and led to the music scene we know today. Bands like Unohu at antiSOCIAL are a must-watch for those who dig rock. Metalheads and lovers of punk, Gutslit at The Habitat is highly recommended. And for those who seek a cosy space, perfect for listening to singer-songwriters like Tejas Menon and Aarifah Rebello, Flea Bazaar Cafe is the spot for you.

And of course! For exploring several genres at the same time, there's always NH7 Weekender to look forward to.

Music Open Mics

Discover new voices at a venue near you! Here's where you can witness indie musicians start their journeys.

What to expect at an indie gig:

• New and upcoming artists yet to make it to the top.
• History in the making! A story to tell your grandkids on how awestruck you were when you watched your favourite artist live. *Adds some drama to it*
• Musicians often becoming a part of the audience to watch the rest of the line-up *fanboy/fangirl moment*
• Music that resonates with you, inspires you to create or simply sets the mood for you.

Start here - listen to some of our indie favourites!

There's jazz, metal and a whole bunch of things, so keep your mind open and your hands on the volume button.

Blackstratblues - Reconnaissance Mission

Easy Wanderlings - I For Little Things

Taba Chake - Shaayad

Ankur Tewari - Dil Haare

Gutslit - Scaphism

Aarifah Rebello - No Stopping Me

Parvaaz - Beparwah

The Local Train - Aaoge Tum Kabhi

Prateek Kuhad - Yeh Pal

The F16s - My Baby’s Beak