Rolling Stone India is proud to present a special #PrideIssue this month. This year, we want to initiate a range of conversations and dialogues that are crucial to the LGBTQ+ cause, as part of an editorial campaign titled #ThisCoverStoryIsAConversation. Proceeds from the donations will go to the Humsafar Trust’s COVID Relief Fund.

A glorious celebration of everything LGTBQI, with music and spoken word performances by some of India's most talented queer artists:

GrapeGuitarBox:

GrapeGuitarBox aka Teenasai Balamu is an indie musician based in Bangalore, India. She explores the alternative side of pop by interpreting popular songs in her own style, which is often very different from the original itself. The genre of her music would be described as indie/pop/acoustic. With her music, Teenasai wishes to create a space safe from labels, judgement, and discrimination; a space for all the misfits. She looks forward to collaborating with different kinds of artists in order to discover new sounds.

Jay:

Based in New Delhi, India, Janvi Anand (Preferred name/pronouns: Jay/he/him) is an acoustic guitarist, singer, songwriter, and educator. Having performed extensively as a solo artist in India and California, he currently performs internationally as an Acoustic Pop Rock artist. He likes to talk about human relationships and vulnerabilities through his cross-genre compositions.

Indranil Basu:

Indranil Basu is a young poet from Kolkata who is an environmentalist and student.

Anwesh Sahoo (Available for M&G):

Anwesh Sahoo is former Mr. Gay World India 2016 and the youngest winner of the pageant in India. He's a Digital Experience Designer, an illustrator, a writer, a model, and a TEDx speaker. He blogs at The Effeminare, a parallel universe where he gets to illustrate the Utopian world he wants to be a part of. He looks at life as a thrilling mystery novel written by God and, since his novel has only started, he’d go with: ‘I am still evolving!'