Meet musicians from Bengaluru making melodies on World Music Day Premium

World Music Day: From the classical strains of Carnatic to the infectious beats of rock, there is something for every musical taste in Bengaluru

Bengaluru seamlessly blends traditional musical roots with modern genres, creating a captivating fusion of sounds. From the classical strains of Carnatic and Hindustani music to the infectious beats of rock, jazz, and electronic genres, there is something for every musical taste. The city boasts a thriving live music culture, with numerous venues, cafes, and clubs hosting talented musicians, bands and independent artists. Bengaluru’s music scene serves as a melting pot, nurturing emerging talent and providing a platform for artistic expression, making it a haven for both aspiring and seasoned musicians. We look at a few musicians doing something special this World Music Day: 

Sunil Koshy used to be among the scores of people with an IT job in Bengaluru but whose passion lay elsewhere. He had to choose between songs and software — love and livelihood. Juggling both worked for a bit. But the more he was into music, the more it allured him. Around him, he saw more people, untrained in music but always eager to sing. This unrecognised tribe of bathroom singers, he realised, did not have a proper platform. So, in 2013, Sunil quit his job. With his wife, Archana, he started From Mug to Mike, wherein amateur singers can hone their hobby.

Also read | The sound of music in Bengaluru

Over the last 10 years, Sunil and his wife have trained over 10,000 people to sing better. “We have had doctors, managers, professors, homemakers, and students joining us. People now recognise From Mug to Mike,” he says.

Sunil also collaborated with some big names in Indian playback singing, including KS Chitra, Hariharan, Kumar Sanu, and P Srinivas. “One of our participants sang a duet with Kumar Sanu,” he says, “We have tried to be a bridge between the music industry and the general public.”

For World Music Day, Sunil has composed and sung an anthem, ‘Sur Mein Rangeen Hui’, with seven From Mug To Mike participants, including software professionals, a bank manager and a dentist. The song will be on From Mug to Mike’s YouTube channel.

Sunil and his wife often produce an anthem for a few special days in the calendar such as Women’s Day, Disability Day and Music Day, wherein they involve participants who have never sung in a studio before. In this regard, Sunil and Archana’s decade-old venture has lived up to its name. For, people literally go from holding mugs to microphones.