ProShow ’18: Know Your Artists

The line-up for the Proshow nights at Revels '18.

All year round, the excitement for Revels is constantly increasing. Yet somehow, the ProShow Artist Reveal has always been kept well under wraps. Now that all the speculation is over and you know who’s coming to entertain you this year, find out what you’ll be missing out on should you choose to sleep in instead.

When Chai Met Toast

“Listening to the wonderful chimes
It’s all about good times” – Beautiful World, When Chai Met Toast

It’s 6:30 in the morning. The sun’s just risen; you’re about to go for a walk. You take out your phone to put on a song, but you aren’t sure about what will suit the mood – this peaceful, quiet, serene and happy mood. You feel like listening to something that will make your heart skip a beat – maybe even flutter a little. Something that gives you the feeling you feel when you’re about to enter a new chapter in life, or when you’re falling in love.
That’s where When Chai Met Toast comes in. WCMT is a band that you’ll fall in love with. Anywhere from Firefly to Fight, you’ve got the constant underlying tone that can only be described as happy. The band doesn’t produce music; they make happiness. It becomes an emotion in itself, and all four members radiate positivity whether you’re listening to them through your earphones, or watching them perform live.
Happy is the word one would use to define them. With a Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers essence to them, the indie-folk band doesn’t fail to lift up one’s spirits. Envision this: you get on a bus, you take a seat by the window and you look out. You know you are going to experience a fresh beginning, and you have a song in mind that would be playing if this were a movie. That song is something along the lines of the music that When Chai Met Toast creates.
The group hails from Cochin (Kochi) and has performed at Bacardi NH7 Weekender as well as Taalbelia Festival in Rajasthan. Their music will make your soul happy.
It truly does feel like you’re experiencing the joy of little things.

Quintino

The Netherlands is famous for many things. One of the many ‘exciting’ things being phenomenal dance music, and from startlingly young adults. An optimum example is DJ Quintino. A whiz behind the console, he started out as many in this haven of house do, sharing his mixes with the world via local clubs while in high school. It all changed when a veteran on the music scene, Laidback Luke, discovered his genius skills. From there, the only way was up. He moved on to spotlight gigs and high-profile events on a global scale, from Mansion in Miami to tours across Eurasia. He finally started producing his own remixes in 2007, endorsing Nope Is Dope, a nationwide Dutch dance event. 2008 marked a turning point in his career, with the release of his trap remix of Brazilian duo Cidinho and Doca’s ‘Rap Das Armas’ becoming the signature summer song, garnering over 10 million views on YouTube and hitting number one on Dutch pop charts. With renewed fame, he ventured on to release a few singles of his own under his own label, SupersoniQ, establishing himself as an artist as well. ‘You Can’t Deny’ and ‘Heaven’, both produced in collaboration with Dutch house artist Mitch Crown in 2010, hit the Top 30 of the Dutch singles chart. Thus, in 2011, when long-time friend Afrojack decided to start up an initiative for aspiring DJs and producers, Wall Recordings, Quintino was an obvious choice. Afrojack’s catchy tunes and Quintino’s impulsive beats were a recipe for a hit collaboration, ‘Selecta’, under the same initiative. Which is why they followed it up with ‘Raider’. After that, it was a collaborators’ galore for Quintino. He went on to blend with Sandro Silva to produce one more chart- breaking song, ‘Epic’ -ly doing so under Tiësto’s ‘Musical Freedom’ label, so much so that it gained platinum status in the Netherlands. MoTi and R3hab also proved to be a golden combination with Quintino’s consistently fresh music. It’s no surprise, therefore, that he famously played more than 250 gigs a year worldwide. In 2013, Quintino, along with Tiësto and Alvaro, produced the anthem for the most supreme dance event on the planet, the Ultra Music Festival, every ambitious producer’s dream. Believing that a radio show is the best way to test out new mixes and stay in touch with your roots, he launched one on SiriusXM, naming it after his label. Debuting on DJ Mag’s Top 100 list in 2014 at #86, he gradually rose all the way up to #30 in 2017, where he currently stands, nothing less than a well-deserved position.
Quintino’s signature style, weaving originality into spontaneous beats and stamping his own style on familiar songs, enhancing their ingenuity tenfold, is completed wonderfully by his hold on the crowd, carefully controlling its pulse, making each heart beat as one, all to the bars of the music.

Aswekeepsearching

The post-rock band hailing from Ahmedabad has taken the contemporary music industry in India by surprise, in the past couple of years. The crew consists of vocalist/guitarist Uddipan Sarmah, guitarist/keyboardist Shubham Gurung, bassist Bob Alex and drummer Gautam Deb. AWKS’s crisp interpretation of post-rock blended with hints of surrounding music complimenting the bright colourful heat of India, makes for a melodic treat, both on record and live. Their music figures out how to push existing limits, creating space for some unfathomable music, convincing the listeners to stick around for somewhat more. Following the arrival of their introduction EP Growing Suspicions and collection Khwaab, they have as of late released Zia also.  Zia dwells into a more subversive blend of jazz fusion. While Khwaab was more of a swing-and-soul infused album, as opposed to Zia’s slow, smooth 11-track compendium. Shubham Gurung manages to pull off a near miracle managing the keys, guitar as well as the vocals in the latest album.

aswekeepsearching had a surfeit of extraordinary opportunities performing at a couple of India’s most coveted music festivals ranging from all the three edition of the NH7 Weekender 2016, Ctrl Alt Del, Into the Void, and Indie March among others. They have also had the privilege of sharing the stage with the likes of Steven Wilson, 65daysofstatic, Tides From Nebula, Blackstratblues, Karsh Kale, I am sitting tight for you last Summer and many more. They believe their most captivating escapade was the launch tour for ‘Khwaab’. As soon as the collection came out under the Russian record Label ‘Flowers Blossom In The Space’, the band went on a 5 city tour in Russia performing in venues like the St. Petersburg Opera House and the Red Concert Hall in Moscow, immediately followed by a 6 city visit in India.

The inception of this band also proved to be a turning point for the Indian independent music scene. AWKS are now ranked among the most sought-after artists in the country, painting a vividly colourful and bright picture with their music. Right from the beginning till the coda, their music takes you on a journey to faraway lands; of scenic and mountains and valleys from where you wouldn’t return.

Arjun Kanungo

Whether you’ve mumbled the words ‘Fursat jo mile khudse’ as the melodious song played on the radio or you’ve screamed ‘Yeh chotte chotte shots’ at a party, Arjun Kanungo’s music would definitely sound familiar to any Indian college student.
A fine artist currently surfing through his successful career, Arjun Kanungo has been around the music industry for just 5 years.
His career first catapulted when he set up his own professional recording studio- Promethean Audio. Over the next few years, Promethean Audio turned into Promethean Design, and Arjun Kanungo, from an 18-year-old Mumbai kid trying his luck at music design, became an internationally recognized artist performing at multiple concerts around the country.
In 2013, Arjun Kanungo released his debut single ‘Baaki Baatein Peene Baad’ which successfully established him as one of India’s popular singers. He took the Indian music industry by storm with ‘Khoon Choos Le’ which became an unexpected success. Over the next two years, Kanungo continued accumulating more ‘Fanungos’ over the release of two new singles ‘Fursat’ and ‘Ek Dafaa’.
Being a classically trained singer who plays the guitar and piano, and a practised method actor from Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City, Arjun was able to catch the attention of singers such as Asha Bhosle whom he toured the world with.
His latest single ‘Gallan Tipsiyaan’ has received immense appreciation from fans across the country. Currently signed to Sony Music India, Kanungo continues to tirelessly thrill his audience with addictive songs all year round.

Aranya Johar

“We’re girls, women, human, not a burden.
I ask my male friend to drop me home because his privilege will protect mine
Sorry dad, for I was catcalled in my uniform at the age of 9.
This isn’t all men thing I know. Trust me, I do.”
-An excerpt from Johar’s poem “A brown girl’s guide to Gender”

In a world like ours where body shaming is common, feminism is mistaken for misandry and acid attacks is a topic that headlines almost every other day, Aranya Johar’s spoken word poetry “A brown girl’s guide to gender” captured the attention of two million people. This 18-year-old Mumbai based poet and internet sensation started writing when she was 11 years old and began performing when she was 13.
Her poems are raw and full of emotion. A number of her pieces have gone viral. Apart from performing at several open-mics and prestigious events, she has also co-founded the creative startup More than Mics and is a curator for the Blind Poetry sessions an anonymous poetry platform that takes place in the dark.
Her powerful voice and impactful words have inspired many young adults to take a stand and express their opinions.

Yahya Bootwala

“Bas kyun ki tum uski Insta stories ka,
Aur wo tumhari snap stories ka hissa ban chuki hai
Aur ise tum mohabbat keh rahe ho,
Toh ho sakta hai tum galat ho”
-An excerpt from Bootwala’s poem “Shayad Wo Pyar Nahi”

Yahya Bootwala, the man who won our hearts with his beautiful words is a spoken word artist who hails from Mumbai. He achieved fame overnight when his poem Shayad Woh Pyar Nahi was uploaded on YouTube. Yayhya, currently works as a Copy Writer and Morning Show Producer at Radio Mirchi.
Apart from Shayad Woh Pyar Nahi, his poem Cycle has also gained popularity. He performs at various open mics and aspires to become an actor someday.
His words have stirred emotions and have touched the hearts of millions.

Shaan Suhas Kumar


“My advocacy is about joining the dots to learn more about what we consume and taking consistent action on issues like saving water and energy and managing waste. It’s also to inspire and educate others.” Those were the words of Shaan Suhas Kumar after she was crowned as Miss Earth India 2017.

Shaan is the daughter of retired Indian Forest Service officer Suhas Kumar and Aarti Kumar, the head of Mass Open Online Course (MOOC) and content at AISECT University, Bhopal.
The former Miss Earth India Air 2016 hails from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, but has her roots in Purnea, Bihar, a state which does not provide enough appreciation for her field. But for Shaan, life was an exception, as rightly said by her mother Mrs. Aarti Kumar, “She had been brought up in an atmosphere where daughters are treated equally. We do not believe in restricting our daughters to the kitchen. We encourage them to achieve their goals.”
The 26-year-old model campaigning for environmental awareness is a graduate in Media Studies from Symbiosis Center for Media and Communication. Last year she was also accepted into the prestigious Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, New York, an Ivy League institution for her Masters. The multi-talented Shaan was also an NCC cadet and a classical dancer.
Her resolve on impacting the environment and society for their betterment, however, is nothing short of extraordinary. A passionate and dedicated social worker, she had spent the last five years helping out in the social development sector. Also a climate tracker and environmentalist, Shaan has been working really hard and giving her best to fulfil her motto of “Beauty for a Cause”. She is passionate about waste management, wildlife conservation, climate change and pollution control volunteering. She is also a documentary filmmaker.
Upon receiving her Bachelor of Education degree, she chose to teach underprivileged children in a free municipal school in one of the largest slums of Asia, located in Mumbai. While her peers felt it was unusual since she had given up a steady position in the media industry after graduating from the country’s premier institute for Media Studies, she followed her desires and stayed true in doing what’s right.

Shaan was not new to the world of pageantry when she contested for Miss Earth India 2017 as she was earlier declared as Miss Earth Air India 2016. The following year, she succeeded Rashi Yadav in clinching the title of Miss Earth India 2017. She represented India in Manila, Philippines in October 2017 in the world’s third biggest and environment focused beauty pageant-Miss Earth. And she was placed 8th position for Environmental Awareness and Intelligence among representatives from 85 different countries.
Shaan also won the title of Top Model India 2017 and represented the country in Top Model Worldwide in  London, UK. She was shortlisted to walk for the London Fashion Week Spring Summer 18 collection in September 2017.

Now, Shaan Suhas Kumar is all set to grace Revels’18 with her enchanting presence on the 8th of March in MIT Quadrangle at 8 pm. Also, she will feature as the judge for the fashion show Haute Couture that will take place on the same day. So, get ready to witness Glamour Wonderland at Revels’18, with this elegant figure of intelligence and beauty, and active spokesperson for our environment, leading the stage.

The Indian Jam Project

There’s not much to be said here, for there are certain experiences that transcend all kinds of words and expression, experiences that stay with a person. Such is the music produced by The Indian Jam Project. Here is a group of extremely gifted individuals who made their own significant mark in the Indian and global music landscape. Their work predominantly revolves around emotionally nurturing music such as film scores and popular culture theme music. What makes them stand out is the flavour that they effortlessly add to existing tracks. Amalgamation of the flute, sitar, tabla and other Indian classical instruments opens a new dimension for the audience to explore, enabling one to experience the same music in a different way.

The Indian Jam Project is the brainchild of Tushar Lall, who is accompanied by Prasad Rahane, Samay Lalwani, Sandeep Mishra, Prathamesh Salunke and Vivaan Kapoor. The YouTube channel, named after Tushar Lall who started the channel back in 2010 has over 220,000 subscribers and 15 million views.

TIJP stands as an example to all content creators, encouraging people to come forward and express in newer ways. Their latest track ‘Justice League Tribute’ has been featured in MTTN’s creative project ‘We are Manipal’ which speaks miles about the kind of expression that’s in light here.

Written by The MTTN Crew
Pictures from Google Images

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