ITV

Category: Music and Youth

  • Reality Ranis swap jungle for shore as Season 2 drama washes ashore

    Reality Ranis swap jungle for shore as Season 2 drama washes ashore

    MUMBAI: The Ranis are back and this time, they’re trading leaves for waves. Warner Bros. Discovery has dropped the trailer for Reality Ranis of the Jungle Season 2, and the all-female survival show is moving from dense forests to sandy shores. The first look teases a stormy mix of crashing waves, sizzling rivalries and survival drama as 12 contestants battle for the ultimate crown.

    Season 1 set the tone with fierce jungle clashes, but the sequel looks double the size and twice the fun. The fresh lineup features Samyukta Hegde, Irena Rudakova, Archana Gautam, Sara Gurpal and more all ready to swap comfort zones for chaos. Adding extra spice, Rakhi Sawant storms into the mix, promising unpredictability that only she can deliver. Guiding the spectacle once again is host Varun Sood, whose return ensures fans a familiar yet amped-up ride through the survival saga.

    The timing couldn’t be more symbolic. As Discovery celebrates 40 years globally and 30 in India, the series mirrors its DNA of bold, edge-of-seat storytelling. Reality Ranis Season 2 isn’t just about endurance, it’s about power plays, transformations, and testing limits under the scorching sun. With beach brawls, surprise twists, and a crown on the line, these Ranis are set to prove that survival, like the tide, waits for no one.
     

  • Tips Music acquires Studio Radha’s Cultural music of Gujarati and Kutchi

    Tips Music acquires Studio Radha’s Cultural music of Gujarati and Kutchi

    MUMBAI: Tips Music Ltd acquired Studio Radha’s complete music catalogue expanding its footprint into Gujarat’s rich cultural music heritage. The acquisition reflects Tips Music’s strategic expansion into regional markets, delivering authentic folk traditions with contemporary reach to Indian and global audiences.

    Studio Radha, known for its extensive collection of 4,000+ traditional songs spanning devotional music, folk music, and cultural storytelling, adds a dynamic, heritage-rich catalogue to Tips Music’s diverse portfolio, strengthening its position in regional Indian music while exploring new digital streaming and global publishing opportunities.

    Commenting on the acquisition, Tips Music Ltd managing director Kumar Taurani said, ” This acquisition, which has a authentic voice of our culture, is a strategic move to deepen our presence in India’s vibrant regional music markets. Beyond preserving this incredible legacy, our goal is to leverage our modern distribution infrastructure and introduce these timeless songs to a new generation of listeners globally. This aligns perfectly with our business strategy of investing in high-quality, diverse content that holds timeless appeal.”

    The Studio Radha catalogue will be made available across all major streaming platforms and digital services under the Tips Music banner, ensuring these cultural gems reach music lovers worldwide.
     

  • Trilok names Suno as platform partner

    Trilok names Suno as platform partner

    MUMBAI: Collective Artists Network announced a new collaboration between its AI band Trilok and Suno, where Trilok will also serve as a Suno brand ambassador. The collaboration pairs Trilok’s creative direction and original compositions with Suno’s powerful music-production tools for generation, arrangement and high-quality song delivery.

    Since its debut, Trilok has released music that blends devotional themes with contemporary sounds, introducing traditional stories and melodies to new audiences. Partnering with Suno opens the door to even more possibilities.

    Suno’s strong presence in the international music-tech space will help bring Trilok’s sound to listeners far beyond India, while Collective Artists Network’s deep roots in the country’s music and cultural networks will help AI-driven music find more ears, and hearts, here at home.

    Collective Artists Network founder & group CEO, Vijay Subramaniam said: “Trilok started as a small experiment in blending tradition and technology, and it’s grown into something so much greater. Partnering with Suno has taken that journey to a new level, helping bring the music to global audiences. This is a collaboration I’m proud of, one that keeps the heart of the music intact while opening new ways for people around the world to connect with it.”

    “We’re fortunate to work with music creators all over the world to help bring their visions to life,” said Suno chief music officer Paul Sinclair. “Trilok is using the newest creative tools to push musical storytelling into exciting territory, blending heritage and innovation in ways that weren’t possible before. At the same time, they’re building a genuine artist-fan connection, using these advancements to create new opportunities for collaboration.”

    The first Trilok releases with Suno are slated for late 2025.
     

  • ‘Hoopr Smash partners with Turnkey Music

    ‘Hoopr Smash partners with Turnkey Music

    MUMBAI: Hoopr Smash announced its strategic partnership with Turnkey Music & Publishing Pvt. Ltd., an independent music publisher, founded and headed by seasoned music industry veteran, Atul Churamani. Through this partnership, more than 1250 tracks, largely English, from Turnkey’s catalogue, will now be available for licensing through the Hoopr Smash platform. This addition expands Hoopr Smash’s rapidly growing library to 20,000+ tracks, marking a significant milestone in making high-quality, international-standard English tracks more accessible and legally licensable for creators and brands across India.

    With a legacy rooted in artist development and publishing innovation, Turnkey Music & Publishing has worked with international catalogues, domestic copyright owners, and independent singer-songwriters. Led by industry expert, Atul Churamani – who has played a key role in shaping Indian pop, music publishing and digital music in India – Turnkey focuses on curating high-quality English music across genres like soul, blues, indie rock, and pop. The label has built a strong identity through sharp A&R, a culture-first approach, and acclaimed initiatives like Paddy Fields, India’s first folk fusion festival. This partnership brings Turnkey’s globally-relevant English music catalogue to Hoopr Smash’s self-serve platform, enabling creators and brands to license world-class tracks legally and effortlessly; while ensuring fair monetization for artists and rights holders alike.

    Churamani said, “Hoopr Smash is doing a great service to musicians and brands alike. With the amount of music being released every day, it has become challenging for brands to find new and appropriate music that is a fit for them. So we are extremely excited about partnering with Hoopr, especially as Gaurav Dagaonkar and his team have worked hard to get the Hoopr platform to where it is today, ensuring that musicians are compensated fairly for their work. In addition, Gaurav has been particular about engaging with the Indian Performing Rights Society as well, so that composers and lyricists also receive their share of royalties. Micro licensing is the new mantra for musicians and creators and we could not have asked for a better partner to help build a sustainable business for them.”

    Hoopr co-founder & CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar said, “India’s content ecosystem is booming, but the independent music space has long lacked accessible, legal licensing options. With Turnkey’s diverse and globally-relevant catalogue now on Hoopr Smash, we’re addressing this critical gap while expanding our offerings meaningfully. Atul Churamani’s legacy in artist development and the music publishing space adds immeasurable value to this collaboration. Together we hope to create a future ready and transparent ecosystem where brands and creators license music in a responsible manner and artists receive fair compensation.”

    Hoopr Co-Founder & CRO, Meghna Mittal added, “As the demand for English music grows across branded digital content, campaigns, and creator communities, it’s crucial that the music licensing infrastructure evolves to match the growing demand. Our partnership with Turnkey brings not just a rich catalogue of English tracks, but also decades of publishing expertise to the platform. Hoopr Smash’s real-time licensing, automated compliance, and intuitive discovery tools ensure that creators can access world-class music legally and instantly—while rights holders benefit from full transparency and control. This is exactly where tech, creativity, and fair monetization meet.”

    With over 80,000 brands producing digital content in India daily, nearly 87 per cent of whom operate without proper licensing, the need for a transparent, ethical music licensing solution is more urgent than ever. This collaboration between Hoopr Smash and Turnkey directly addresses India’s ₹10,000 crore annual loss due to unlicensed music usage, by offering a legally compliant, scalable framework that benefits both artists and content creators.

  • TF1 picks up Korean formats Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for France

    TF1 picks up Korean formats Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for France

    MUMBNAI: From cryptic mansions to cash-fuelled elevators, two of Korea’s most bonkers reality shows are packing their passports and heading to France. Something Special, the Seoul-based format agency known for its boundary-pushing unscripted content, has struck a double-format deal with Studio TF1 via Flanagan Productions, licensing two of its hit Korean shows Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for French adaptation.

    It’s a spooky-meets-spendy combo: Still Alive is a clue-hunting, rule-breaking game show set in a mysterious mansion where contestants must stay sharp or face mysterious, instant elimination. With hidden rules, 24-hour gameplay, and comedic curveballs, the show blends suspense with laughs, and has already been picked up in 14 territories, including Germany, Italy, and across the Nordics.

    Meanwhile, The Penthouse Game trades ghosts for gold. In this high-stakes, hierarchy-driven format, financially struggling contestants fight for dominance both literal and metaphorical as they ascend (or descend) a vertical playing field controlled by a central elevator. With gold tokens, food rations, and three hosts acting as agents of power, it’s part Monopoly, part Squid Game, part social experiment.

    Both formats were snapped up by Flanagan Productions, one of Studio TF1’s flagship labels, known for adapting edgy international hits for prime-time French TV.

    “We’re thrilled to bring these high-concept Korean formats to France,” said Flanagan head Florence Boudaud. “They’re bold, unexpected, and packed with creative storytelling exactly what today’s audiences are craving.”

    For Something Special, co-founders Jin Woo Hwang and Insoon Kim see this as further proof that Korea’s wildly inventive reality concepts are more than just fleeting trends, they’re becoming global go-tos for fresh unscripted content.

    “Our motto is simple create and connect,” said Kim. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing with formats like Still Alive and The Penthouse Game.”

    With the global appetite for Korean storytelling at an all-time high, these two eccentric, high-drama formats are ready to give French audiences a taste of K-reality with a side of chaos.

  • India gets its own Direction with Outstation, a boy band made for Gen Z

    India gets its own Direction with Outstation, a boy band made for Gen Z

    Mumbai: Move over metro pop and recycled remixes, India’s newest boy band is here, and they’re ready to make some noise straight out of Outstation. In a move set to reboot India’s pop landscape, Visva Records India, helmed by global music powerhouse Savan Kotecha, has launched Outstation, a five-member teen boy band aimed squarely at the hearts (and playlists) of young India.

    The group Bhuvan Shetty (22, Udupi), Hemang Singh (20, Prayagraj), Mashaal Shaikh (21, Goa), Kurien Sebastian (20, Delhi-raised Malayali), and Shayan Pattem (17, Hyderabad) were handpicked from thousands through a nationwide talent hunt. The final five emerged after a high-intensity bootcamp in Goa with 12 shortlisted contenders, making their debut a blend of hustle, harmony, and hope.

    At the helm of this pop experiment is Savan Kotecha, the 17-time Grammy nominee and songwriting brain behind hits for One Direction, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and most recently, Ed Sheeran & Arijit Singh’s chart-topping duet “Sapphire”. Kotecha’s latest venture aims to give India what it’s been missing, a fresh, youthful boy band that mirrors the diversity, charm, and talent of today’s young generation.

    “India has always had the talent, but not the pop group to match,” said Kotecha. “With OutStation, we’re flipping the script these boys represent not just metros, but every corner of India.”

    Backed by Republic Records and Universal Music India, OutStation’s launch is more than a band debut, it’s a strategic swing at creating India’s first mainstream Gen Z pop act, a space that’s long been dominated by Western imports. For Visva Records, which already boasts seven tracks in Spotify’s Global Top 25 (courtesy of its work on the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack), the group is a bet on building pop icons from the ground up.

    With slick production, personality-driven storytelling, and a roadmap rooted in long-term artist development, Outstation isn’t just a boy band, it’s a youth movement on a melody mission.

    As teen hearts and Spotify stats start to sync, one thing’s clear: the next big pop wave in India won’t be coming from a big city, it’ll be rolling in from OutStation.

  • Red FM’s South Side Story returns with an Onam special and a riot of rhythm, rasam and rock

    Red FM’s South Side Story returns with an Onam special and a riot of rhythm, rasam and rock

    MUMBAI: Red Fm is bringing the beats and flavours of Southern India to the capital with the seventh edition of its flagship cultural carnival, South Side Story. Scheduled for 30 and 31 August at the KD Jadhav Wrestling Stadium in Delhi, this Onam Special promises a weekend soaked in music, masala and meaningful art.

    This year’s lineup reads like a playlist that slaps – expect explosive performances from Avial, The Raghu Dixit Project, Thaikkudam Bridge, Sooraj Santhosh Live, Job Kurian, Wild Wild Women, Shobana, TM Krishna, Aattam Kalasamithi and more. Genres will collide, and traditions will remix with rebellion – from folk-rock and indie pop to rap and classical.

    But Red Fm isn’t stopping at just sound. In the run-up to the event, Delhiites will get a taste of the South’s literary soul through tie-ups with DC Books and Kerala Literature Festival. Think book readings, cultural conversations, and indie film screenings. And yes, there’s sadhya — a 20-dish Onam feast that’s as photogenic as it is flavour-packed.

    Art installations, cultural showcases and pre-event pop-ups are set to take over the city — all reinforcing Red Fm’s identity as more than just a radio network. It’s now a cultural catalyst, bridging South India’s deep-rooted tradition with a modern, metropolitan pulse.

    Tickets start at Rs 499 on Skillbox.

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  • Hoopr Smash adds 450+ Salim–Sulaiman tracks via Merchant Records to power legal music licensing boom

    Hoopr Smash adds 450+ Salim–Sulaiman tracks via Merchant Records to power legal music licensing boom

    MUMBAI: In a digital world where content is king and background music makes the crown sparkle, the stakes for licensing music just got louder. Hoopr Smash has struck a strategic partnership with Merchant Records—the label founded by composer duo Salim–Sulaiman—bringing over 450 new tracks into its fast-expanding library.

    The partnership marks a high-decibel leap for India’s legal music licensing ecosystem. Hoopr Smash now offers a robust catalogue of more than 18,500 tracks, reinforcing its role as the go-to destination for brands, creators and agencies seeking fully compliant audio content.

    With a musical legacy spanning 25 years, Merchant Records has worked with some of the most recognisable voices in India, including Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Arijit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan. The label’s iconic IP Bhoomi, now in its sixth edition, celebrates India’s folk and spiritual heritage—tracks that have trended across platforms like Instagram and Youtube.

    “Our catalogue—spanning culturally rich tracks, truly independent music, and original music IPs like Bhoomi—has long been part of India’s sonic landscape. With Hoopr Smash, we’re excited to bring this body of work to brands and creators through a platform that values compliance, transparency, and technology. This partnership gives us the ability to monetise our music more efficiently while providing creators a legal and scalable solution to use the sounds their audiences already love. It’s a win for the ecosystem at large”, said Merchant Records co-founder Salim Merchant.

    India’s content economy sees over 80,000 brands generating digital content daily—87 per cent of which reportedly violate music licensing norms. With unlicensed usage contributing to an estimated Rs 8,000 crore loss annually, platforms like Hoopr Smash aim to close the gap between legality and creativity.

    “India’s music ecosystem is at a turning point. With over millions of content pieces created daily by 80 million content creators, the demand for high-quality, culturally relevant music is soaring—but so is the need for legal, ethical, and transparent licensing. Our collaboration with Merchant Records is an important step in addressing this gap. Salim–Sulaiman’s legacy and versatility has inspired and shaped generations, and we plan to create a structured, inclusive, and future-ready music licensing ecosystem together. At Hoopr, we aim to empower creators, protect rights and enable brands to tell stories with music in a way that’s free of legal uncertainties. This isn’t just about access; it’s about impact, equity, and sustainability in how music is used and monetized in the digital era, especially when over Rs 8,000 crore is lost annually due to unlicensed usage”, said Hoopr co-founder & CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar.

    Hoopr co-founder & CRO Meghna Mittal highlighted that Hoopr Smash is powered by a compliance-first, tech-driven platform designed to streamline music licensing at scale. “Collaborating with Merchant Records—whose repertoire includes some of India’s most iconic and culturally significant music—is a significant milestone for us”.

    Merchant Records CEO Shivansh Jindal reinforced the need to align reach with responsibility. “Partnering with Hoopr Smash enables us to take a major step in that direction. It’s not just about licensing—it’s about building a culture of respect for music, and ensuring that the industry grows on the foundations of fairness, creativity, and collaboration”.

    As brands and creators compete to stand out in India’s content boom, this partnership promises to hit the right note—legally, ethically, and loud enough to be heard above the digital noise.

  • Saahil Kumar takes charge as GM for Sennheiser Consumer India under Sonova banner

    Saahil Kumar takes charge as GM for Sennheiser Consumer India under Sonova banner

    MUMBAI: In a move that blends sonic precision with sharp business acumen, audio specialist Sonova Consumer Hearing India has appointed Saahil Kumar as the new general manager for its Sennheiser Consumer Hearing Business in India. The announcement puts Kumar at the helm of one of the country’s most recognisable premium audio brands at a time when the soundscape is rapidly evolving.

    Kumar will steer Sennheiser’s consumer division through a market defined by tech-savvy buyers, competitive price points, and rising demand for high-performance gear. He will lead go-to-market strategies, build localised product approaches, and push forward Sonova’s innovation-first ethos in the segment. The agenda? Gain market share, improve profitability, and ensure the Sennheiser brand continues to resonate in India’s noisy audio market.

    “It’s a privilege to continue my journey with Sonova and lead the Consumer Hearing business in India. The Sennheiser brand is synonymous with audio excellence, and I’m excited to drive its next phase of growth in this dynamic market. My focus will be on key segments like true wireless earbuds, premium bluetooth headband headphones, soundbars, and the emerging space of speech-enhanced hearables. I also aim to reinforce our leadership in the audiophile category. I look forward to building on the strong foundation we’ve created and delivering exceptional sound experiences through continued innovation”, Kumar said.

    A familiar name within the Sennheiser India ecosystem, Kumar brings over 18 years of experience in the consumer electronics space. He joined the company during its integrated professional and consumer phase, initially heading marketing. Over the past decade and a half, he expanded his mandate across sales and e-commerce, where he last served before this elevation.

    Kumar is credited with significantly scaling the business, strengthening brand equity, and championing B2B and B2C initiatives. His appointment comes at a critical juncture as Sonova aims to expand Sennheiser’s footprint across true wireless, home entertainment, and hearables—products that are fast becoming household essentials in the Indian audio landscape.

    With Sonova sharpening its sound with AI-led hearing tech and user-centric design, Kumar’s new role signals a clear pitch: pushing the limits of audio experience while anchoring brand loyalty in India.

  • Sennheiser turns up the volume on legacy, celebrates 80 years of sonic boldness

    Sennheiser turns up the volume on legacy, celebrates 80 years of sonic boldness

    MUMBAI: When Fritz Sennheiser cobbled together a lab in Wennebostel back in 1945, few would have guessed his garage-born dream would become a global heavyweight in audio innovation.

    But 80 years on, the family-owned Sennheiser Group continues to make noise in all the right ways, combining legacy with the lust for what lies ahead.

    Marking its 80 anniversary this June, Sennheiser is using the milestone not to bask in nostalgia, but to chart its future. “We live and breathe audio in everything we do”, said co-CEO Daniel Sennheiser. “That’s what defines us”.

    His brother, Andreas Sennheiser, echoed the sentiment, “When we look back on our company history, it’s less about the number of years and more about what we have learned from the past for our future”.

    And what a noisy past it’s been. From the first wireless mic in 1957 to the recent launch of Spectera in 2024—a bidirectional, digital broadband system—Sennheiser has turned tuning forks into sonic revolutions. Spectera stands as the brand’s most daring leap yet in wireless technology, built with the wisdom of decades and customer input.

    The company’s signature creative discontent remains its not-so-secret sauce. Fritz Sennheiser once quipped that engineers need space for “crazy ideas”—a motto that led to the DM 2 mic (1947), the MD 421 (1960), and the open-back HD 414 headphones (1968). The HD 25s (1988) became club favourites, while the HD 800 (2009) thrilled audiophiles, and the HE 1 (2015) reimagined the iconic Orpheus.

    Under Jörg Sennheiser, the brand expanded internationally, capturing stages, studios, and even historic moments. “Our products tell stories of people from all over the world”, said Daniel. “These stories are what bring our technology to life—because they show how sound can touch people”.

    But Sennheiser is not just looking back. It invests over 8 per cent of its turnover annually into R&D, building hybrid hardware-software ecosystems and pushing the limits of sound tech. As Andreas puts it, “Innovation is not a destination, but a path. And on this path, each of our products contains 80 years of experience”.

    Throughout this year, Sennheiser will showcase these legacy milestones online, with behind-the-scenes stories, interviews, and deep dives into the quirks and quirks of its most famous (and failed) innovations. Because sometimes, a product that flopped paved the way for one that rocked the charts.

    For more about its products and anniversary campaign, visit www.sennheiser.com.