The heart of India’s Blues Movement

Over the last decade, the Mahindra Blues Festival has been celebrated as the heart of India’s blues movement and regarded as a significant musical milestone, attracting a dedicated following in the country and around the world.

The iconic fest turned the city of dreams into a musical haven, with blues artists from across the globe converging on multiple stages and casting a spell via their heart-warming renditions of the genre.

This year’s edition had an impressive lineup featuring musicians Papon, Neeraj Shridhar and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Celebrities like Aditya Roy Kapur, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vidya Balan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Kirti Kulhari, Denzil Smith, Gaurav Kapur and Aahana Kumra, and some of the biggest Bollywood Blues connoisseurs, were also present at the festival, making it a star-studded evening.

A hearty farewell to legendary Blues musician, Buddy Guy

Amidst thunderous applause, cheers and rhythmic claps, thousands of blues lovers left no stone unturned to shower their admiration on the legendary blues musician Buddy Guy. The 2023 edition was extra special as it not only marked the final Indian tour of Buddy Guy, one of blues music’s all-time greats, but also brought together seven Indian and global artists to share the stage at the legendary Mehboob Studios in Mumbai.

Day 1 of the festival – a musical haven

On Day 1, the Arinjoy Trio performed diverse old-school and contemporary blues music, while Argentine Bluesman Ivan Singh’s electrifying performance at the Soul Start Saloon set hearts racing. Likewise, The Karan Mahajan Band, winners of this year’s Mahindra Blues Band Hunt, a segment that discovers, encourages, and provides rising blues artists with a platform to showcase their talent, took the Garden Stage with their distinct sound. The main stage, aka the Polka Dot Parlour, saw Grammy Award winner Taj Mahal enthral the audience with his stellar performance, transcending the conventional boundaries of the genre.

Day 2 – Beatz Crew

On Day 2, Nanhi Kali and Kanakia International School's - Beatz Crew performed two bluesy numbers. The Nanhi Kali Choir included girls who are part of Mahindra’s Nanhi Kali Project, which educates disadvantaged girls. Their performance was part of the Blues in School initiative to expose underprivileged children to blues music and was deeply appreciated on stage by Anand Mahindra himself. The audience was amazed by the talented young musicians as they brought the house down with their beats and rhythms. It was a truly remarkable performance that left everyone, including our Chairman, in awe!

Watch the full Nanhi Kali performance at the 2023 Mahindra Blues Festival

The Polka Dot Parlour jam session

The Polka Dot Parlour witnessed a stirring Blues journey to which the crowds grooved and moved all through the evening as the 85-year-old bonafide legend Buddy Guy, whose eye-catching smile with a polka-dot Strat still captivates many, bid adieu to India at his farewell performance. He culminated the evening with a soulful, free flowing jam session with leading Indian and international musicians joining the fray, including, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Taj Mahal, Arinjoy Sarkar, and Ivan Singh. The artists truly won the audiences over, not only with their genius but also with their humility and warmth.

This year's Mahindra Blues Festival was an earnest celebration of this legacy, which has contributed to the soul, R&B, gospel, rock, hip-hop, and more, providing the city with a blues musical experience unlike any other. 

The wrap-up

Watch how we concluded the musical weekend at the Mahindra Blues Festival on a high with this wrap-up video