Inclusion, emancipation, egalitarianism, universality, the freedom to be. Music and democracy have values that resonate uncannily with each other. And that is perhaps what lies at the core of IndiEarth XChange, a world music trade festival, that seeks to create a music ecosystem where, “everyone is a partner and stakeholder. Including, no especially, the artiste,” says Sonya Mazumdar of Chennai-based EarthSync, a world music record label that is organising this initiative.
When XChange started in 2012, it was all about, “creating an infrastructure for non-mainstream music and the film industry. Well, artistes, really, since you couldn’t call what existed back then, an industry,” says Mazumdar. There was talent for sure, “there was a lot happening,” but in the absence of structure and money, “we needed an event like this,” she says.
XChange is as much about the development side of things as the artistic side. Hushed whispers during the music performances, casual catch-ups in the smoking zone, serious business over a drink, frenzied networking in the lobby, the conversation can begin anywhere. And it could lead to, as that old cliché goes, the beginning of beautiful friendships.
And certainly to fruitful musical collaborations or business deals. “XChange brings together artistes and industry professionals, not just from India but around the world. India can be a scary place for people from outside the country. Xchange allows them a safe, comfortable, easy entry,” she says.
Mazumdar says it is working as planned. “The response to the sixth edition of the festival, especially from the artiste, has been brilliant. It indicates that people have got it, that artistes are placing their faith in the platform. This is huge and I’m delighted,” she smiles.
XChange 2017
The mix for this year’s edition of the event, as always, eclectic. The music of the UK’s Apache Indian and Australia’s Mr Bill, among others, is interspersed with the notes of Bengaluru’s Gubbi and Chennai’s Vertigo. This, in turn, segues into the classical, courtesy the Mandolin Sisters and Jyotsna Srikanth. Throw in Maya Kamaty from the Reunion Islands, Steak from France, Prabh Deep from Delhi, Burying Beetle from Korea…
“Encouraging diversity is a large part of our work. Not just genre diversity but diversity as a social right,” says Mazumdar. Which means, the international artistes jostle with homegrown ones. The biggies share the stage with fresh talent. Folk, classical, roots, alternative, electronic, singer-songwriters... anything goes. “Just not Bollywood,” says Mazumdar, sotto voce.
Movies (again, not Bollywood) are a key part of the event. The film festival, held in parallel to the music and workshops, has been curated by director Harold Monfils. Monfils, who directed EarthSync’s award-winning world music documentary, Laya Project, which captured the music of the Tsunami-battered regions of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Maldives and India is “a brilliant filmmaker. I have left the curation completely to him,” says Mazumdar, adding that though there are fewer movies this time, than the last, “all of them are extremely good.”
There will also be a host of conferences and workshops that seek to educate both the audience and musicians. “Education is a big part of this,” she says.
Take, for instance, the Indie 100: Performance Workshop at XChange, that will see 12 emerging musicians who have been selected for the Indie100 Program (an educative collaboration between Earth Sync, Queensland University of Technology and KM Music Conservatory), showcase their talent. “Xchange forms part of that education,” points out Mazumdar. Performing and getting immediate feedback from the best of the industry “makes music education very real”.
Hopefully, all this effort will eventually create that currently non-existent industry, adds Mazumdar.
“An aware audience means more promoters, which means more events, more venues, more performers. Now that is what you call an industry, isn’t it?”
IndiEarth XChange will be held from November 24 to 26 at The Park Hotel, Chennai.