Maed in India

The journey continues on Maed in India’s Our Neighbours 2021, as we head to our island neighbours down south! Say hello to R&B/funk/soul/jazz band from Colombo,  Unscripted , made up of brothers Shamika and Saveen Makalanda, along with Steven Shera, Charith Fernando, Malitha Dee and Prashan Bastianz. On this episode, Mae chats to Saveen and Charith about their origins in the Sri Lanka metal scene,...

The second stop on Maed in India’s Our Neighbours 2021 journey is our mountainous neighbour to the north. We meet Nepal-bred, New York-based singer-songwriter, guitarist & music producer  Diwas Gurung  on this episode with 'Laijau', a song originally written by his father in the 70s, which you get a chance to hear at the end of this episode. After bonding about boarding school, Mae and Diwas chat...

Our 250th episode is a special one for sure! It marks the first of Maed in India’s Our Neighbours interview series. Here’s a neighbour from the northwest – singer-songwriter, festival director and ethnomusicologist from Lahore,  Natasha Noorani ! Mae’s banter-ful chat with Natasha touches on her never-ending résumé, the indie music scene in Pakistan, the  Lahore Music Meet  she co-founded with fel...

Maed in India is back with the second edition of Our Neighbours. It’s another Independence Day that we, here in India, are celebrating in a pandemic. And with this special initiative, we want to bring together independent artists from across the Subcontinent – defying borders, united by music. Since travelling seems like a distant dream at the moment; sit back, relax, and let the music in this epi...

You read that right. Your favourite indie music podcast and your favourite literature podcast have joined forces for the crossover of all crossovers! Mae Mariyam Thomas is joined by your favourite Lit Pickers  Supriya Nair  and  Deepanjana Pal , as they leap off the page straight into the cassette tape, exchanging reccos of their favourite books and podcasts all about music. All this, leading upto...

What’s the one thing that we all want but can’t have? You guessed it – it’s a vacation! *sigh* That wasn’t a fun riddle. What’s worse is, this feeling of longing may last a while, until it gets safe to travel again. But, of course, one can still dream. Till then, here’s a mixtape full of travel-worthy tunes to keep you going until you can book that flight or hit the road again. Song List: Tribemam...

When’s the last time you felt that salty tropical breeze in your hair? Or hiked up a hill to feel on top of the world? Or sat on a boat as the waves lapped its sides to the rhythm of the ocean? Until you decide where you’re heading on your next vacation – or until our “vacay” mixtape drops next week – enjoy this sneak peek. Song:  Alan Ebe  - Honey --- Come be our friend: Facebook  @maedinindia In...

In the run-up to World Emoji Day on July 17th, let’s combine two of our favourite things – music and a perfectly placed emoji. So, here’s a mixtape of songs that bring you honey bees, dim lights, and the lost and lonely. Go ahead. Take a listen. And think of an appropriate emoji to describe your feels.  Song List: Gabriel Daniel  - A Lack Thereof 😶‍🌫️🧗🗺️ (02:45 - 06:25) Zariya  feat.  Aseem  & ...

After a wholesome month for Maed in India (see: June mixtapes Fast Forward & Rewind), we have a lot of emotions and need a way to express them. Naturally, music is the best option, and another is a good old emoji. Putting the two together, here’s a little sneak peek to our upcoming mixtape next week. Song:  Zariya  - Hum Hai feat.  Aseem  &  Rocky Gorkhali --- Come be our friend: Facebook  @maedin...

Happy World Music Day to you, our lovely Maed in India listener! We have always strived to put the music first in whatever we do, and to be your guide as we explore the wondrous world of Indian independent music together. Yes, we’re getting a little emo as it was Maed in India’s birthday last week and we wanted to hit Rewind and take a walk down memory lane to listen to some music we hadn't heard...

If there’s one thing we love here at Maed in India, it’s music. (duh!) And what’s more nostalgic than a mixtape? Fast forwarding one to get to our most favourite song, of course. Whether the button or the pencil, we’ve tried it all. We’re almost certain you won’t have to fast forward any part of this mixtape, though. So come along, hit play! Song List: Tejas  - Story (03:39 - 07:03) Mali  - Cabare...

Maentenance [maint · e · nance] To jazz up something really boring into something really awesome. Usage:  "The DJ’s playing some good music, finally this party is under Maentenance!” Welcome back to the second and final mixtape for our month of Mae. Let’s be honest, this year warrants some well-deserved Maentenance, in all aspects. So don’t worry if you need to take a break every now and then. Jus...

Maebe [may · bee] To manifest something into being Usage:  "Don't you wish we could travel to Paris?" deep breath "Mae-be...." The sun is shining, the morning air is sultry, and the cool drinks are flowing. We’re in the month of Mae, baby! Is the weather oppressive? Kinda. Will this mixtape keep you cool, calm and collected? Maebe.  Song List: Kristian Bent  - My Anjuna (02:55 - 06:42) The Flying...

Ah, springtime has hit Maed in India and there’s a sweet smell in the air! You get a Phool, you get a Phool, and you get a Phool! No, we’re not fooling you; this mixtape is a bouquet of songs in a variety of colours, meanings and notes. So lay down in this musical meadow and take a big whiff. Song List: Basho  ft.  Sandeep John  - Spacesuit (02:34 - 07:10) Adityan  - Lord Labakdas (07:56 - 11:01)...

We still aren’t over our double-bill Maed in India Ladies Special, and we can’t wait to get right back into the studio. But we’re not done yet, because the girl power party carries on right here on this mixtape. We feature some more lovely ladies from the indie music scene in India and beyond. So whether you want to throw on your dancing stilettos or those beachy flip flops; we’ve got you covered!...

It’s that time of the month on Maed in India, and our Ladies Special is well on its way! Choo Choo! We have more talent coming your way on this fabulous musical express, and with it... some conversation that includes but is not limited to Japanese anime, reggae star Shaggy, and cheating. No, not in gin rummy.  Song List: Saachi - Iris (08:45 - 12:13) Drish T - Let’s Escape (Nigeyo) (19:39 - 22:02)...

Welcome to our annual edition of our Ladies Special. It’s our ode to musical madams and this year, we are featuring the newest acts exploding on the indie music scene. On this episode we’ll be talking to 5 incredible acts and 7 incredible women about smashing the patriarchy, telling people you love them, camaraderie, sustainability and producing your EP in your bedroom. And 5 new songs performed l...

In her second push to instate a new term of endearment for this month of romance, Mae introduces you to “payasam”. It’s warm, sweet and feels like a hug; what’s not to love? And whether it’s the sweet dish or the music in this mixtape, you’ll definitely be craving paya-some more! Song List: Aniket  and  Gatha  - Retrieve (02:02 - 06:00) Shubham Bharti  - Dekho Sakhi (07:26 - 10:23) MADM ,  Ten Pur...

Considering that the month of Feb, is one of love and Valentines, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to petition for new terms of endearment. “Honey”, “sweetie” and “cutie pie” are so passe. Mae would like to induct a new entrant into our love vocabulary - “falooda”. And, of course, you get a side of some pretty sweet music to go with it. Song List: The Revisit Project  - Locked Away ft. ...

Now it’s impossible to feature every song ever released in the Indian independent music scene on Maed in India (even all the good ones). The show would be really long. Yet, that doesn’t mean that Mae wasn’t feeling some FOMO as we entered 2021. So here’s a mixtape of the goodies we missed featuring on Maed in India in 2020.   Song List: Yodadrunk - I Break (01:40 - 04:24) Aditi Ramesh - Sambar Sou...

Apart from “quarantine” and “lockdown”, a contender for 2020’s word of the year has to be “uncertainty”. Our recording sessions came to a grinding halt in March and we were stuck indoors through most of the year, unsure of when we’d be able to get back into the studio again. Yet, as we look back at 2020 (even though many of us may not want to), the one thing that remained the same was darn good mu...

2020 has been the longest four years of our lives, no cap. And while we’d love to leave it behind, never to be heard of again, no one can deny its impact on us as a species, in good ways and bad. So here’s Mae giving the first year of the new decade a fitting Farewell, the way she knows best.   Song List: Savera - landfill (01:18 - 04:24) SlowCheeta feat. Delraaz Bunshah - Wannabe Rapper (06:08 -...

The way this year has panned out for us, we need all the positivity we can get. So here’s Mae injecting some into your lives with her mixtape, Positive. Whether you’re dealing with change, anxious emotions, uncertainty, or distance from your loved ones; this mixtape proves you’re not alone, and that there’s a silver lining somewhere. Stay positive! Song List: Siddhant Mishra - Roothey Hue (02:43 -...

Our walls have seen too much of us. More than usual during this past year. And as we all grow weary of staring at them, we cannot wait to find a paradise without them. This week, Mae will tear down your walls with her latest mixtape of songs about relationships, birthdays, social justice and existentialism. Song List: The Earflower Experiment - Grow (01:48 - 06:13) Saachi Rajadhyaksha - Better (24...

They say that an artist’s music is like a portal into their soul, almost like going through their diary. Technically a little invasive. No? Ok but this week’s mixtape is about deep thoughts, in our defence. So be prepared for diary entries that take you through heartbreak, work-life balance, and crashing hard-drives.   Song List: Paula and The Associates - Replay (01:49 - 04:33) The Lightyears Exp...