Lollapalooza and it’s impact to Indian Music & Culture

Initially started as a touring event in 1993, Lollapalooza became a permanent event in 2003 in Chicago, Illinois in the United States. As of now, the festival happens in 8 other countries which include Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Sweden, and France, and finally found its inception in 2023 in Mumbai, India. 

Some of the most famous artists have graced the Lollapalooza stage over the years which include Lady Gaga, Kesha, Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, Diplo Twenty One Pilots, and many more.

The world knows about the rich culture of India and the artists from India carry these values and culture that are so close to them and incorporate them into the music they make. For example, Raveena’s second album ‘Asha’s Awakening’ is a concept album from the point of view of a Punjabi Princess Asha. The album is completely inspired by South Asian music. 

In 2023, this is a much-needed topic to discuss. The integration of culture and the spreading of culture from the east to the west brings globalization and acceptance of multiculturalism.

The Indian independent scene has blown the past few years with artists like Divine, Emiway, and King killing it internationally. With Lollapalooza coming to India, the stage and the setting only gets bigger. Artists who have performed in front of thousands of people now can get to perform in front of 10,000 people. 

For budding artists from multiple languages who want to take their music globally, Lollapalooza can be a great motivator.  If they can perform on a stage in their home country at the highest level and showcase their music to a global audience, that could serve as a break to put them on a top tier artist list.

Several Indian-made brands are trying to make it big on the world stage, especially in the sneaker and fashion industries. One of the most important marketing for them is influencer marketing. 

With the advent of Lollapalooza, there can be collaborations between these Indian cultural brands with local and international artists which can in turn be the driving force for establishments across the globe. This can be a vehicle for these brands to enter into a new untapped market worldwide.

We have seen collaborations between Bollywood and artists such as Akon and Snoop Dogg. And the crazy part is people love collaborations, especially in Hiphop. People love seeing artists together in tracks. Feature songs gain more hits than solo songs. What would it be like to see Brodha V or Krsna on a track with Jack Harlow? Sick, right? 

Lollapalooza can help with this. When we put two like-minded artists together in the same room, we do not know the amount of impact it can create.

India has almost 100+ genres and it is so diverse that every region has its form of music. Every region has its own set of artists who make it mainstream. Every artist in turn yearns for a stage like Lollapalooza to make their mark on a national and global stage. 

The more diverse local region-bred talent Lollapalooza features, the more good music artists can produce.

2022 saw the rise of Afro beats and artists like Burna Boy making waves internationally. Genres such as Afropop, Jersey Drill, and Soul Rap created a way for new artists and a completely new flavor for the audience. 

With the number of genres available in India and the mix of western genres, we could be looking at many new music genres that are yet to be identified, named, and brought to the market.

This is obvious. Whenever there is an event that is set at the size of Lollapalooza, it eventually leads to an economic boost for the city, and along with it brings many jobs to people in the area. From stage setup assistants to security to cleaners to lighting people, the list goes on and on.