Representing Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are Shillong-based Da-La-Riti, Nagaland’s Seyie Intrepid and Street Stories, and Arunachal Pradesh’s Dobom Doji Collective.

Organised by the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Culture, the three-day showcase at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre will feature more than 100 artists and over 30 bands from India and abroad. Alongside live performances, the festival will host industry networking, mentorship sessions, panel discussions and artist pitching opportunities.

For the Northeast, SOI provides an important platform to introduce the region’s musical diversity to international festival programmers, cultural institutions and touring agents.

Da-La-Riti will showcase Meghalaya’s Khasi musical heritage, while Seyie Intrepid, led by award-winning Naga artist Seyievinuo Chuzho, brings together Naga folklore and contemporary music. Nagaland’s Street Stories draws from the state’s vibrant rock culture with its pop-punk sound. From Arunachal Pradesh, the Dobom Doji Collective combines indigenous folk melodies with modern rock instrumentation.

Together, the four acts represent the breadth of the Northeast’s musical identity, spanning traditional folk forms, indigenous storytelling, rock and contemporary fusion.

The participating artists will also have opportunities to pitch their work and engage with mentors, potentially opening doors to national and international collaborations and festival circuits.

The festival will further feature international performers, including Indonesia’s Ngartini Huang, Egypt’s Noha Fekri, and Nepalese artists Jhuma Limbu and Raithane, creating opportunities for cultural exchange between musicians from India and around the world.