Around 45 singers of various genres across India to enthral MTV viewers

The void in the Indian music industry, which has always been dominated by Bollywood, will soon be filled by Coke Studio - a platform to promote fusion music by collaborating singers from across India, who will be lending their regional flavours to create experimental music.

Bringing the concept to India for the first time, Coca-Cola has partnered with music channel MTV to create the show "Coke Studio@MTV".

For the cause of fusion: Singers from across India performed live in the capital to promote fusion music

"This is one of Coca-Cola's pioneering endeavours worldwide to connect with our audiences," said Atul Singh, president and chief executive officer, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia.

As many as 45 singers from across the country of various genres like folk, classical and qawwali, will team up with other artists and churn out new composition with various interpretations.

It was a medley of music in the capital's The Grand hotel Monday evening when singers of various genres from all over India, performed to promote their upcoming show, "Coke Studio@MTV", that endeavours to encourage fusion music away from the Bollywood space.

The Indian music industry has always been dominated by Bollywood, composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan, who sang two songs, admitted.

"Bollywood music has taken most of the share of the entire pie. There is nothing else in India which is as popular as Bollywood. Look at Indian classical music, how big and how respected it is in the west, but here in India, no one is interested," said Mahadevan.

The first season of "Coke Studio@MTV" will feature established singers like Kailash Kher, KK, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan and Sunidhi Chauhan.

Artistes like Tochi Raina, Richa Sharma, Mathangi Rajshekhar, known for their soulful voice, and young, promising singers like Harshdeep Kaur, Bihu singer Papon and Baul singer Saurab Mandal too will form a part of the ensemble.

Composer-singer Leslie Lewis, who is "behind the music of the show", has come up with interesting pairings -- Tochi will be singing with Mathangi to create fusion of Punjabi and Telugu compositions while Kailash has been teamed up with Tamil singer Chinnaponnu.

This musical show is not designed for TRPs -- it won't have any anchor and there will be no melodrama, Mahadevan said. "This is the biggest platform one can ever get. Personally for me, I wouldn't have been here if there wasn't Coke Studio. So, it's not just about how known you are, it is more about what talent you have and how much you can offer to the audience," said Mandal.

The show will be on air from June 17 at 7 p.m. on MTV. - IANS