From German Art-Pop to Indonesian Psych-Rock: Our Must-See Picks At IIMW 2026

After its Goa debut, the upcoming second edition of India International Music Week (IIMW) moves to Mumbai, scaling up with a broader artist lineup and new additions to its format.

As part of its showcase festival, IIMW will present over 20 artists across two evenings on Feb. 11 and 12, 2026, at Antisocial and Epitome in Lower Parel. While the conference positions itself as a intersection point for music industry reps from around the world, its showcase festival carries that same mission onto the stage, spotlighting rising singer-songwriters, seasoned acts, restless bands and more from India and abroad.

Here are just a few artists on our radar from the IIMW 2026 lineup.

Naari

Indian-origin, Berlin-based singer-songwriter Naari has been releasing music since 2020’s EP Everythingiseverything and steadily honed a genre-defiant, shapeshifting sound. Straddling easy-going, vulnerable and resolute emotions, her songs range from intimate R&B, pop and soul as well as fun-loving funk and jazz. She also recently teamed up with Paris producer ATN Soul for her EP Autumn Sunrise, released in November 2025.

Siki Jo-An

Right from the hair-raising opening vocals of “Uqongqothwane (The Click Song),” you can tell South African artist Siki Jo-An is a powerhouse artist. Hailing from Kwazakhele in South Africa, Jo-An shot to fame with her viral performance of the song (originally by Mariam Makeba) on The Voice South Africa in 2019. A performer since the age of six, the artist recently toured South Africa, Tanzania and Brazil, on the back of releasing her debut album Chapter 30 in 2023.

Clever Moose

Indonesian psychedelic rock band Clever Moose came together in 2017 and are making their India debut at IIMW, representing the heavier spectrum of sound at the festival showcase. Known for riff-driven songs like “Batavian Troops” and “The Hammer” from their 2024 album Mediterranean Fuzz, the band, fronted by Faiz Marie, draws inspiration from life, family, and a desire to experiment, while sonically incorporating influences from Middle Eastern and Turkish music.

Jeremiah de Rozario

Kochi-based singer-songwriter Jeremiah de Rozario‘s discography is a blend of indie pop and folk rock, with many comparing his sound to an amalgamation of Ed Sheeran and The 1975. An affable performer who has opened for singer-songwriter Matthew Ifield, folk-indie act When Chai Met Toast and more, the artist’s festival and gig circuit experience translates into an intimate and comfortable set. He performs at IIMW 2026 on the back of releasing his single “Believer’s Curse” in October 2025. The year prior, he put out his debut EP The Orange Notebook.

Ro Maiti

Mumbai artist Ro Maiti explores soul, electronic, R&B, and alternative music as a singer-songwriter. Also a visual artist, Maiti has been releasing music as early as 2018’s A Speck of Red in Black and White EP. Most recently, she contributed the song “Daytime” to the all-femme label Nyima’s Vol. 1 compilation, showcasing boundary-blurring electronic loops, groovy rhythms, unsettling piano and R&B vocals all in one track.

Tamil Jazz Collective

Chennai’s Tamil Jazz Collective first gained online attention for their rendition of Dave Brubeck’s seminal track “Take Five,” with founder and vocalist-composer Harini Iyer creating Tamil lyrics to match. The experimental music ensemble has since been reimagining jazz standards through the lens of Tamil poetry, drawing on both Carnatic music as well as jazz improvisations, while also infusing Iyer’s Spanish and Portuguese influences. 

GiFU

Originating in Norway and the Faroe Islands, alt-rock band GiFU bring everything from live visuals to CRT TVs on stage. Comprising vocalist-guitarist Synne Hellebø, bassist Harald Frøyland, drummer David Løvås, synth artist Kjetil Heibert and guitarist Oddur Joensen, the band released their debut album SunnGIFU in October 2024, showcasing a sound inspired by the likes of Wolf Alice, Radiohead and Big Thief, among others. Performing across Europe, GiFU arrive in India after wrapping up their second album, described as “a collection of ten tracks with observations of society and where we are heading,” which they plan to release later in 2026.

Easy Wanderlings

Among the Indian artists who can win over a crowd any given day, Pune-origin Easy Wanderlings bring their soul-drenched storytelling to IIMW 2026. Mainstays at festivals in India over the years, Easy Wanderlings have steadily evolved from their nostalgia-tinged, calming sound to different themes and moods. Their EP Caught In A Parade showcased urgent songs like “Enemy” and called on singer-songwriter/pop artist Nikhil D’Souza for the soulful “Mayflower,” while “Makin’ My Move” was a dancefloor-ready tune.  

Tejas

Dubai-bred, Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Tejas brings an evolving spectrum of sound to his performances. While you can find introspective tunes in his earlier records like Small Victories EP (2014) and Make It Happen in 2017, his second album Outlast, which came out in 2021, placed Tejas as a resolute artist who could draw from pop, rock, and R&B sensibilities. In his latest EP Museum (2024), he even made an unexpected but comfortable shift by including Indian classical instrumentation into his pop songwriting, more recently offering another reflective tune with the single “What Comes After” in September 2025.

J-Silk

U.K. duo J‑Silk, comprising singer Joanna Rives and producer Louis Morgan, have carved out a futuristic soul sound at the crossroads of U.K. 2‑step, R&B, and hip-hop, while remaining deeply rooted in jazz’s emotional depth. Their music is spiritual one moment, beat-driven the next, as Rives’ voice glides over Morgan’s smoky hooks. Tracks like the acid-jazz–meets–broken-beat single “Broken Butter” from their 2025 album §imone show how smoothly they bend their sound into new dimensions. With a knack for fusing intimacy and groove in unexpected ways, J‑Silk will likely bring their sensual, catchy sound to the IIMW stage.