The two-day festival in Mumbai will host blues artists such as Beth Hart, Dana Fuchs, Vanessa Collier, Samantha Fish, Sheryl Youngblood and Tipriti Kharbangar with Kanchan Daniel
(Clockwise from top) Beth Hart, Vanessa Collier, Dana Fuchs and Tipriti Kharbangar are among those leading Mahindra Blues Festival 2024's all-women lineup. Photos: Courtesy of the artists, Jishnu Chakraborty (Tipriti)
The upcoming 12th edition of Mahindra Blues Festival – held on February 10th and 11th at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai – has announced an all-women lineup for the first time in its decade-plus run.
Returning performers include powerhouse blues artist Beth Hart, Southern rock and blues-informed singer-songwriter Dana Fuchs and Shillong blues leader Tipriti Kharbangar with vocalist Kanchan Daniel. First-timers on the Mahindra Blues 2024 lineup and making their India debut are saxophonist and vocalist Vanessa Collier, Kansas City’s vocalist-guitarist Samantha Fish and gospel, R&B and blues artist Sheryl Youngblood.
Grammy-nominated artist Hart returns to India for the third time, following her India debut in 2017 and a headline performance at Mahindra Blues in 2019. Fuchs, for her part, performed at Mahindra Blues in 2013. Tipriti – known for her work as part of blues band Soulmate – has been a regular at the festival nearly every year.
Collier, a multi-instrumentalist on stage with saxophone, vocals and guitar, arrives in India on the back of albums like Heart on the Line from 2020. Fish will be in India just a week after being nominated at the Grammys for Best Contemporary Blues Album for her full-length Death Wish Blues with fellow artist Jesse Dayton.
The Mahindra Blues Festival will also include the Mahindra Blues Band Hunt, which has been a talent search that puts new and emerging blues bands from the country on the coveted festival stage for more than a decade now. At MBF, the Garden Stage will also see the Blues In Schools Initiative featuring the students from the Kanakia Beatz Crew and the Nanhi Kali Choir ensemble.
Mahindra Group’s vice president of cultural outreach Jay Shah says in a statement, “The Mahindra Blues has been a cornerstone of our cultural initiatives that seek to spark meaningful conversations across diverse communities through art and music, evolving into a dynamic platform that brings together individuals sharing a love for the blues. This year’s all-female line-up is not just a celebration of the genre but a bold statement in the ongoing story of blues. It’s a testament to our commitment to inclusivity and artistic excellence. The iconic lineup not only amplifies the voices of talented women but, by doing so, brings a different facet of the blues, thereby keeping the enduring spirit of the genre alive and thriving. At Mahindra, we strive to Rise for a more equal world!.”
Phase 1 season passes for the festival are currently on sale, priced at ₹6,499 and day passes selling for ₹3,999 per day.
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