Rons Bantwal
Mumbai, May 7: In a landmark moment for the Indian music and cultural industry, over 25 iconic artistes including Javed Akhtar, Shankar Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam, and Prasoon Joshi came together to launch "Goongoonalo" India's first artiste-owned cultural app at the Studio Theatre, Jio World, BKC, Mumbai.
"Goongoonalo" is a unique digital platform built by artistes, for artistes, offering original content in music, poetry, storytelling, and beyond. Unlike conventional music platforms, it promises complete creative freedom to its artiste-shareholders and aims to become a cultural revolution.
Legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar hailed May 5 as a ‘historic day,’ declaring, “This app gives artistes freedom from commercial interference. It is the first platform in the world where musicians, lyricists, and singers are shareholders and creators.”
Shankar Mahadevan called it ‘a stage to write the next chapter of music,’ while Sonu Nigam said the app fulfilled the creative dreams he and others carried since arriving in Mumbai in the 90s. “Now, we have a space of our own,” he said.
With founding members like Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sameer Anjaan, Vishal Dadlani, and Amit Trivedi, the platform promises open mics, masterclasses, jam sessions, and exclusive content. Developed by tech expert Sridhar Ranganathan and led by CEO Sherley Singh, the app also ensures revenue and rights remain with the creators.
Singer-composer duo Salim–Sulaiman, Hariharan, Anand-Milind, Shaan, and others emphasised the platform’s artiste-first approach, calling it a “dream come true” and a “game-changer.” Classical vocalist Aruna Sairam expressed joy over the opportunity to collaborate freely across genres.
Upcoming highlights include Shreya Ghoshal’s special Goongoonalo Originals release, a singing workshop with Arijit Singh, and fan-engagement features through the ‘Fanverse’ initiative.
“This is the new digital avatar of India's cultural soul,” concluded Shankar Mahadevan, promising powerful collaborations and a new era of artistic freedom.
For more, artistes and fans can register at www.goongoonalo.com.