In a landmark moment for the Indian music industry, over 35 of the country’s most celebrated musical artists have unveiled a visionary new platform: Goongoonalo- India’s first artist-led, artist-owned cultural ecosystem. Founded by legendary poet Javed Akhtar, Grammy-winning composer Shankar Mahadevan, and technologist Sridhar Ranganathan, and helmed by CEO Sherley Singh, the platform marks a paradigm shift in how music is created, shared, and experienced.
Goongoonalo is designed to challenge the algorithm-driven music landscape by offering a human-centric, soulful alternative. The platform promises original content, unreleased classics, lyrical intimacy, and direct fan engagement.
As Javed Akhtar put it, “May 5, 2025, will be remembered as a historic day. Goongoonalo gives artists the freedom to create without the constraints of producers or music companies. It’s the first of its kind globally, where musicians, lyricists, and singers are shareholders. Artists will have complete creative freedom, and no committee will oversee their work. Members will also introduce new talents, giving exposure to emerging singers, lyricists, and composers. This is where there will be complete unity in complete diversity.”
Together, a galaxy of artists including Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan, Hariharan, Sulaiman Merchant, Salim Merchant, Shekhar Ravjiani, Vishal Dadlani, Amit Trivedi, Irshad Kamil, Papon, Sameer Anjaan, Raju Singh, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Vijayaprakash Ramasesha, Srinivasan Doraiswamy, Loy Mendonsa, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Anand Shrivastava, Milind Shrivastava, Aruna Sairam, Anupam Roy, Harshdeep Kaur, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Bickram Ghosh, Akriti Kakkar, Shweta Mohan, Anusha Mani, Manan Shah, Akshay Hariharan, Rachel Singh, Siddharth Mahadevan, Soumil Shringarpure, and Joshua Singh are forging a new, inclusive path for Indian music-a future shaped by those who create it.
Beyond the Launch
The unveiling was more than a product launch-it was a gathering of India’s artistic vanguard, united by a mission to reshape how creativity is valued, distributed, and experienced. With a full slate of collaborations, mentorship programs, and a growing calendar of live and digital events, Goongoonalo is poised to become a cultural cornerstone of modern India.
The Journey Ahead
While the Goongoonalo app prepares for its grand debut, the platform is now open at www.goongoonalo.com. Artists and fans are invited to register and become founding members of this new creative family.
