MUMBAI: After hosting one of the biggest names in rock- Slash, who earlier this month wrapped up a two-city tour in India, Viacom 18 plans to bring many more international acts to the country, revealed Viacom18 SVP and business head- Jaideep Singh. The former Guns n’ Roses guitarist performed in Mumbai and Bengaluru as part of a world tour for his album ‘World on Fire’ with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. And Singh has confirmed that music fans can expect to witness other big entertainers in the future.

Without revealing too much about future plans he said, “I cannot give you any names, but there will certainly be a progression in various music genres. Last year we brought Megadeth, and this year Slash. Going forward you will see more artists, iconic names in the rock genre, and we will also be using that to promote more Indian talent.”

Singh explained that Viacom 18 is deliberately choosing local acts to open for international artists as part of a strategy. “We want to create a space for Indian acts and expose Indian music fans to these talents through international acts,” he added.

With music channels- VH1 and Pepsi MTV Indies, Viacom 18 is well aware of rising music talents in the country, and with the A&R team scouting new music artists, it has become easier to pick Indian acts to open for international musicians. He explained that every different music property under the company is treated differently, and with careful curation. Using VH1 Supersonic as an example, Singh explained that the thought is not about going completely mainstream. It is about expanding the dance space and becoming a trend setter. “The next thing we want to do is show that we believe in having a holistic musical experience, and have a balanced offering in the kind of music we are putting out,” he added.

More recently, Live Viacom 18 had Above & Beyond perform at Reliance Jio Gardens for VH1 Supersonic Arcade, making it evident that the venue is becoming the company’s most preferable venue in Mumbai. When asked about a possible partnership with the venue, Singh said, “Reliance is a partner in Viacom 18 and currently, I feel Reliance Jio Gardens is one of the best venues today in the country. Any concerts we have of that scale will most likely be held there.” The first Live Viacom 18 event done at the venue was Skrillex, when the DJ was in the country in October this year.

Singh also revealed that ticket sales for live events are picking up. He explained that people are more willing to pay to attend shows. Additionally, Live Viacom 18 has also started a new initiative called ‘Support the Scene’ where they are encouraging people to pay for tickets rather expect free tickets, which, Singh said, will also help the live space grow eventually