MUMBAI: To revive mainstream popular music in India, Saregama has launched a new platform for talented popular mainstream artistes called �Saregama's Icons Nxt' with UTV Bindass.

The platform intends to promote mainstream artistes and revive pop music and fashion them into the Next Generation Music Icons. So far, five popular young acts that guarantee a massive fan base like Samar & Sanam, Phoenyx, PAAPI 4, Nasha and Dhol Factory are the first set of artistes who will be featured on the show.

There has been a huge vacuum in the Pop genre in India for many years and saregama seeks to  resurrect the genre.

Saregama India Ltd business head-music Adarsh Gupta said, Saregama Icons Nxt with UTV Bindass is a platform to launch a wave of new artists year on year for reviving mainstream popular music. We believe that going forth this will be the leading platform for creating Music Icons of the Next Generation. We have tied up with several partners to promote this flagship property across platforms....

According to Gupta, the newly launched initiative will look for the right talent. "We will service the venture every six months and try to rope in more and more people," he added.

Saregama has also roped in YouTube, Talenthouse and Flipkart for the venture that has been catering to popular music. "Through this association, we want people to sample the content more and more," Gupta observed.

Nokia has partnered Saregama to launch the music of these talented artistes on Nokia Music Unlimited service.

Nokia India marketing director Viral Oza said, India certainly needs more platforms like Saregama's Icons Nxt, given the enormous musical talent out there waiting to be explored. We are sure that our partnership with Saregama India will contribute towards promoting independent music in the country....

BAND PROFILE

SAMAR SANAM - Samar & Sanam were part of a band called SQS Supastars formed by Times Music after having won a National Competition in 2010.  They have Music Videos with millions of views on Youtube as well played across TV channels and Radio stations across India. Sanam's energizing vocals along with Samar's unique production skills defines them as true pop-stars.

PHOENYX - Phoenyx is a complete audio-visual experience involving cutting edge electronic music production and live performance. Major genres include all kinds of Electronic Dance Music including Electro House, Electro  Pop, Club House and Dubstep with special focus on Dubstep. Unique aspects of Phoenyx include orchestral elements fused with electronic sounds to bring out a brilliant cinematic, dramatic and emotional experience unmatched in the industry.

PAAPI 4 - For the first time ever, three celebrity music composers have come together to create a completely new genre of music which is Humour Rock with lyrics that are fun!!  Their sound is unique and an extension of their own unique personalities.   The album is a benchmark album in terms of cutting edge sound and production values with extremely humorous songs which have quirky titles such as Rickshaw mein Romance, Vada pav, Two timing etc, which have an instant connect.

NASHA - Nasha is a Delhi based Sufi Rock band that plays soulful music in a modern contemporary rock version.  They have performed at various venues and have also performed with re-known artists like Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Mohit Chauhan, Atif Aslam, Priyanka Chopra, Aamir Khan, Hard Kaur etc.  Nasha has been awarded as The Best Band from North India by Times Music Group and have been the winners of Mtv Rockathon 2010. Their touching melodies and lyrics are not only inspiring but hopeful.

DHOL FACTORY - A high energy act, that has all the favourite traditional Punjabi and Hindi songs performed together, with a constant backing by numerous dhol players.  Imagine the pure vibrations on the stage, as Arjun Arry and some of the most popular folk singers sing your favourite tappas and boliyaans, to the beat of at least a dozen DHOL players.