Common Roots Brings To You Live Performances by Musicians From Across the Globe
An Initiative To Support Daily Wage Workers and Provide a Community Platform to connect Musicians with the Masses
Grammy Winning Music Composer Ricky Kej; India’s best folk musician – Raghu Dixit; Sufi artist Aabha Hanjura; Internationally acclaimed Sitarist Ustad Chote Rahimat Khan; singer and songwriter of soul, jazz and pop – Amrapali Shindhe; Singer, Composer and Music Producer Tritha Sinha amongst few artistes sharing the virtual platform at Common Roots
To instil a sense of normalcy in a redefined world and to keep the community spirit alive, Common Roots takes birth as a virtual platform, enabling artistes worldwide to converge for a Virtual Music Festival.
Set for a May 09, 2020 kick-off, Common Roots Online Concerts will come alive every Saturday during May with 30 artists starting from 2 pm. The concerts will be streamed live from Instagram.
Designed to support the artiste community and those directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Common Roots is an effort to connect audiences through an authentic and relevant engagement.
So, what is the big idea behind Common Roots? Bonny Fernandes, Co-Founder elaborates, “With the world affected by a pandemic, it’s time that companies and brands transition their brand advocacy efforts to be closer in line with what makes sense for consumers today by being sensitive and aware of their needs and aspirations.”
Most, he says, are overwhelmed between the traumatic media updates and the work-life balance. “They yearn for something that reconnects them to their usual digs and preferences, that cocoons them and goes beyond the world of binge watching shows online.”
This is where Common Roots comes in. Fernandes explains, “Common Roots attempts to address that feeling of normalcy by giving an opportunity to be moved by our favourite performers or entertainers streamed live; to be social and enjoy our usual sense of community through arts and the diverse genres within it. While there is nothing unique about streaming live performances, especially today, Common Roots attempts to recreate a festival feel with diverse genres, musicians and aficionados.”
The Virtual Music Festival will target all genres ranging from Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Sufi & Fusion to even Rock and Indie artists and bands. Lined up for the Festival are 30 artistes performing every Saturday. Each of them is encouraged to showcase 20-30 minutes of any composition that feeds their spirit.
Currently musicians of repute from across the globe will take the online stage. Among them as part of the festival would be the likes of
- Internationally renowned Indian Music Composer – Ricky Key, Grammy® Award Winner, US Billboard #1 artist, UNESCO “Global Ambassador for Kindness” & UNICEF ‘Celebrity Supporter’
- India’s best and biggest music export, contemporary folk musician – Raghu Dixit
- Sufi artist Aabha Hanjura
- Tritha Sinha who has a versatile voice with agile and throbbing intensity
- Internationally acclaimed Sitarist Ustad Chote Rahimat Khan
- Amrapali Shindhe – Creator, Singer and Songwriter of Jazz, Soul, Pop and Rock
- Musician Al Parkinson from Australia
- Musician and filmmaker Chaoba Thiyam
- A very young, 30 years old blues band – The Chronic Blue Circus
- Singer and Songwriter Abhishek Gurung of Gingerfeet
- The Folk band Jambili
- Musician Lavin Hotchandani
- Singer Malancha Ray of Music For Soul Singapore
- Internationally acclaimed Mohit Mukhi
- NAMA award winning actress, singer and songwriter Qeque Mntambo from Zimbabwe
- International award-winning activist act – Rain in Sahara
- Shubam Roy Collective – a folk-fusion band with aces in their own places
- Melodious Sufi singer Sidhant Deb
- Progressive Rock band – The Tram Lines Project
Forging together their unique identities and talents, the artistes are all geared up to perform and spread the universal message of hope, strength and goodwill to all.
The platform will work with the gentle persuasion to get people to donate for a good cause, especially repeat donations since a one-time donation won’t make an impact. Currently, the cause is focussed on supporting three fundraisers – daily wage workersthrough GiveIndia; Artists & Researchersthrough India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), and Dog sanctuary, rescue and treatment through The Voice of Stray Dogs (VOSD).
For more on association with GiveIndia, visit here . The fundraiser pages with IFA and VOSD will be online shortly.
On the tieup for the fundraisers with NGOs, Fernandes says, “Armed with a sense of community spirit, we have partnered with GiveIndia, India Foundation for Arts and The Voice of Stray Dogs to lend a hand to not just one but all those adversely impacted by the global pandemic. We believe that music is the best remedy and collaboration is the key. We thank each of the artists for standing up for the cause and spreading the cheer by striking a common chord between numerous moving pieces.”