In a country brimming with musical diversity, Northeast India has always been a powerhouse of talent, captivating both domestic and international audiences. In a groundbreaking achievement, a team from Northeast India has ascended to the summit of success in the country’s music scene by securing the highest number of international audio sponsorships.
This remarkable feat not only highlights the region’s rich musical heritage, but also underscores the immense potential and talent that exist beyond the mainstream spotlight.
While Northeast is long celebrated for its cultural abundance, it is indeed a matter of pride that the region has also managed to be the bearer of the highest number of international audio sponsorships, thanks to the consistent efforts of a team consisting of Rizwan Shakir, Sandid Shakir, Pritam Patowary, Nayanabh Bordoloi, Jirsong Hanse, Darrel Raj Gurung, Clement Nong, Anurag Gogoi, Navkant Swargiary, Aman Basumatary, Bibhav Gewali, and Abhilekh Sarma, spearheaded by Imtiaz Alam.
“The initial foundation for everything was a simple vision. Like the big bang, it evolved into various musical forms,” the team says upon being asked about what brought them together. “Imtiaz Alam realised that if you’re a musician who wants a secure future, you must know how to record yourself in this era of technology. Proper recording can open up various dimensions, so he started training his students to record properly. As a result, the quality of their recordings began to evolve, inspiring musicians from neighbouring states to collaborate and decided to record as they joined hands to work together,” the team adds.
In due course, as different musicians harmonised, the team gained momentum and became a small and dedicated group of musicians working together to help the local music scene reach new heights.
Like a conductor leading an orchestra, Imtiaz Alam’s determination has not only brought talented individuals under the same umbrella but has also managed to gift Northeast India the privilege of being the region that can boast of having musicians with the highest number of international audio sponsorships.
“Imtiaz Alam noticed that musicians in his region were struggling to grow, despite their hard work. He realised that what they lacked was global support,” the team says on being enquired about what was the driving force behind the initiative of bringing international sponsorships to Northeast India.
“This prompted him to bring International Audio Sponsorships to his state and help deserving musicians who had the potential to represent the sponsorship,” the team adds.
Ever since, with the metronome set to the BPM that would lead to the composition of a song that binds together the dreams and aspirations of many souls, the team, with their perseverance, has been striving to etch Northeast into the global map of music, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that they are already there.
To the general public, the subject of international audio sponsorship may still be a vague topic to ponder upon, yet it cannot be denied how this can provide every melophile the privilege of listening to music that can keep pace with the evolving scenario.
“Since the first audio software sponsorship was received, there has been a power shift in the music industry. Musicians now have access to everything they once dreamed of, and this has changed everything overnight,” the team says. “Thanks to the internet, the process of making music has evolved, and audio sponsorships continue to play a pivotal role in breaking barriers and connecting the music scene directly to the pioneers of the global music industry. As a result, local musicians are now gaining international recognition, something that every musician dreamt of,” the team adds.
To quote American musician Billy Sheehan, “Music is always changing and the changes are unpredictable,” and what better way to cope with this unpredictability than having access to advanced tools and equipment–and to a large extent, international sponsorships are what aids in keeping up with this particular wave.
“This (international sponsorship) has led to a sudden rise in the production of original music. Musicians and producers have gained ample confidence and are pushing their limits to unlock higher dimensions through sound. This has resulted in better audio quality and more global attention and support for the music scene in the Northeast,” the team claims with sheer zest.
The team has been able to earn audio sponsorships from STL Tones (Global Team), GetGood Drums (U.S.A), MixWave (U.S.A), XLN Audio (Sweden) & Polychrome DSP (U.K) with their mentor, Imtiaz Alam currently associated with STL Tones (Endorsed), Aurora DSP (Group Expert), Black Salt Audio (Member), Hertz Drum (Affiliate Partnership) & MixWave (Artist Relation Team), while being the sole Global Team member at STL Tones representing South Asia.
Also, it is worth mentioning that Anurag Gogoi from the team has secured the highest number of sponsorships in India, along with the collective success of his band Audile, which too has been recently sponsored by XLN Audio, making them the first band from India to receive it.
The team is presently engaged in partnerships with new companies, advancing to a stage where they receive the official NFR versions of software ahead of their worldwide release. This achievement not only adds to their accomplishments but also offers an avenue to broaden their scope and contribute their valuable insights, which, for any individual, is a factor of encouragement.
The team’s success isn’t just measured in sponsorships but also reflected in their commitment to working harder to bring more to the table, almost like a post-rock number. Their unyielding dedication stands as a beacon of hope, not just for Northeast India, but for the global audio community, and the recent achievement can be deduced as both a personal attainment for the team and a collective success for the music scene of the Northeastern region of India.
As the team continues to harmonise their music belonging to the Rock and Metal genres with cutting-edge technology, it can be anticipated that their impact on India’s audio landscape is destined to resonate for years to come as they strive to concentrate their focus on bringing a revolutionary change to the music industry.