While Lollapalooza Took Over the City, UNHEARD OF Gave Space to the Unfamiliar

On 25 January 2026, inside a modest room at The Vibestudio, something quietly significant took place. Titled UNHEARD OF, the evening wasn’t designed to impress algorithms or chase numbers. Curated by Progressive Collective, the night was built around a simpler idea bring artists and listeners into the same space, remove distance, and let unfamiliar voices lead.

No spectacle. No hierarchy. Just proximity.

Why UNHEARD OF Felt Necessary

Mumbai’s independent music ecosystem thrives online, but it’s shaped in rooms. UNHEARD OF mattered because it created one of those rooms small, attentive, and unhurried. Curated by Progressive Collective and South Block Studios, founded by Sahir and Varun, the evening reminded everyone present that scenes are built before they’re recognised, and that listening without expectation is still a radical act.

This wasn’t a showcase. It was documentation in real time.

Naveen: Setting the Tone Without a Backstory

The night opened with Naveen, an artist with little public information to lean on. And that absence became part of the moment. There were no introductions heavy with credentials. No context beyond sound.

Naveen’s set worked through energy and presence. The room adjusted itself people leaned in, conversations faded, attention sharpened. It was a reminder that many artists in India are still undocumented, yet capable of shaping a room simply by showing up honestly.

OK Beta: Observation Over Explanation

OK Beta followed with a sound that sat comfortably between experimentation and instinct. Textured, exploratory, and unforced, the set felt aligned with a generation of indie artists building slowly online and offline without rushing toward validation.

Nothing was over-explained. The music spoke, the audience listened, and that balance held.

Lil Todu: Grounded, Not Performative

When Lil Todu stepped on, the shift was immediate. His set carried weight not through volume, but through honesty. There was no attempt to dramatise struggle or amplify persona.

Instead, the performance reflected a larger truth about India’s independent hip-hop journey: staying real often means resisting shortcuts. Todu’s writing and delivery felt lived-in, grounded, and uninterested in spectacle.

Sahir: When the Room Went Quiet

Sahir brought a blend of hip-hop and soul-driven storytelling that created pauses in the room. Phones lowered. Silence settled. These weren’t planned moments they happened because words landed heavier than beats.

Sahir’s presence reinforced why his voice is resonating right now: emotional clarity without excess.

Joshua Singh: Expanding the Room

Closing the night, Joshua Singh brought an expansive, collaborative energy. Joined by Rhiti Tiwari and Sai, his set added layers of harmony and texture without losing intimacy.

Rather than ending the night sharply, Joshua’s performance widened it leaving the audience with something to carry home, not just remember.

The Room Itself Mattered

The Vibestudio played a crucial role in shaping the experience. Its intimacy removed barriers no elevated stage, no excessive production, no distance between artist and listener. Proximity wasn’t symbolic here; it was physical.

The audience wasn’t consuming content. They were participating. There was little rush to record, fewer distractions, and a shared understanding that presence mattered more than proof.

 

 

 

 

 

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Why This Night Matters

UNHEARD OF served as a reminder that independent music doesn’t grow through virality alone. It grows through rooms like these where trust is built, voices are tested, and listening becomes collective.

For Progressive Collective, the night reinforced the importance of creating safe, focused spaces where emerging artists can exist without pressure to perform beyond their truth.

And for the scene at large, it offered a counter‑space to commercial live circuits music before algorithms, presence before promotion.

Closing Note

UNHEARD OF wasn’t loud.
It wasn’t polished for scale.
And that’s exactly why it mattered.

As an archive moment for Sound of the Streets India, it stands as a template proof that some of the most important music moments happen quietly, long before anyone is watching.

Read More About: Lil Todu and Sardi Mein Thandaa Paani, Vol. 2: Choosing the Harder Road in Indian Indie Music