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However disillusioned we become over the course of this global lockdown, one thing is for sure- we walk out of it with a renewed appreciation for art that keeps us tethered, hopeful, and preserves our capacity for awe.
Here is a list of artists and platforms you can check out. I have tried to curate it to be as inclusive of various art forms- to give a sense of the range of music available out there today, all in free-flow.
If there's one musical place to take panaah, or refuge in, it should be Sethi's Instagram account. He goes live around 11:30 p.m. IST almost everyday, with his harmonium. He facilitated the Farida Khanum-Rekha Bharadwaj–Vishal Bharadwaj union on live Instagram that sent chills down the Twitter trends. He had Shilpa Rao perform with him, and Zakir Khan, the comedian too. It's intimate, he cracks jokes only he can laugh at, and sings songs, throwing trivia around about how these songs came to be.
Jio Saavn has been hosting artists on their Facebook Page. They just had Ankur Tewari (Music Supervisor for Gully Boy) on the 4th of April.
They are having Nikhita Gandhi (Ullu Ka Patha, Qafirana) on the 8th (Wednesday), Dhruv Vishwanathan on the 10th (Friday), and Taba Chake on the 11th (Saturday).
While you're at it, also check out Hungama Music's Facebook page. They are hosting artists, like the gifted Assamese violinist-vocalist Sunita Bhuyan. Shibani Kashyap will be performing on the 6th (Monday). For the rest of the line-up check out their page as it gets updated.
Jashn-E-Rekhta is another great YouTube channel that has artists singing live, 6 p.m. IST everyday.
The NCPA Theater perched on land's ends in South Bombay, has been putting up videos of past performances they have hosted. They premier the performances on their YouTube channel, and keep it there for a few days. 'Manganiyar Seductions' is one of their most well known productions. Manganiyars are a musical community from the Rajasthan's Thar Desert, traditionally muslim men singing about Hindu folklore and geneologies of Rajput families in whose employ many are.
This production, directed by Roysten Abel with a set that is the mix of Amsterdam's red light district and the Hawa Mahal, this is an exquisite light and music show. 'Manganiyar Seductions' will only be available on their channel till April 10th. Check out their other performances while you're at this.
The Task Force For Music & Arts of Nagaland is a Nagaland government initiative to support Naga musicians to take up music as a profession, instead of merely pursuing it as a hobby. (They partnered with AR Rahman's K M Music Conservatory last year)
Keeping in mind the recent mass cancellation of concerts, they have started a #TafmaStayHomeGig to keep the popular Naga musicians under employ while also providing respite to tired souls in lockdown. Check out their calendar, and use this time to open up to a music and culture that we don't cover often in mainstream music.
T M Krishna just performed a shut-in concert on the 31st March. He said it went really well. (Some snippets can be seen on his social media) He is spending his time now trying to rally funds and support for the migrant workers stranded amidst the lockdown. He is also curating a series called The Artiste, trying to capture the journey of artists and art forms. His next episode goes live on his YouTube page on 10th April.
If you want to listen to more classical music, Durga Jasraj has started an online classical music series Utsaah. Grammy award-winner Hindustani classical instrumentalist Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, part of this series, will pay tribute to his guru Pandit Ravi Shankar through his concert on April 7, the centenary birth anniversary of Ravi Shankar.