Big Bang Blues Crowned Champions of the 'Big Blues Band Hunt' at the 12th Mahindra Blues Festival

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Entertainment | January 25, 2024 | News

Mahindra Blues Festival Big Bang Blues Big Blues Band Hunt

The ‘Big Blues Band Hunt’ - a standout feature of Asia’s largest blues festival, the Mahindra Blues Festival (MBF), has finally declared its champion for its 12th edition! The judges for the contest and renowned blues maestros Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa unveiled Big Bang Blues as the winner of this year’s band hunt. As is tradition, the winning band will get the golden opportunity to perform at the MBF at the iconic Mehboob Studio on February 10 and 11 2024.

Encouraging and providing a platform for rising blue acts has been MBF’s long-standing tradition, and its Big Blues Band Hunt contest is a manifestation of this tradition. This year’s digitally-run contest saw numerous aspiring bands and musicians from across the length and breadth of the country delve into the rhythm of the blues by submitting captivating performance video entries on Facebook, Instagram and Musifie. Participants took the liberty to either create an original masterpiece or enchant judges with a timeless cover, leading to an overwhelming response of 30 + entries across the two platforms.

The judges, renowned blues musicians Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa of the Bollywood composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, had the daunting task of selecting the top three finalists from the flood of exceptionally talented submissions, who would showcase their musical prowess to the judges and battle it out in the final round at Lower Parel’s antiSOCIAL for the coveted title.

The top 3 finalist bands included New Delhi’s Big Bang Blues, Mumbai-based White Vinyl and The John Blue Ensemble from Siliguri. Out of these, Big Bang Blues emerged triumphant, winning the once-in-a-lifetime chance to display their talent to an audience of blues connoisseurs at the MBF’s Garden Stage — a space specially created to spotlight nascent blues talent at the festival.

Ehsaan and Loy have served as judges for MBF’s band hunt contest since 2015. While talking about the band hunt, Ehsaan Noorani said, “Being a part of the Mahindra Blues Festival as a judge for its band hunt has been incredibly fulfilling. It is heartening to see talented young individuals attempt a genre as beautiful and honest as the blues. This year, too, the entries brimmed with creativity and a manifested passion for the genre, making the task of selecting the top three finalists a challenging responsibility to shoulder. I wish the winners all the best for their future and look forward to many more editions of the band hunt contest!”

Loy Mendonsa added, “Through all these years, we’ve seen countless blues aspirants showcase their talent through this platform. And I was, and still am, only too happy to be a part of their blues journey. In its 12th edition, too, MBF has received extraordinary submissions - a testament that the future of blues music is in capable hands and that its enduring legacy will live for many more years to come. I wish Big Bang Blues all the very best and am eager to see how they make the most of this opportunity.”

On winning the band hunt, Big Bang Blues said, “We are thrilled to be playing at Mahindra Blues, it's a dream to see people experience our music and that too at MBF. Being the sole male band in an all-women lineup is both a great privilege and an honor. Inspired by the myriad stories of life in Delhi and the shared human experiences of enduring hardships in this country, our music encapsulates the cycle of these struggles. Moreover, Dio's compelling vocals bring out the best in us, transcending language barriers with profound emotion. The way he presents his thoughts, expresses through his voice, and conveys emotions, ensures that the power of our music reaches all, and resonates with the audience. We are truly excited about this opportunity and we can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance and share our musical journey with the audience."