First Indian Indie artist on Times Square billboard
Indian artist and producer Sona Mohapatra made her debut appearance on the iconic Times Square billboard in New York on 26th July. Sona appeared on Times Square billboard as part of the Spotify `EQUAL` global campaign leading the Indian leg. Her single track `Aise Na They` is being featured on the `EQUAL` playlist for the entire month. Sona said, `To be woken up in the middle of the night to see photographs of my face on a billboard covering a skyscraper in one of my favorite cities New York was a surreal feeling. To be one of the first independent musicians to be given this place is a pop-culture milestone because it paves the way for artistic expression of various hues and colors free from cookie-cutter formulas in musical mainstream success`. The soundtrack for `Aise Na They` has been composed by Ram Sampath with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya and distributed by Paris-based music distribution and marketing service ` elieve.` The song`s narrative revolves around a relationship that has lost its fizz, but a sense of optimism is infused in the track through the lovely sound of the hills with pop-rock blended with ethereal flutes and tingling mandolins. Sona talks of her struggles with original music and as an indie artist. She is now excited that her label Omgrown Music partnered with a global name like `Believe,` giving her hope for her future and for other independent artists. As a mark of celebration she dropped (on the Internet) a single `Ek Din - Manhattan Memories`. She says the single is a heartbreak love song which would be a perfect companion for a long highway drive or a dance party.