Anne Marie, CKay, Farhan Akhtar, Vh1 Supersonic

Vh1 Supersonic 2023, back after a hiatus of three years, culminated its three-day celebration of multi-genre music, art, pop culture, fashion, and much more with a bang! With power-packed performances by British popstar Anne-Marie, Nigerian Afrobeats sensation CKay, and multifaceted rockstar Farhan Akhtar, the much-anticipated ‘Festival of Firsts’ ended on an unequivocally high note of euphoria and sonic magic at Mahalakshmi Lawns, Pune!

Featuring five top-of-the-class stages, diverse music styles and genres, and an array of vibrant experiential zones, the arena transformed into a haven for pop-culture curators and connoisseurs. The festival, curated by Nikhil Chinapa, brought an exhilarating global line-up to the Superfam. British breakthrough pop singer Anne-Marie performed solo for the first time in India, performing chartbusters like Rockabye, Friends, 2002, SAD B!TCH, and Psycho on the Main Stage. 

Singer, songstress, and multi-instrumentalist Tara Lilly took the audience by storm with her formidable vocals, belting Hotel Amour, The Ones I Lost and many neo-jazz hits. Anuv Jain, who has charmed millions with his record-breaking song Baarishein, played crowd-favourites like Missing, Alag Aasmaan, Gul, and Riha. Rapper Paradox, who rose to fame with MTV Hustle 2.0, hit an immaculate flow with hits like Jaadugar, Rihaai, and songs from his new EP, marking the curtain call for Vh1 Supersonic 2023. A heartfelt performance by Prateek Kuhad included playlist favourites like Tune Kaha, Cold/mess, Kasoor, and Dil Beparwah, leaving the Superfam with the perfect vibe to carry home.

The NEXA LIVE Stage was ablaze with international and indie artists. Afrobeats musician Ckay, whose popularity skyrocketed on social media and on global music charts with Love Nwantiti, thrilled fans with his first-ever performance in India. Farhan’s dynamic performance on Reach For The Stars, My Friend of Yours, I Don’t Know, and many more, left the crowd spellbound!

The BUDX Spectrum Stage pulsated to the beats of techno and house artists Kohra X Zokhuma, IDA Engberg, Arjun Vagale, Luke Slater, and Parallel. The Reggae Stage offered an incredible musical punch powered by the 10,000 Lions Sound System, with artists like Sanyas-I and Bee Wise. The Socials Stage constantly kept the buzz alive with artists like Mozez X PlanB, Sourfunk B2B Joven Roy, Farhan Rehman, Hamza Rahimtula, Stalvart John, and Bill Brewster. 

The 3-day festival was replete with spectacles and unexpected performances. Much to the delight and surprise of unsuspecting fans, actor Siddharth Chaturvedi gatecrashed the debut live performance of Gehraaiyan music composers OAFF & Savera, giving the audience a compelling collaboration to remember! While Innellea conjured an audio-sensory, graphical journey for techno fans, rapper DIVINE brought on his A-game with songs like Baazigar and Mirchi. The artist was joined by Jonita Gandhi and MC Altaf for cameo performances, and also paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. The festival continued to raise the bar higher each day with music, visuals, and unforgettable moments by international and Indian artists like global rap sensation TYGA, T.ill APES, Seedhe Maut, and many more. 

The arena, like every year, beckoned celebrities and stars. MTV Roadies and MTV Splitsvilla fame-bearers like Sapna Malik, Trevon Dias, Prince Narula and Akashlina Chandra were spotted enjoying the festival, along with MTV Roadies Revolution and MTV Splitsvilla X4 contestants Hamid Barkzi and Aamir Hossein.  Actors Nauheed Cyrusi, Krystle D’souza, and Radhika Bangia were also having a good time at the ‘Festival of Firsts’. Also spotted were artists Sahaj Bakshi a.k.a Dualist Inquiry and KaanPhod Music fame Mic-Test band The Western Ghats. 

Vh1 Supersonic 2023 proved to be an epic spectacle that brought together an eclectic mix of artists, dynamic lifestyle curations and more, keeping its Superfam waiting with bated breath for the next edition! #BeThereBeFree #GoSupersonic.