Me’gong Festival 2025 delivers Northeast India’s one of the Biggest Music & Culture Gatherings, cementing Meghalaya’s position as a growing leader of India’s Concert Economy
A defining year for Meghalaya’s ever-growing Concert Economy, as global artists, drawn by the State’s energy and audiences, now consider performing here a natural choice.
Richard Marx, Neeti Mohan and Julian Marley set the pace on Day 1, while Blue, Yellow Claw, Prateek Kuhad and Kanika Kapoor headlined Day 2.
Me’gong Festival 2025 concluded with a spectacular finale in the Garo Hills, drawing thousands of visitors over two days and reinforcing Meghalaya’s emergence as one of India’s most vibrant cultural destinations. With international headliners, national performers and powerful homegrown talent sharing the stage, the festival delivered one of the region’s most memorable showcases of music, culture and community spirit. The festival was attended by over 55,000 people from the region and beyond.
Day 2 brought an electric close to the festival as British pop sensation Blue, global electronic duo Yellow Claw, singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad, and Bollywood favourite Kanika Kapoor performed back-to-back on the Aski Stage to roaring crowds.
Antony Costa, from the band Blue, stated, “Garo Hills’ Megong Festival is amazing! The crowd was on fire.” Vocalist Simon Webbe, along with Antony Costa, Lee Ryan and Duncan James, thanked festival-goers, stating, “Great-Great turnout; thank you everybody; one love to you all! Garo Hills is amazing: a paradise; so good; thank you.”
Each act added its own distinct energy, beginning with Kanika Kapoor’s high-tempo hits like Chittiyaan Kalaiyan, Baby Doll, Jawaani Le Doobi, and her rendition of Desi Girl, It’s the Time to Disco, London Thumakda, Matlabi and many other Bollywood favourites. She shared her delight in performing in Meghalaya for the second time and praised the visitors for being one of the best audiences she has ever received.
A vibrant and energetic beginning to the evening transitioned seamlessly into Prateek Kuhad’s soulful melodies. Visitors were drawn to his renditions of Saansein, Cold Mess and several other songs that shaped a beautifully moving atmosphere.
This was followed by Blue’s nostalgic pop anthems, with thousands in the audience singing along to One Love, All Rise, Guilty, One Last Time and more. Yellow Claw then delivered an explosive EDM finale, transforming the Bolbokgre-Watregre Festival Ground into a sea of lights and cheering fans.
Earlier in the evening, the Kingfisher Stage featured crowd favourites such as Hoi Hoi Makbil, G-Hills Finest, Crack Gang, Rough Road and Nokpante, drawing thousands of visitors.
While Day 2 captured an unforgettable finale, the festival’s momentum was set on Opening Day with a star-studded line-up featuring Richard Marx, Neeti Mohan, Julian Marley and Nucleya. Marx performed classics along with unreleased tracks from his upcoming album Afterhours, marking a rare appearance in India.
Neeti Mohan’s Bollywood hits attracted enormous crowds, and her moving rendition of Mayabini, a tribute to Zubeen Garg in his birthplace of Tura, became one of the most shared and talked-about moments of the festival. Julian Marley’s reggae set and Nucleya’s high-octane closing performance sealed Day 1 as a musical spectacle not seen before in the region.
The Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP) continued to be a significant platform at the festival, with seven emerging CM-MGMP bands performing on the opening day — a rare opportunity to share the same event as global performers. Many young artists described the experience as transformational, calling it the biggest platform of their careers so far.
Beyond music, Me’gong Festival offered an immersive cultural experience that drew families, tourists and festival enthusiasts throughout the weekend. The Great Garo Hills Cook Off saw participants reinterpret traditional food using indigenous ingredients, with Nambie Jessica Marak, runner-up of MasterChef India Season 8, present as a special guest judge. Traditional sports, a vibrant Brew Village, a colourful Cosplay Contest, the Miss & Mr Me’gong Contest, a bustling craft and food market, VR experiences and stalls by entrepreneurs under PRIME Meghalaya added to the expansive range of attractions.
The opening day of the festival was graced by Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Government of India, whose vision is gradually cementing Meghalaya’s position as a key destination for India’s Concert Economy. Global artists now choose the State as a natural stop for their India tours.
Over the last few years, Meghalaya has hosted global performers across festivals like Me’gong, Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival and Winter Tales, positioning the State as a cultural hub of the Northeast and creating new opportunities in tourism, music and creative enterprise.
The Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme (CM-MGMP) remained a defining element of this year’s festival, with seven emerging bands performing on Day 1, marking a significant milestone in the platform’s mission to support local talent.
As the lights dim over the Bolbokgre-Watregre grounds, the festival leaves behind a trail of powerful performances, new memories and a renewed sense of pride in the artistic and cultural identity of the Garo Hills.
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