The Indian music awards landscape is set for a familiar name to return. The Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GiMA) is making a comeback in 2027, with the pioneering music awards platform set to return in a new avatar.
The announcement came on Day One of All About Music (AAM) 2026 during the ‘Naya Bharat, Naya Awaaz’ session. Sabbas Joseph, Founder of Wizcraft and Co-Founder of GiMA, made the announcement alongside fellow GiMA founders Andre Timmins and Viraf Sarkari. Global hip-hop artiste Raja Kumari and acclaimed Rajasthani folk singer-composer Mame Khan joined them to mark the occasion, holding the GiMA trophy aloft.
For Joseph, GiMA’s return comes at an interesting time for Indian music. The industry has changed considerably since the awards were first launched, with regional music travelling across borders, independent artistes building audiences without traditional gatekeepers and digital platforms reshaping how music is created, discovered and consumed.
“GiMA was created to give Indian music a platform of its own,” Joseph said, adding that the awards’ new avatar will celebrate not just how far Indian music has come, but where it is headed.
The comeback is particularly significant against the backdrop of an increasingly diverse Indian music ecosystem. From regional sounds finding international audiences to independent musicians building careers directly through digital platforms, the definition of success in music has expanded well beyond traditional Bollywood and mainstream music.
OutStation performing at the YouTube Musical showcase |
Building the next generation
That changing landscape was also reflected in another key Day One discussion, ‘The Next Generation of Music Business Entrepreneurs’, moderated by Roydon Bangera. Sherish Shaikh, Anmol Singh and Darshan Kataria discussed what it takes to build businesses in an industry where the rules are constantly evolving.
Shaikh pointed out that entrepreneurs may have several people working with them, but they still need to understand multiple sides of the business. “You need to find ways to put the hats on different heads,” he said.
Kataria spoke about the importance of financial preparedness, recalling how saving money to launch his company was one of his first steps towards understanding how to secure and manage finances as an entrepreneur.
Singh, meanwhile, stressed that building a music business requires a willingness to constantly learn and adapt. “You have to learn and then unlearn to grow your business,” he said, advising aspiring entrepreneurs to first understand the industry from the grassroots level — even if that means starting out as an intern at a record label — before setting up their own companies.
The panel also explored the idea of competition versus collaboration. Kataria noted that sometimes the best thing for an artiste is to work with another reliable record label or company that can take their career further. Creating an open and collaborative ecosystem, he suggested, is ultimately more valuable than simply competing for artists.
Shaikh’s advice for those passionate about entrepreneurship was more direct: “Just dive deep and you will find the way.”
The larger message was clear: the future of India’s music business will depend not just on discovering new artistes, but on creating an ecosystem where talent, entrepreneurs and companies can grow together.
Day One ended on a musical note with a YouTube showcase featuring boy band OutStation, Damini Bhatla and Garvit Priyansh.
With GiMA returning in 2027 and conversations around new-age music businesses gaining momentum, AAM 2026 has already offered a glimpse of an industry that is looking both at its legacy and its next big chapter.
Free Press Journal is Media Partner for All About Music.
