Apply Now For This Award That Funds India’s Best Musicians

Trying to find a job in India in any field can prove to be a task. But for professional musicians it can feel like a journey to Mount Doom with ten rings and the Nazgul on your tailfeathers every step of the way. Though India has made major strides when it comes to embracing music we’re still far from making it easy on those who choose it as a career and every little bit of encouragement can change a life. That’s where the good folks at Toto Funds The Arts (TFA) come in.

This non-profit trust was created in 2004 in memory of Angirus ‘Toto’ Vellani, a man who was intensely passionate about music, literature and film and believed that the talent of India’s youth should be nurtured. To that end the trust hosts multiple workshops, competitions and awards to find the next great artist. One of the most well known among these is the Toto Music Award which has over the last 13 years sparked the discovery of some of today’s most beloved musicians such as Peter Cat Recording Co., Parvaaz, Prateek Kuhad and Disco Puppet. This year they’re back and on the hunt for a new winner who will receive Rs. 60,000 to jumpstart their career and all the bragging rights that go with it.

Abhijeet Tambe, a member of the Toto Organisation tells us exactly what the judging panel will be looking for, “We are looking for potential as opposed to achievement, so the recordings don’t have to come from any expensive production. We tend to select artists who explore new territory and channel their influences in interesting and thoughtful ways.” You aren’t restricted by genre or language so anyone between the ages of 18 and 30, time to get your game face on.

If you are a musician, looking for a way to take your first step into the industry, this could be your one shot, do not miss your chance. Even if you don’t come out on top, your track will be heard by industry veterans which is not an opportunity worth missing. Applications close on the 31st of this month so start on your magnum opus or brush up your favourite track and send in those melodies. To get you started, Abhijeet leaves you with a few words of wisdom for surviving the trials of a musical life “Just the usual. Do what you need to, to survive, but also try and develop your own “voice” to say the things you want to say. And apply for the Toto Music Award!”

To apply for the award, click here.