5 Acts You Need to Catch At Lollapalooza India 2026

The fourth edition of Lollapalooza India kicks off in Mumbai on January 24, 2025, bringing in two action-packed days flooded with everything from slamming EDM and gritty hip-hop to raw nu metal, indie vibes, rock anthems, and so much more.

For a concert experience spanning roughly eight hours of music on each day, we’ve put together a list of artists worth checking out, along with a strong case for planning your schedule around their performances at the festival.

Trance Effect

While headliner Linkin Park and their updated line-up with female vocalist Emily Armstrong will dominate the festival, Trance Effect and their charismatic singer, Iuli Yeptho, remain impossible to overlook. A scroll through Lollapalooza India’s Instagram, and it’s clear the announcement post of Nagaland-based pop-rock outfit Trance Effect sparked one of the most overwhelmingly positive responses, packed with praise, glowing comments, and approving reactions. Even the advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Mr. Abu Metha, weighed in and shared a congratulatory message on social media.

Formed in 2017, Trance Effect has slowly but unquestionably earned its place among the country’s most exciting indie projects. Their catalog, boasting gems like ‘Clowns,’ ‘Took Me A While,’ ‘Blue Sweatshirt,’ and ‘Favourite Mistake,’ has racked up over 281K streams across 114 countries, serving as a testament to their growing global appeal.

Before darting to the Lolla setup, Trance Effect spent the tail end of 2025 at the Yaa Festival (Sikkim), Jatinga Festival (Assam), Spectrum Club, and Clarke Quay for Music Matters Live 2025 (Singapore), and Big Mountain Festival (Thailand). Furthermore, in 2025, they broke new ground with ‘Fighting,’ a powerful cross-cultural collaboration with K-pop rockers MONGDOLL.

Trance Effect are Iuli Yeptho, drummer Sosang Lkr, and guitarists Takotemjen Chang and Temsujungba Jamir.

Find Trance Effect on Spotify | Instagram

pho

With pho onstage, you can expect a hip-hop display that’s fierce, hard-hitting, relentless, and charged with an unrestrained pulse of underground desi energy. Since bursting onto the scene with her debut six-song EP ‘Bheetar Bahar‘ (2022), New Delhi-based rap artist-composer Akriti Lal, aka pho, has steadily risen through India’s music and rap scenes.

pho’s vocal chops ooze fluidity, gliding through pop, hip-hop, R&B, and indie music. She’s built a massive fan base across the country on the heels of collaborative offerings ‘Khwaab,’ ‘DUNYA,’ and the Afro-pop-infused single ‘Tu Hai,’ and has been a repeat show stealer at major events, including Spotify Rap 91, Simba Uproar, and MTV Hustle 4 Hip-Hop.

Ticking off landmarks in her career, pho has, for two consecutive years, paired up with Punjabi rap and hip-hop artist Yo Yo Honey Singh on singles, ‘Lapata’ (2024) and ‘Mashooqa’ (2025).

Find pho on Spotify | Instagram

Zoya

A homecoming of sorts, India-born and California-bred pop artist Zoya takes the Lollapalooza stage fresh off the release of her latest concept album, ‘The Human Era Is Over (The I/O),’ launched in October 2025. Her musical journey took a pivotal turn in 2015 when her work caught the attention of the legendary A.R. Rahman.

Since then, Zoya has gradually carved her niche in the music scene, occasionally evolving her artistic persona, and supporting acts like Lucy Rose, Madame Gandhi, Youngr, Submotion Orchestra, Bloc Party, Clean Bandit, and Martin Garrix. Zoya’s debut album saw her join forces with Grammy-winning producer Mark Nilan Jr., known for his undertakings with the likes of Lady Gaga, Zedd, and Charlie Puth. The album also features Grammy-nominated rapper Jack Harlow on the title track, ‘Bad Girls Dream.’

Alongside her music, Zoya hosts the ‘What Happened Last Night’ podcast, spotlighting stories from South Asian artists. Sandunes, Ankur Tiwari, Vidya Vox and others have made appearances on the show. Her previous performances in India include Echoes of Earth (2016), Control Alt Delete 10, and a multi-city tour for her album ‘natural disaster.’ (2016), among others.

From Zoya’s ‘The Human Era Is Over (The I/O)‘ album, we recommend you check out tracks ‘Fruit On The Beach,’ Free,’ and ‘Artificial Light.’

Find Zoya on Spotify | Instagram

Nubiyan Twist

Hailing from the UK and bringing an unstoppable current of jazz, hip-hop, Afrobeat, soul, and reggae, Nubiyan Twist is a formidable collective of musicians ready to captivate. Formed in 2011, the ensemble parades hooting saxophones and trumpets, dazzling keys, funky bass licks, rich guitar layers, quickfire percussions, and a dynamic range of vocals, all primed to get you grooving from start to finish.

To experience Nubiyan Twist’s genre-twisting brilliance, lose yourself in their bubbly nu-jazz score ‘Lights Out,’ (ft. Nile Rodgers), sway to the Afrobeat-tinged rhythms of ‘Chasing Light’ (ft. Fatoumata Diawara), bask in the shiny brass coatings of ‘Morning Light’ (with Ria Moran) and ride the rap-soul tide of ‘Buckle Up’ (ft. Soweto Kinch and Nick Richards).

At the time of writing, Nubiyan Twist has revealed that their upcoming album ‘Chasing Shadows,’ set for release on March 20, 2026, will be making the rounds in the new year. So far, their announced appearances are limited to a UK tour in March and Lollapalooza India in January, making it likely that festival-goers at the Racecourse may revel in new tracks.

Find Nubiyan Twist on Spotify | Instagram

Baalti

Rejuvenating dance arenas the world over with South Asian and UK-influenced club blends, producer duo Jaiveer Singh and Mihir Chauhan thrive under the Baalti banner. They hold a strong underground appeal thanks to their crate-digging knack and sampling charm.

In 2025, they have jostled ravers under the Kosciuszko Bridge for Four Tet, hit Outside Lands, Glastonbury, and Fabric London, and helmed a DJ set aboard a local train in Mumbai. Baalti hops on the Lollapalooza bill as part of an eight-city sprint through India and Nepal, moving through Bengaluru twice (once as Stunt Doubles), Kolkata, Puducherry, Delhi, Kathmandu, and finally Mumbai.

From Baalti, you can expect to sway to mind-bending cuts woven with raw street energy and slapping percussion, coupled with a rush of nostalgia and euphoria.

Find Baalti on Spotify | Instagram

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