To mark its 56th Foundation Day, the Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. (IPRS), in partnership with Canada’s SOCAN, staged KOLAB 2025: Indo-Canadian Songwriting Camp at The True School of Music, Vijaybhoomi University Campus in Karjat. The week-long residency (23–29 August) brought together 22 artists from both countries to collaborate on new music.
The line-up paired Canadian acts such as Tesher, Jonita Gandhi, Mitika, JP47, Mad Mix, Zafar Sandhu and Revay with Indian writers and performers including Jassi X, Mellow D, Sweetaj Brar, Josh Brar, Jeevana and Durba Banerjee. Over the course of the camp, more than 56 original songs were created across multiple languages and genres.
Creative direction was provided by mentors Bunty Bains, Mayur Puri and Mannan Shah, who guided participants through collaborative songwriting, production and genre exploration. The organisers framed the camp as an opportunity not only for cross-cultural exchange but also for building fairer frameworks around credit and collaboration.
“KOLAB has a bright future ahead. The energy, the music, the talent — everything is genuinely inspiring,” said lyricist and IPRS board member Mayur Puri. Film composer Mannan Shah described the format as “a genre in itself,” while Bunty Bains called it “a treasure trove of talent” across both editions so far.
For younger artists like Jeevan Goyal (Jeevana) and Durba Banerjee, the camp provided rare opportunities to collaborate with established international names. “Working with Tesher and Jonita Gandhi was nothing short of a dream come true,” said Banerjee. Jeevana added that the camp allowed him to “experiment without pressure and discover new creative possibilities.”
Participants from Canada echoed the sentiment. Jonita Gandhi said the residency encouraged experimentation with “new ideas and sounds,” while Tesher highlighted the chance to find collaborators whose “vibe matched mine.”
Set against the backdrop of Jamrung Valley, the programme also included discussions on streaming, sync and cross-border collaboration. For IPRS and SOCAN, KOLAB 2025 was framed as part of a longer-term vision to connect creators across markets and to foster a more equitable songwriting ecosystem.
