Visva Records India, the imprint label founded by global hitmaker Savan Kotecha, has launched OutStation, a newly formed five-member boy band aimed at India’s Gen Z listeners. The project is a collaboration with Republic Records and Universal Music India (UMI) and represents a strategic move to develop homegrown pop talent for a youth-focused audience.
The group, made up of members aged between 17 and 22, was selected through a nationwide talent search that culminated in a month-long training bootcamp in Goa. Thousands of young performers auditioned, with twelve shortlisted finalists undergoing intensive development before the final lineup was announced.
OutStation includes:
- Bhuvan Shetty, 22, from Udupi
- Hemang Singh, 20, from Prayagraj
- Mashaal Shaikh, 21, from Goa
- Kurien Sebastian, 20, a Malayali artist raised in Delhi
- Shayan Pattem, 17, an army kid from Hyderabad
According to Kotecha, the goal was to create a group that feels both representative of India’s diversity and connected to a global pop sensibility. “India has extraordinary talent, but we haven’t yet seen a youth-centric pop group that reflects the charisma and energy of the country’s next generation. With OutStation, we wanted to go beyond the metros and bring in voices from across the country.”
Kotecha is best known for his work with global artists including One Direction, Ariana Grande, and The Weeknd. He recently co-wrote Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh’s single “Sapphire,” which topped Spotify India’s charts earlier this year. His label Visva Records is also behind several tracks on the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, seven of which currently feature in Spotify’s Global Top 25.
OutStation is the first major domestic act from Visva Records India. The group’s debut release is expected later this year, with plans for music, visual content, and live performances already in development.
The initiative reflects Visva and UMI’s shared focus on long-term artist development and audience engagement in India’s fast-evolving pop landscape. With this project, the label is looking to build a new foundation for teen-driven pop music in the region.
