Lost Stories today released their latest single ‘Mai Ni Meriye’, (feat. Jonita Gandhi and Ashwin Adwani) with Artist Originals (AO), JioSaavn’s hit-breaking label for global South Asian artists. The song is a rendition of the Himachali folk song, Chamba.
The electro-pop track pairs new age beats with a soothing rhythm created by Indian classical instruments, providing the perfect backdrop to the beautiful vocals from singers, Jonita Gandhi and Ashwin Adwani. Lost Stories has previously worked with Artist Originals on their track ‘Faking It’, which has been widely streamed since 2018. The track also received four remixes.
Labeled as the “Scene Starters” by DJ Mag, Lost Stories is a DJ/Producer duo comprising Prayag Mehta and Rishab Joshi. On the back of their unique sounds that blend Indian folk music with electronic elements, the duo has garnered great popularity amongst the new-age listenership in India and overseas. The duo ranked #52 on DJ Mag’s list of Top 100 DJs in the world (2016-17). Some of their most popular tracks include ‘Bombay Dreams’ with KSHMR, ‘Mahi,’ their official remix of Alan Walker’s ‘Faded,’ and ‘Vaseegara’ edit with Jonita Gandhi’s vocals. Lost Stories have three #1 singles on iTunes to their credit and have remixed the likes of One Republic, Afrojack, Alan Walker, and most recently, U2.
Speaking about the song, the duo said, “This is a very special track for us as it is with two of our favorite vocalists as well as friends, Jonita and Ashwin. Mai Ni Meriye is a folk track with a robust Indian feel to it. The melodies are soothing with a drop that allows for our sound to be tempered with classical Indian instruments. The feel of the track along with the soulful voices bring back the nostalgia for big Indian weddings.”
Commenting on the association with JioSaavn, they added, “JioSaavn has supported us for many years and Artist Originals has always been open to various experimental ideas and strategies, which blends well with our plans.”
Underscoring their position as one of the leading music artists from India, Lost Stories have represented the country at some of the world’s biggest music festivals. These include Tomorrowland, Mysteryland, New Horizons Festival, Global Citizen Festival, and Electric Daisy Carnival. The duo also holds the distinction for being the first Indians to play at Tomorrowland Music Festival four times including their sets at Tiesto’s Musical Freedom stage, and Smash The House stage curated by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike.
Lost Stories are also a part of YouTube’s Foundry development program, a first for an Indian artist. The program works with independent artists on how to best engage with their audience on the platform. Popular names associated with the program include Dua Lipa, Rosalia, Maleek Berry, Jacob Collier and more
Speaking about Mai Ni Meriye, Jonita Gandhi said, “Collaborating with Lost Stories is a lot of fun. We’ve known each other for a little while now and it’s always nice to work with people who I know and get along with! With this project, in particular, we were on the same page about keeping the approach fresh yet maintaining the beauty of the original folk song, ‘Chamba’.”
“Mai Ni Meriye is the story of two young lovers who are away from each other and just the thought of being around the other person brings them joy but somehow, being together feels like a dream.” Added Ashwin Adwani.
About the Artist Originals (AO): Established in 2017, Artist Originals (AO) is the in-house record label and artist development program of JioSaavn, South Asia’s largest music streaming service. The mission of AO is to provide a dedicated platform to independent artists, amplifying their careers and introducing global music lovers to new sounds and multi-cultural artistry. Services include investment, production, publishing, distribution and promotion and artists gain unprecedented industry access alongside introductions to top talent managers, booking agents, and publicists.
AO artists have consistently landed at the top of the charts and many have gone on to experience global success. “Bom Diggy” by Zack Knight and Jasmin Walia was #1 on iTunes, India for approximately 3 months and has been streamed almost 100 million times. Prateek Kuhad’s folk-pop title track “cold/mess” was #1 on iTunes Charts for approximately 2 weeks. AO’s global collaborations include Marshmello and Pritam’s “BIBA”; hip-hop star Naezy’s “NY Se Mumbai” with Nas; as well as a viral EDM remix of “Bom Diggy” by Dillon Francis.
About JioSaavn: Founded in 2007 as Saavn, JioSaavn is an audio-streaming service for South Asian music and artists. In March 2018, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) acquired a majority stake in JioSaavn, making it the largest music streaming service in India with millions of monthly active users.
The company has 900+ label partnerships and growing, including Universal, Sony, T-Series, Tips, YRF, Saregama, and Warner Music. In addition to 55 million+ tracks in 16 languages, JioSaavn — honored by Fast Company as one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies — also offers a slate of original, non-music audio programs ranging from Bollywood to comedy, storytelling to cricket. And JioSaavn’s Artist Originals (AO) is the first full-spectrum in-house streaming label pioneering new models of direct-to-artist music production, marketing, and distribution. AO has released chart-topping records like “Bom Diggy” by Zack Knight and Jasmin Walia, and “cold/mess” by Prateek Kuhad. AO’s global collaborations include Marshmello and Pritam’s “BIBA”; hip-hop star Naezy’s “NY Se Mumbai” with Nas; as well as a viral EDM remix of “Bom Diggy” by Dillon Francis.