Warner Music India has launched season two of “Maati,” its folk music franchise, opening on September 3 with the Sufi qawwali “Jalwa-e-Jaanaan.” The track features vocals by Jyoti Nooran, music composed by Anurag Saikia and lyrics by Shakeel Azmi. The qawwali is based on the Sufi concept of Wahdat al-Wujud, or Unity of Being, examining the connection between the seeker and the creator.
Season 2 spans eight languages: Koshur, Hindi, Tamil, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Telugu, Haryanvi, Urdu and Kannada. The lineup includes contemporary and folk artists such as Shubha Mudgal, Alif, Sudan, Orfo, Sublahshini, Keli Thee, Saikia, Nooran, Kalpana Patowary, Mangli, Sanjith Hegde, MC Square and Satindar Sartaj. Each track is tied to a specific place and its regional tradition, with artists, communities and settings built into the visual presentation.
Nooran said the piece “carries a beautiful thought that the divine and the seeker are not separate, but find meaning in each other.” Saikia noted the track’s soundscape aimed to hold the depth of Azmi’s poetry and Nooran’s voice while retaining the soul of Sufi music.
“Maati” launched in October 2024 and its debut season reached more than 78 million streams digitally. Jay Mehta, managing director of Warner Music India and SAARC, said the franchise aims to bring India’s folk traditions to new audiences while giving artists and communities recognition they deserve.
Source: Variety Music
