Southbank Centre Reveals Lineup For SOUTH ASIAN SOUNDS Festival

The Southbank Centre has announced the full line-up for South Asian Sounds, which runs from Wednesday 1 to Sunday 5 July 2026 as part of the multi-arts centre's 75th anniversary year. 

Taking place across the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, the series platforms the artists at the forefront of South Asian music and performance across the UK, from clubs to concert halls to international stages. Household names and electric new talent come together to present a rich and varied programme of South Asian culture, representing an array of genres that honour heritage while defining the future of the scene. 

The programme brings together a breadth of artists and collectives working across classical, orchestral, experimental and popular forms, from heritage practices to genre-blurring live performance. From Indian classical music and South Asian film scores to diasporic pop, jazz-influenced songwriting and comedy, the Southbank Centre's South Asian Sounds showcases the vast range and astonishing talents of the South Asian cultural scene.

Highlights include a performance from Raghu Dixit, whose joyous music blends big melodies, infectious rhythms and genre-crossing sounds. The week-long series also welcomes internationally renowned artists including Hariharan and Amrita Kaur, who presents a versatile repertoire spanning devotional, ghazal, Sufi, Punjabi folk and Hindi film music. The series also features the sweeping sound of the London Bollywood Orchestra performing live, joined by Priyani Vani Panditt for a special performance charting the growth of Bollywood's distinctive sound, from its roots in Hindustani classical music to a style that has come to define the Mumbai film industry. 

Indian classical music and dance feature throughout the week, including performances by Hemantika, joined by Sujata Banerjee Dance Company with the Geetanjali Academy of Fine Arts. Rekesh Chauhan will take audiences on a sonic journey from heritage to new horizons with a set that traverses boldly between Indian folk and film epics. Emerging and contemporary artists from across South Asia are showcased through curated programmes including showcases from Asian Tones and Thamarai, featuring up and coming talents including Pritt and Tara Lily. Award-winning Nepalese percussionist and composer Anmol Mohara performs music from his debut album, sharing the rich culture and traditions of Nepal live on stage with his full band. 

In addition to a rich and vibrant music programme, live comedy and storytelling forms a key part of the week-long celebration. Highlights include a performance from Tez Ilyas, who will also be presenting a special live episode of the hit podcast Making a Husband, with real-life husband and wife Tez and Shay Ilyas. 

Vimal Anandpura, Founder of the London Bollywood Orchestra, said: “The London Bollywood Orchestra is breaking new ground in popular Hindi film music by bringing to life the original, authentic sounds of Mumbai's recording studios, with London's finest classical and jazz talent.

Priyani Vani Panditt joins us on this exciting adventure, her expressive voice reaching soaring high notes, alongside a deep knowledge of Indian ragas. Through her own innovative style of Rageet, she reveals how Bollywood's most iconic songs are rooted in Indian classical traditions.

I can't wait to be immersed in what promises to be a one-of-a-kind evening—where two distinct musical worlds come together to create an explosion of sound, shaped by those classical nuances.There is no better stage for this initiative than the iconic Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre—an institution that has been bringing world music to new audiences for decades.”

Mark Ball, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, said: “South Asian Sounds has become an anchor of our annual music programme, platforming some of the most exciting artists from across South Asia with a vibrant and exciting programme of live performances. The festival, now in its third edition, has grown from the Southbank Centre's decades-long commitment to serving South Asian audiences with culture in all its forms - from visual arts, to music, dance, literature and food. In our 75th anniversary year it's important to mark the incredible contribution of South Asian artists to our cultural life and to highlight emerging voices that connect to new generations of audiences.”