PopShift Music Festival in New York City

PopShift is a digital media platform focused on celebrating the hybrid culture and genius of the South Asian Diaspora through visual storytelling and (IRL) in-real-life experiences. Since 2019, we have produced a variety of creative content that has expanded the boundaries of how South Asian pop culture is viewed and valued by global audiences today, including but not limited to Desi Me Dating, SUBTXT, and the biweekly PopShift Newsletter. 

PopShift Music Festival, presented by Toyota, is a resurgence of our original music concert SESSIONS, a full-day musical event from 2019 that hosted an impressive blend of both emerging artists and global trendsetters at NYC’s legendary Terminal 5. PopShift Music Festival expands on SESSIONS with additional events and layers of artistic mediums.

Following a pandemic-provoked hiatus, this new, two-day experience will showcase exceptional South Asian talent and artistry through a weekend of community-centric events. Art patrons and fans will immerse themselves in a unique and interactive celebration of culturally-driven fashion, food, visual, and musical arts, as well as have the opportunity to connect with the extraordinary people paving the way for South Asian cultural appreciation.

With PopShift Music Festival, our intention is to look into the future and set a foundation for the inevitable growth of South Asian artists and culture in the global entertainment landscape. As the world continues to recognize and esteem the art and media coming from the subcontinent and its diaspora, PopShift will continue our long-term commitment to spearheading this momentum into a unique and creative outlet that is accessible to all. 

PopShift Music Festival will kick off on May 19 with a Music + Arts Mixer at Lavan New York beginning at 6 p.m.. The event will feature a talented lineup of South Asian visual artists – Haf and Haf, Kavi, Suede, Tanya Gupta, Natasha, and Suhenna – who will display their works across a myriad of fine mediums and techniques including paint, digital, print, sculpture, and more. As guests enjoy these installations, they will also be treated to musical acts by a gifted roster of emerging vocalists and instrumentalists – FINESSE., Anjali Taneja, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, Bilaal Avaz, and KVSTabla. 

The festivities continue on May 20 at the iconic Irving Plaza at 5 p.m. with a musical concert. We present a strong lineup of accomplished artists paving the way for South Asian excellence in the music industry, including Jay Sean, Ezu, Talwiinder, Sanjoy, HYDR x PDNY, Rhea Raj, and Zeemuffin. These 8 talented musicians will supply constant and addicting beats across a diversity of genres for an evening that is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on New York City and the larger industry of South Asian musical talent. 

Both events will also spotlight activations from South Asian-inspired food and beverage brands, visually themed-entertainment, and various merchandise available for purchase. In collaboration with our vendors, the weekend will include the following at no additional cost to our guests: beer by Rupee Beer, ice cream by Malai, snacks from MadamJi, sparkling beverage from Topo Chico, non-alcoholic drinks from Crisp & Crude, and sparkling sake from Smooth Sail Sake. 

Tickets for PopShift Music Festival are live and available for purchase at popshift.com. Artists and creatives who are interested in being a part of this event can reach out to info@popshfit.tv.