"Priyani Vani Pandit joins us on this exciting adventure"
The Southbank Centre has announced the full line-up for South Asian Sounds, taking place from July 1 to July 5, 2026, as part of the venue’s 75th anniversary year.
Events will take place across the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. The programme spotlights leading South Asian artists working across UK and international stages.
The festival brings together established names and emerging talent across classical, orchestral, experimental and popular music.
It spans Indian classical traditions, film scores, diasporic pop, jazz-influenced songwriting and live comedy, reflecting a broad cultural spectrum.
Highlights include Raghu Dixit, known for blending folk melodies with contemporary rhythms and genre-crossing performance styles.
The line-up also features Hariharan and Amrita Kaur, who presents music spanning devotional, ghazal, Sufi, Punjabi folk and Hindi film traditions.
The London Bollywood Orchestra will also perform live, joined by Priyani Vani Panditt. The performance explores the evolution of Bollywood sound, from Hindustani classical foundations to modern Mumbai film music.
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 Pandit 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.”
Indian classical music and dance also run throughout the week.
Hemantika will perform alongside Sujata Banerjee Dance Company and the Geetanjali Academy of Fine Arts. Rekesh Chauhan presents a set moving between Indian folk and cinematic soundscapes.
Emerging talent features through Asian Tones and Thamarai showcases, with artists including Pritt and Tara Lily.
Nepalese percussionist and composer Anmol Mohara also performs material from his debut album with a full live band.
Comedy and storytelling form a key strand of the programme. Tez Ilyas will present a live performance alongside a special episode of his podcast Making a Husband, featuring Shay Ilyas.
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.”
General sale of tickets for South Asian Sounds events opens at 10 am on May 1.
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