Tribal musicians turn to gigs as music performances fail to pay.

Varun Sahay 

Chennai | January 19, 2025

On a cold December night in Ranchi, a crowd of around 1,000 people gathered to attend a rock band performance. Deepak Tirkey, the lead singer, along with his group kept the audience engaged by treating them to a unique blend of traditional tribal melodies and modern rock beats. The audience sang along and danced to the lyrics, making the evening an experience to remember.

Tirkey, a 28-year-old, who has played music at over 180 events in Jharkhand and across India, finds it difficult to make ends meet solely through performances. “I run a music academy where I train students to learn music, without this it would be impossible to manage my household expenses,” said Tirkey.

 The tribal rock bands in Jharkhand are slowly gaining attention, but for musicians, life is a day-to-day struggle. Most rock bands here are from western Jharkhand, where the tribal population is concentrated. There are approximately 200 tribal rock bands, but only 15 of them get to perform professionally in big events, said Tarun Paul Kachhap, who has been managing tribal rock bands across the state for a decade.

 About 50 other bands often perform at smaller events such as marriages and private functions.

Deepak Toppno, a solo artist who collaborates with multiple bands, struggles to make a living. His primary income is from teaching guitar to students and freelancing as an online educator for clients abroad. “Everyone enjoys our music but when it comes to the pay, it is not enough to get us through the month,” said Toppno. When the artists perform in their hometowns, people expect them to do it for free.

The concerts featuring these artists are a part of a larger event. Entry to these events costs about Rs 20 to Rs 50. The low ticket price is intended to draw bigger crowds. These events have various activities such as rides and games that attendees can participate in, beyond attending concerts.

“These rock bands avoid hosting standalone concerts due to uncertainty about audience turnout, which could result in significant losses, whereas performing at a larger event organized by someone else guarantees assured pay,” said Kachhap.

The music performed by the rock bands is often taken from folk artists who used to perform these traditional tribal songs. “I take tunes from tribal music and tribal songs and mix them with guitars and drums, it makes the music more exciting for young people,” Tirkey said. In contrast, Toppno uses traditional equipment such as dholak, flute, and kanjira to preserve the essence of the song while performing rock tribal music. “This blending of styles is not just about making music, it’s about preserving Jharkhand’s rich culture in a way that appeals to the modern generation,” said Toppno. 

Folk artists feel they have been treated unfairly as rock bands are earning an income from the songs that the folk artists sing. “The rock bands are given much bigger platforms to perform, while folk artists are given small local events.” said a folk artist, who performs with Nagada and flute, on the condition of anonymity.

A rock band member can earn about Rs. 7,000-10,000 per performance. In contrast, folk artists earn Rs. 1,000-4,000, said Saket Kumar, who has been a folk artist for 20 years. “Due to the low income, folk artists supplement their income with jobs such as farming and woodcutting,” said a folk artist who is also a farmer, on the condition of anonymity.

Traditional music has a cultural and religious significance, changing the music often displaces its original meaning and purpose.

For instance, Nagpuri music from Jharkhand is popular because of the way it is sung, changing its music and lyrics alters the entire meaning of the song, said Sahubham Lakhra, a folk artist who composes and produces folk songs. “The tribal music is getting westernized by rock bands and it’s ruining its real beauty,” he said.

Tribal traditional music was often sung in villages and small towns and folk artists received food items, clothes, or vessels in return for singing them. They did not earn or receive any monetary assistance to sustain their livelihood.

Over the period, these folk artists started commercializing their performances and that’s when they started earning their primary income. 

This continued for years until rock band artists made modifications in their songs to make it their source of income, which reduced the demand for folk artists, affecting them financially.

“We must ensure that traditional artists get the same recognition as rock band artists, famous songs like ‘Gulab Saari’ were sung by a folk artist but none of us remember the original composer”, said Kumar. 

“We need platforms for both tribal rock and traditional folk music to ensure that our culture and service grow at the same pace,” said Kumar. Tirkey and Toppno perform rock songs and don’t earn sufficient income to meet their expenses.

In contrast, folk artists, who are the original composers of the songs that rock bands perform, are seeking equal opportunities, including better pay, recognition, and low Western influence in tribal music.