Project Notun has been launched in Assam to discover and nurture emerging musical talent across the state, with the initiative coming ahead of singer Zubeen Garg’s birth anniversary on November 18. The Zubeen Garg Foundation, in association with Zeal Creations, announced the initiative on September 27, inviting aspiring artists to submit their work and seek an opportunity to create original music.
The initiative aims to give young musicians a platform to showcase skills that may not have reached wider audiences. It will focus on four key areas — lyrics, composition, singing and music production — bringing together artists with different strengths to develop new songs.
Project Notun opens submissions for four categories
Under Project Notun, aspiring artists can submit samples of their work until October 18. The four categories allow participants to enter according to their individual musical skills.
The organisers are looking for lyricists who have written songs but may not have access to composers, composers with melodies that need lyrics, singers seeking opportunities and music producers looking for projects.
This approach is designed to connect different kinds of creative talent rather than limit the search to established performers. It could also help emerging musicians collaborate and develop complete songs from ideas that may otherwise remain unfinished.
The initiative was announced by Garima Garg along with Rahul Gautam Sharma and representatives of Zeal Creations. Its timing is closely linked to Zubeen Garg’s birth anniversary, which falls on November 18.
Mentors to guide Project Notun selection
A major part of Project Notun will be the involvement of an experienced panel of musicians and mentors. The panel includes Salim Merchant, Vishal Dadlani, Jeet Ganguly, Kunal Ganjawala, Papon and Anurag Saikia.
The mentors will review the submissions and guide the selection process. Their involvement gives the project an opportunity to connect young Assamese musicians with established names from different areas of the Indian music industry.
For participants, the initiative offers more than a submission platform. Selected artists will have the chance to work within a collaborative creative process and develop their abilities through professional guidance.
The organisers have not positioned the project only as a search for singers. Instead, the four categories reflect the different stages involved in creating and producing a song.
Three original songs planned
The selected talents from the four categories will be brought together to create three original songs. The organisers plan to release the songs on November 18, Zubeen Garg’s birthday.
The planned releases will therefore serve as the key creative outcome of the initiative. They will also give selected artists an opportunity to have their work presented to a wider audience.
The project’s name carries a direct connection to its purpose. “Notun” means “new” in Assamese, reflecting the organisers’ focus on fresh musical voices and new creative possibilities emerging from Assam.
A tribute to Zubeen Garg’s musical legacy
The initiative has also been described as a tribute to Zubeen Garg and his contribution to Assam’s music scene. According to the organisers, the project seeks to carry forward his belief in supporting young artists and creating opportunities for emerging voices.
Garg’s influence on Assamese music has extended across singing, composition, songwriting and film music. The decision to bring together lyricists, composers, singers and producers through one initiative reflects the broad creative space associated with his musical work.
By focusing on new talent, the project also places the next generation of musicians at the centre of the anniversary programme. Instead of limiting the occasion to remembrance, the initiative seeks to use it as an opportunity to create and promote new music.
Assam’s emerging musicians get a new platform
For young artists across Assam, the October 18 submission deadline provides a clear opportunity to present their work. The four-category format may also help musicians participate even if they are strongest in a specific part of the creative process.
The organisers are expected to select artists whose work can contribute to the collaborative production of the three planned songs. The involvement of established mentors could further help selected participants understand the demands of professional music creation.
With its focus on fresh voices, collaboration and original songs, Project Notun is set to make emerging Assamese musical talent a central part of the celebrations surrounding Zubeen Garg’s birth anniversary. The project’s planned releases on November 18 will ultimately provide the public with the first major creative outcome of the initiative.
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