Blue, Yellow Claw, Prateek Kuhad and Kanika Kapoor headline Day 2
Our Bureau
TURA/SHILLONG, Dec 7: The 5th edition of the highly popular Me’gong Festival concluded on Saturday with a spectacular finale in the Garo Hills, drawing thousands of visitors over two days and reinforcing Meghalaya’s emergence as one of India’s most vibrant cultural destinations. With international headliners, national performers and powerful homegrown talent sharing the stage, the festival delivered one of the region’s most memorable showcases of music, culture and community spirit.
The festival was attended by over 55,000 people from across the region and beyond.
Day 2 brought an electric close to the celebrations as British pop sensation Blue, global electronic duo Yellow Claw, singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad and Bollywood favourite Kanika Kapoor performed back-to-back on the Aski Stage to roaring crowds.
Antony Costa from the band Blue stated, “Garo Hills’ Me’gong Festival is amazing! The crowd was on fire.”
Similarly, vocalist Simon Webbe, along with Antony Costa, Lee Ryan and Duncan James, thanked festival-goers for attending and expressed their amazement at Garo Hills. The band called the region a paradise while sending their ‘One Love’ to all.
Each act brought a unique energy, beginning with Kanika Kapoor’s high-tempo hits such as Chittiyaan Kalaiyan, Baby Doll, Jawaani Le Doobi, along with her renditions of Desi Girl, It’s the Time to Disco, London Thumakda, Matlabi and many other Bollywood favourites. She expressed her delight at performing in Meghalaya for the second time and praised the visitors as one of the best audiences she has ever received.
An electrifying and energetic shift followed with Prateek Kuhad’s soulful melodies, as visitors were drawn to renditions like Saansein, Cold Mess and other reflective tracks that defined the evening.
This was followed by Blue’s nostalgic pop anthems, with thousands singing along to One Love, All Rise, Guilty, One Last Time and more.
The night closed with Yellow Claw’s explosive EDM finale, turning the festival grounds into a sea of lights and cheering fans across the Bolbokgre-Watregre Festival Ground.
Earlier in the evening, crowd favourites such as Hoi Hoi Makbil, G-Hills Finest, Crack Gang, Rough Road, and Nokpante captivated audiences on the Kingfisher Stage, which drew thousands on its own.
While Day 2 delivered an unforgettable finish, the festival’s momentum began on the opening day with a star-studded line-up featuring Richard Marx, Neeti Mohan, Julian Marley and Nucleya. Marx performed classics as well as unreleased tracks from his upcoming album Afterhours, marking a rare and celebrated appearance in India.
Neeti Mohan’s Bollywood hits attracted massive crowds, and her moving rendition of Mayabini, a tribute to Zubeen Garg in his birthplace of Tura, became one of the most shared and talked-about moments of the festival.
Julian Marley’s reggae set and Nucleya’s high-octane closing performance sealed Day 1 as a musical spectacle not seen before in the region.
The Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP) continued to be a significant platform at the festival, with seven emerging CM-MGMP bands performing on the opening day—an exceptional opportunity to share the stage at an event featuring global performers. Many young artists described the experience as transformational, calling it the biggest platform of their careers so far.
Beyond music, the Me’gong Festival offered an immersive cultural experience that attracted families, tourists and festival enthusiasts throughout the weekend.
The Great Garo Hills Cook Off showcased reinterpretations of traditional cuisine using indigenous ingredients, with Nambie Jessica Marak, runner-up of MasterChef India Season 8, serving as a special guest judge.
Traditional sports, a vibrant Brew Village, a colourful Cosplay Contest, the Miss & Mr Me’gong Contest, a bustling craft and food market, VR experiences and entrepreneur stalls under PRIME Meghalaya added to the diverse attractions.
The opening day was attended by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, whose vision continues to cement the state’s position as a key destination in India’s growing concert economy. Global artists now choose Meghalaya as a natural stop on their India tours.
Over recent years, Meghalaya has hosted international performers across festivals such as Me’gong, Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival and Winter Tales—establishing the state as a cultural hub of the Northeast and creating new opportunities in tourism, music, and creative enterprise.
As the lights dim over the Bolbokgre-Watregre grounds, the festival leaves behind powerful performances, new memories, and a renewed sense of pride in the artistic and cultural identity of the Garo Hills.
Conrad hails Richard Marx’s performance
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has celebrated the success of this year’s Me’gong Festival, crediting international pop icon Richard Marx for adding a nostalgic edge to an already vibrant event.
Reflecting on the performance, the chief minister noted on X that the singer’s enduring classics created a sense of nostalgia and that the festival felt “right here waiting for him”, underscoring how well the artist connected with the Meghalaya audience.
Remarking that the team was left impressed by Marx’s commanding presence on stage, the chief minister described it as a moment that elevated the festival’s atmosphere and reaffirmed Me’gong Festival’s growing reputation as one of the region’s signature cultural showcases.
In his post, Conrad also highlighted that Me’gong Festival has once again succeeded in delivering a memorable edition, maintaining its streak of large-scale, well-received events that highlight Meghalaya’s cultural vibrancy and organisational capacity.
