Shillong (Meghalaya), June 21: Commemorating World Music Day, Meghalaya announced the highly anticipated Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2025, headlined by global music icons Jason Derulo and The Script, while also unveiling a visionary push for a sustainable Concert Economy that is transforming Meghalaya’s cultural landscape and economic trajectory.
Returning on November 14 and 15, Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 is set to turn Shillong into an immersive citywide celebration, stretching from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Ward’s Lake, with concerts, pop-ups, and interactive experiences. Day one will see international pop-R&B sensation Jason Derulo and Ireland’s chart-topping rock band The Script co-headlining. With over 220 million records sold between them, both acts are set to deliver high-octane performances in Shillong, making it one of the biggest music nights in India.
“Every concert is a celebration of who we are. We are not just hosting performances; we are building an economy of talent and identity that speaks to the world. We have seen how the concert economy is an aspect that has been worked on in Meghalaya, and how it was implemented here long before it was done in any other part of the country. We have now simply given it better structure and expanded it into much bigger programmes. We hope that, in the coming years, it will become even bigger,” said Conrad K. Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
“The two artists announced are just 50% of the lineup, we’re working hard to lock in the rest, and hope to confirm more big names within the next month. For now, it will remain a surprise that will make this edition even more exciting,” he added.
The festival is just one expression of Meghalaya’s broader vision, an ambitious Concert Economy model that is yielding unprecedented 5.7x returns on investment, generating jobs, boosting tourism, and putting Meghalaya on the global music and culture map.
Under the leadership of CM Conrad K. Sangma, Meghalaya has emerged as a beacon of creative economic transformation. A public investment of ₹23.5 crore in FY25 has already generated ₹133.42 crore in economic impact. Over 76,000 visitors attended just 13 days of events, contributing nearly 5% to the state’s annual tourist footfall. Hospitality revenues soared to ₹33.78 crore, with hotels in Shillong and Cherrapunji fully booked and tourists extending their stay well beyond the main events. The sector created up to 5,509 daily jobs, with direct benefits flowing to youth, women-led kitchens, local artisans, and rural entrepreneurs. For every ₹100 spent on tickets, an additional ₹334 was spent on travel, food, and experiences, reflecting the extended impact across the value chain.
From hosting global icons like Bryan Adams, Ed Sheeran, Akon, and Alan Walker to producing over 13,000 performances under the Meghalaya Grassroot Music Project (MGMP), the state is rewriting the narrative of what cultural development looks like in the Northeast. The strategy has led to over 7,750 local artists being registered, 22-million-reel views and 60,000 organic social media posts. It has also fostered global artist engagement with local culture, exemplified by Ed Sheeran’s impromptu football match with Shillong’s youth. Flagship events like Cherry Blossom and Me’Gong have grown into cultural powerhouses that continue to draw attention both nationally and internationally.
Looking ahead, Meghalaya’s vision is to create a trillion-rupee creative economy with culture at its core. Plans include building a 365-day festival economy by extending concerts to all districts, enforcing zero-waste mandates, tribal sourcing for food and beverage, and a 30% reservation for artisans and home kitchens. Infrastructure upgrades are underway, including development at Polo Grounds in Shillong, PA Sangma Stadium in Tura, and the creation of new cultural hubs. A cutting-edge Concert Impact Tracker is also being introduced to measure growth, job creation, and sustainability in real-time.
From being the “Rock Capital of India” to becoming a blueprint for the future of creative economies, Meghalaya is harmonizing culture, commerce, and community in a rhythm that resonates across the globe.
Today, the launch of Season 3 of Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project featured scintillating live performances from Season 2’s top bands, the unveiling of the new MGMP Logo, a captivating MGMP Recap Video, the MGMP Awards Ceremony, and the Tourism Festival Booklet, a tribute to the vibrant culture of Meghalaya.
The evening concluded on a high note with a soulful performance by popular singer-songwriter Anuv Jain, captivating the audience with his mesmerizing set. Reflecting on high & energetic concert attendees, Anuv Jain stated that Shillong is one of the best places, he has ever performed in the country.
Others who attended the event were Cyril V.D. Diengdoh, IAS, Director, Tourism Department; Dr. Vijay Kumar D., IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Tourism; members of the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (MGMP); MGMP artists, among others.
