By Chegim Durama
Until recently, many musicians in Meghalaya believed they had to choose between making music and making a living. Although music has always been woven into the fabric of life across the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills, echoing through churches, festivals, homes and community gatherings, pursuing it as a profession was rarely considered a realistic career. Opportunities to perform were limited, earnings were uncertain, and creativity was often seen as a passion rather than a livelihood.
That is beginning to change.
Meghalaya is steadily building a creative economy where culture, music and the arts are not only expressions of identity but also drivers of employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth. Cafés, festivals, tourism events and public spaces are becoming performance venues, creating opportunities for musicians to earn while strengthening the state’s cultural identity. Public investment in music is not simply about supporting performances. It is about creating livelihoods, encouraging entrepreneurship, strengthening tourism and ensuring that local talent can build sustainable careers.
I have been fortunate to witness this transformation firsthand.
Growing up in Tura in a music-loving family, I was encouraged to explore music from an early age. At thirteen, I became fascinated by music production and spent countless hours experimenting and learning. What began as curiosity gradually became my way of expressing thoughts, emotions and experiences. Like many young musicians, however, I often questioned whether music could ever become more than a passion.
That belief changed through the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Program (CM-MGMP). The programme gave me opportunities to perform at festivals such as Me·gong and the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival in New Delhi, where I realised that audiences, both within and beyond the state, were eager to listen to music rooted in Meghalaya’s identity. It also enabled me to acquire recording equipment, continue producing original music and pursue opportunities that once seemed beyond reach.
My own journey reflects how opportunities have grown under CM-MGMP. In Season 1, I earned ₹7,000 through busking performances, ₹10,000 from café shows and ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 from special events. By Season 3, special events each earned ₹40,000 per gig. Performing at the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival in New Delhi became another milestone, earning me ₹1.5 lakh and demonstrating that artists from Meghalaya can find recognition on national platforms.
My experience is shared by thousands of artists across the state. Since its launch in 2022 under the vision of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma, CM-MGMP has organised more than 38,000 performances, engaged over 7,750 artists and invested more than ₹38 crore in Meghalaya’s music ecosystem. Participating artists earn an average of ₹10,000 per performance, while larger events can generate ₹25,000 to ₹30,000. Behind these figures are thousands of musicians building professional careers and sustainable livelihoods through music.
The impact extends far beyond performers. Every concert creates opportunities for sound engineers, event managers, photographers, videographers, transport providers, hospitality workers and local businesses. Festivals featuring local artists attract visitors, strengthen Meghalaya’s tourism economy and showcase the state’s culture to national and international audiences. Music is becoming not only a cultural asset but also an economic one.
I was deeply honoured to be recognised as this month’s Achiever of the Month (Music Edition) under CM-MGMP. To me, this recognition represents much more than a personal milestone. It reflects the growing value that Meghalaya places on its creative community and the belief that artists deserve opportunities to build meaningful careers while contributing to the state’s development.
The stories of fellow musicians reinforce this transformation. Artists such as Larger Than 90 have spoken about how CM-MGMP opened doors to festivals like the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival and the Ziro Festival while encouraging them to create original music. Similarly, Leo Boys have shared how the programme provided financial stability, recognition and a platform to reach wider audiences. Their journeys show that when one artist succeeds, many others begin to believe that success is possible.
Today, CM-MGMP artists perform at major events including the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival, Shillong Literary Festival, Me·gong, the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival in New Delhi, the WAVES Summit in Mumbai and the World Expo in Osaka, Japan. These opportunities demonstrate that music from Meghalaya can reach global audiences while remaining deeply rooted in the state’s culture.
Perhaps the most encouraging change is cultural. Families who once viewed music as an uncertain career are increasingly encouraging their children to pursue it professionally. Young musicians are investing in original compositions, music production and professional development because they now see a future in doing so.
There is still work ahead. Meghalaya needs stronger recording infrastructure, artist management, music publishing, copyright awareness and greater access to international collaborations. Building a creative economy requires sustained investment and partnerships that continue beyond individual programmes.
If my journey has taught me one thing, it is that Meghalaya was never short of talent. What was missing was an ecosystem to nurture it. Today, that ecosystem is taking shape. As it grows, the state’s next chapter will be written not only in offices and industries but also in recording studios, rehearsal rooms and festival stages. When talent meets opportunity, music becomes more than culture. It creates livelihoods, strengthens tourism, inspires entrepreneurship and contributes to Meghalaya’s economic growth. That, to me, is the true promise of Meghalaya’s creative economy.
