Spotify, Pepsico & Red Bull partner-up for Sandwell & Birmingham Mela 2023
UK’s biggest South Asian music festival has roped in Spotify – the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service as a title partner for the upcoming Birmingham Mela. The festival also welcomes PepsiCo’s Kurkure snack as its official partner along with Colors, PTC Punjabi, and Red Bull.
As part of the partnership, Spotify brings the ‘Baari’ singer Bilal Saeed from Pakistan, and popular Punjabi artist, Guru Randhawa, from India, to perform at this year’s festival at Spotify’s Desi Hits main stage. In addition, on-ground experiences will bring alive a few of Spotify’s biggest desi playlists, such as Punjabi 101, Pakka Hit Hai, and No Borders, among others.
The Sandwell & Birmingham Mela will be held on 22 – 23 July 2023 at Victoria Park, Smethwick. Now in its 11th year the festival is the biggest of its kind in the UK and attracts thousands of visitors. Encompassing the celebration of South Asian and British culture, the Mela is a festival-style event open to all communities and ages offering international music and film acts, local talent performances, food outlets, arts and crafts village, a shopping bazaar and a massive funfair.
Red Bull will be presenting a showcase of new sound allowing DJs to spin their decks bringing together the sounds of South Asia, pop and dance at their very own summer beach hut where Mela attendees can participate, enjoy and feel nostalgic about Music they love and everything around it.
Danny Singh, Event Director at Sandwell & Birmingham Mela said: “This year we are proud to welcome our new partners. We’re looking forward to working with the Spotify team to celebrate South Asian Culture at the Birmingham Mela. These partnerships add great value to the vibrate festival and help us connect our audiences to mainstream brands in a meaningful way. The on-ground experience will be very different this year with partners offering a range of activities and activations, along with a brand new stage”.
“Spotify has established a strong foothold in the South Asian markets recently, putting the global spotlight on several local artists”, said Rutaba Yaqub, Spotify Senior Editor (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh). “This year we’re celebrating South Asian Heritage Month through our partnership with the Birmingham Mela. We want to be at the centre of cultural moments that matter to our South Asian listeners, including those in the diaspora, and this event is a fantastic platform to do so”.
Marketing Spokesperson at PepsiCo said, “Kurkure is proud to be this years official partner of Spotify presents Birmingham Mela. Our roots are firmly in South Asian culture – combining authentic, lip-smacking flavours with our iconic crunchy snack – making Mela the perfect place to share the Kurkure love. Come and discover why we are one of the most popular snacks in South Asia in our dedicated, Instagram worthy Kurkure zone. Get ready to join in with our very own Kurkure troupe as they lead the flash mob of the year! We can’t wait to see you there!”
