MUMBAI: On World Music Day, Radioandmusic caught up with Varun Parikh, founder of Bay Owl Studios, whose deeply personal and globally influenced perspective on music offers a powerful reminder of its unifying force.
“World music, to me, represents a vibrant tapestry of sounds and cultures from places I’ve visited,” Parikh shares. “It’s less about fitting into a genre, and more about celebrating the stories, histories, and emotions that unite communities.”
His inspiration has come not just from studios and stages, but from the streets-where music lives closest to its roots. “A guitarist busking in downtown Vancouver, an Irish band in a Boston bar, a Nicaraguan music shop in San Francisco, or a drummer by the Mississippi in New Orleans-behind every local artist is a story, and World Music Day is a tribute to every one of them,” he reflects.
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For Parikh, music is more than sound-it’s a conversation that transcends geography, politics, and language. “Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, music carves out a neutral space where humanity speaks louder than headlines,” he says.
He points to moments when music bridged divides the world deemed insurmountable: “The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra brought together Israeli and Palestinian musicians. Last year in Paris, Russian and Ukrainian jazz artists played together. At UNESCO’s International Jazz Day in Abu Dhabi, Israeli and Iranian musicians shared the same stage. Despite India-Pakistan tensions, artists from both countries still top each other’s music charts.”
These moments are more than symbolicthey’re deeply human. “Shared melodies evoke compassion that outlasts political divides,” Parikh says. “Music fosters the kind of dialogue and understanding that diplomacy often can’t.”
In a world fractured by conflict and difference, Parikh’s message is simple yet profound: “Music transcends language barriers by speaking directly to our emotions. It reminds us that empathy isn’t limited by borders. It’s a universal rhythm we all carry within us.”
