Blues fans got their yearly treat at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios as their favorite blues artists took the stage this weekend on 8th and 9th Feb. The stellar lineup for the Mahindra Blues Festival 2025, their 13th edition so far, included The Robert Randolph Band, The Teskey Brothers and Ruthie Foster, along with India’s own blues powerhouses Kanchan Daniels and Meghan Murray.
The event showcases how America’s traditional blues music has created quite a stir among not only Mumbai but India’s blues music enthusiasts.
Mahindra Blues Festival 2025 Day 1: Fans Left Spellbound by 2025 Grammy Winner Ruthie Foster and Australian duo The Teskey Brothers
Day 1 of the festival started with an all kids band called Soul Detox. Fans certainly were not expecting these little kids to cover hardcore blues classics including Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love” this flawlessly as we can see on the Instagram snippet.
Next, we saw Kanchan Daniels taking the stage after them, her second time in the festival after Mahindra Blues Festival 2024, captivating fans with her raw gritty vocals.
2025 Grammy-winning American blues-folk singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster was the only artist who performed on both days. Ruthie was originally allotted only one performance slot. But due to 15-year-old guitarist Taj Ferrant’s unforeseen absence, Ruthie filled in for the second day as well. This however was not much a bother for the audience, comprising of blues listeners from young children to the elderly. Ruthie’s dynamic soulful vocals won their hearts as she belted out her songs including numbers from her Grammy-winning album “Mileage”.
The Teskey Brothers were the final act for Day 1. The duo, comprising of Josh Teskey on guitars and Sam Teskey on vocals stole the show with their soulful sound. Their sound is a mix of vintage and contemporary blues. Another moment to remember was the performance by the Band Hunt winner The John Blue Ensemble. This took place before the final act at the Garden stage.
Mahindra Blues Festival 2025 Day 2: Lap Steel Guitar Virtuoso Robert Randolph Steals the Show
Singer-songwriter and Model-actor from India Megan Murray kickstarted Day 2 of the festival. Megan enchanted the audience with her raunchy vocals as we can see from version of Koko Taylor’s Voodoo Woman.
This was followed by Ruthie Foster, who took the stage once more. No wonder audiences who missed her performance on Day 1 were the happiest!
Also read: Bangalore Open Air 2025: India’s Biggest Metal Festival Returns with Jinjer, Cynic & More!
What followed next at the Garden stage was a performance by The Beatz Crew (Kanakia International School) and the Nanhi Kali choir. A part of the “Blues In Schools” initiative, this comprised children from underprivileged backgrounds.
The future of blues music does look quite bright with two bands playing, all formed by children!
The final act for Day 2 was pedal steel guitar virtuoso Robert Randolph. An eminent name in blues and gospel music, Robert had infact performed at the 2012 edition of the festival. He has also collaborated with classic rock legends Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sanatana as well as singer-songwriters John Mayer and Dave Matthews. Robert Randolph left listeners wanting for more with his African-American gospel and blues fusion numbers.
The night ended with a much-awaited All-Star Jam where the blues powerhouses came together on stage!
