The Backstage Siblings are not just a popular musical duo hailing from Calcutta, they are a vibe altogether, redefining the public musical performance experience for all generations. From ages seven to 70, people sing and groove to their bhajans together. They have pioneered bhajan jamming in India not just for the GenZs but for people of all ages.
Siblings Prachi and Raghav, still in their 20s, have already made significant waves on both national and international stages. What began as an intimate jamming session with just 50 attendees two years ago has blossomed into a transformative influence on India’s club culture. Social media feeds started overflowing with reels capturing soulful moments of their club jamming sessions — people sprawled on the club floor, with no barriers between them and the performers, creating an intimate atmosphere free from food and alcohol, with everyone fully immersed in the experience. Be it Bollywood nostalgia, folk or devotional— their jamming sessions are all about making late evenings inclusive and a shared experience for their audience with their innovative jamming style.
From their cosy Living Room Concerts to the energetic Bhajan Jamming events, they’ve successfully introduced multiple generations to a new kind of immersive clubbing and public performance experience, all while highlighting devotional music in their signature style. Their journey has garnered notable recognition, including a mention by India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and they’ve gone on to perform for over 10,000 people at venues like the Netaji Indoor Stadium— all in just about two years.
A t2 chat with the duo on their phenomenal journey and an exclusive shoot around some of their favourite spots in Calcutta:
On Backstage Siblings:
At our shows, the audience is not just watching us, they are very much a part of the performance. They sing with us, create the vibe with us and make the whole room feel alive. In that sense, they are the front stage, and we are backstage, simply holding the space together. And of course, we are siblings, so Backstage Siblings felt like the most honest name for what we do.
On Calcutta:
Growing up in Calcutta was very special. It was full of the little things that make the city what it is: cycling around Victoria, going for puchkas in the evening, tram rides, morning walks around Rabindra Sarovar and the excitement around Durga Puja. There is a charm in Calcutta that stays with you. Even today, home is home, and it keeps pulling us back.
A Career in Music:
Music has always been a part of our lives. Prachi and I have been singing since childhood, and we would often accompany our father for satsangs. Somewhere, the dream of singing in front of a large audience was always there. Of course, through studies, work and life, it got pushed to the background for a while, but it never really left us. So in that sense, yes, it was always a dream.
First Performance and First Big Concert:
Our first ever public jamming session was in Calcutta, with around 50 people. We had organised it ourselves, put up stories, made the setlist and were just hoping people would come. It was a small room, but even that first show was sold out, so it will always be very special for us. Our first big concert would be the Delhi Bhajan Jamming session. It was the show where we kicked off our Bhajan Jamming Tour, and there were around 5,000 people in the audience. It was one of our most memorable shows and definitely one of the first big landmarks in our journey.
Their Signature Club Jamming Style:
We realised that even when people come together socially, everyone is often distracted. Attention spans have become shorter, and a lot of things we loved while growing up, like simply sitting together and jamming, have slowly faded away. That is why we wanted to create a format where people could remove those distractions for one hour. No food, no substances, just people sitting together, singing together and being fully present. We do not want it to feel like just another concert. We want people to leave feeling lighter, more energised and with a real shift in how they feel.
Role of Social Media:
A huge amount, honestly. Social media has played a very big role in helping people discover us. In the beginning, we would ask our friends to put up stories, call people and spread the word for our shows. Today, people follow us across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and that has helped our music travel far beyond the room we are performing in. So yes, social media gets a very large share of the credit.
On Bhajan Jamming:
We used to do shows that had both Bollywood and bhajans, and we noticed something very special during the bhajan set. People were not just listening, they were deeply connected, singing along and completely present in that moment. That is when we realised that this feeling could become something bigger. That is how the idea of a Bhajan Jamming Tour started, and we are very grateful for the love it has received.
When did you realise you are so popular?
We still do not think of ourselves as “so popular”, but there have been some very sweet moments. One that really stayed with us was when someone recognised our mother and asked her if she was Backstage Siblings’ mom. We were not even there, but she came home and told us the story with so much pride. That was a very special moment for us, because it made us feel that maybe people really do know us now.
First dream-come-true moment:
Our recent Bhajan Jamming show in Calcutta, with over 10,000 people, was definitely a dream-come-true moment. To stand in our home city, in the middle of so many people singing and chanting together, was extremely emotional. When we started, we had imagined that one day we would fill a stadium. To actually experience that, and to do it in Calcutta, was very special.
Turning Point:
A turning point for us was when we decided to stay true to our concept. There were many ways in which we could have made the shows more conventional, but we chose to keep the essence intact. We still ask people to sit on the floor, we keep the setting intimate, and we avoid food or other distractions during the performance. For us, the focus has always been on the shared experience of music, and staying committed to that has shaped Backstage Siblings.
A song request you know you cannot avoid at your jamming sessions:
Our Ram Ram set. It is something people wait for, and honestly, we love singing it just as much as they love requesting it.
When not jamming, the siblings are busy:
Thinking about the next Backstage Siblings idea, planning the next show and, like true siblings, fighting over the smallest things! (Laughs)
