Jason Derulo & The Script to Headline Meghalaya Fest
The Government of Meghalaya announced the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 in honour of World Music Day. The festival will feature international music legends Jason Derulo and The Script as the main acts. It also revealed an innovative drive for a sustainable concert economy, changing Meghalaya’s economic and cultural environment.
From Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Ward’s Lake, Shillong will be transformed into a citywide celebration with concerts, pop-ups, and interactive experiences when the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 returns on November 14 and 15, 2025. Ireland’s number-one rock band, The Script, and international pop-R&B phenomenon Jason Derulo will co-headline the first day. Both performers are expected to give intense performances in Shillong, making it one of India’s most important music events. Between them, they have sold over 220 million records.
“Every concert is a celebration of who we are. We are not just hosting performances; we are building an economy of talent and identity that speaks to the world. We have seen how the concert economy is an aspect that has been worked on in Meghalaya, and how it was implemented here long before it was done in any other part of the country. We have now simply given it better structure and expanded it into much bigger programmes. We hope that, in the coming years, it will become even bigger,” said Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
“The two artists announced are just 50% of the lineup, we’re working hard to lock in the rest, and hope to confirm more big names within the next month. For now, it will remain a surprise that will make this edition even more exciting,” he added.
The festival is just one expression of Meghalaya’s broader vision. This Concert Economy model is yielding unprecedented 5.7x returns on investment, generating jobs, boosting tourism, and putting Meghalaya on the global music and culture map.
Under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Meghalaya has emerged as a beacon of creative economic transformation. A public investment of ₹23.5 crore in FY25 has already generated ₹133.42 crore in economic impact. Over 76,000 visitors attended just 13 days of events, contributing nearly 5% to the state’s annual tourist footfall. Hospitality revenues soared to ₹33.78 crore, with hotels in Shillong and Cherrapunji fully booked and tourists extending their stay well beyond the main events. The sector created 5,509 daily jobs, with direct benefits flowing to youth, women-led kitchens, local artisans, and rural entrepreneurs. For every ₹100 spent on tickets, an additional ₹334 was spent on travel, food, and experiences, reflecting the extended impact across the value chain.
The state is changing the perception of cultural growth in the Northeast by hosting international stars like Bryan Adams, Ed Sheeran, Akon, and Alan Walker and organizing more than 13,000 performances under the Meghalaya Grassroot Music Project (MGMP). 60,000 natural social media postings, 22 million reel views, and more than 7,750 registered local artists are the results of the strategy. Ed Sheeran’s spontaneous football game with Shillong’s young people is one example of how it has promoted international artists’ interaction with local culture. Me’Gong and Cherry Blossom, two flagship events, have developed into cultural powerhouses that continue attracting domestic and foreign attention.
With culture at its heart, Meghalaya aims to establish a trillion-rupee creative economy in the future. A 30% reservation for home kitchens and craftsmen, zero-waste regulations, indigenous sourcing for food and drink, and the extension of concerts to all districts are all part of the plans to create a 365-day festival economy. Ongoing infrastructure improvements include constructing new cultural hubs and developments at Shillong’s Polo Grounds and Tura’s PA Sangma Stadium. A Concert Impact Tracker is unveiled to gauge real-time sustainability, employment creation, and growth.
From being the “Rock Capital of India” to becoming a blueprint for the future of creative economies, Meghalaya is harmonising culture, commerce, and community in a rhythm that resonates globally.
The Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project’s third season began with live performances by the best bands from Season 2, the release of the new MGMP logo, an engrossing MGMP Recap Video, the MGMP Awards Ceremony, and the Tourism Festival Booklet, which paid homage to Meghalayan culture.
Popular singer-songwriter Anuv Jain’s performance brought the event to a close on a high note, captivating the audience with his captivating set. Anuv Jain said that Shillong is one of the most outstanding venues he has ever played in the nation, reflecting on the enthusiastic and upbeat concertgoers.
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