Sonos has introduced its ‘Sonos Sound Suites’ to India, beginning with an exclusive launch at the Soho House members’ club in Mumbai. The evening featured a remarkable performance that brought together Indian sitar maestro Purnayan Chatterjee and jazz pianist-composer Merlyn D’Souza. Their set blended classical ragas with blues-inspired tones and contemporary textures, offering listeners a rich fusion of traditions.
Key Takeaways
- What’s New: Sonos launches ‘Sonos Sound Suites’, an intimate listening experience, in India.
- Launch Event: The first showcase was hosted at Soho House, Mumbai.
- Featured Artists: Performance by sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee and jazz pianist Merlyn D’Souza.
- Product Spotlight: Demonstration of the spatial audio capabilities of the Sonos Era 300 speaker.
- The Goal: To highlight India’s deep musical heritage and respond to the renewed interest in classical traditions.
Sonos describes Sound Suites as an “India-first experience” created to bring the company’s products into curated cultural spaces. The aim is not only to highlight sound technology but also to invite artists, creators, and tastemakers to experience what high-quality sound truly feels like. In India, this concept aligns naturally with the country’s enduring connection to music and its current revival of classical forms.
The highlight of the launch was the live collaboration between Chatterjee and D’Souza. Known for exploring how the sitar can converse with other genres, Chatterjee added depth and tradition, while D’Souza infused the performance with jazz improvisation. Together, they created a soundscape that moved seamlessly between ragas and blues.
“Indian classical music is steeped in emotion, texture, and nuance. When mixed with the blues, the resulting sound is soulful and captivating,” said Purbayan Chatterjee. He also emphasized that Sonos as a brand supports and preserves the artist’s original intent.
Technology and Art in Balance
The event also featured listening sessions led by Sonos Sound Experience Engineer Harry Jones. These demonstrations highlighted the immersive spatial audio capabilities of the Sonos Era 300 speaker. Jones described the company’s approach: “At Sonos, technology and innovation are essential, but the true essence of great sound lies in faithfully recreating the art and evoking emotion in the listener.”
He explained that Sonos collaborates with a global network of producers and engineers, including those guided by Giles Martin on the Sonos Soundboard, to fine-tune its products for precision and authenticity.
Looking ahead, Sonos plans to expand the Sound Suites initiative in India with inspiration drawn from a diverse group of artists and storytellers. This includes musicians Kavya Trehan and Avanti Nagral, vinyl archivist Nishant Mittal of Digging in India, and visual artist Maroof Umar. Each will share their perspectives on the role of music in creativity and community building.
Rennie Addabbo, General Manager of Sonos APAC, outlined the company’s broader vision: “This is how we see Sonos showing up in Indian homes: connecting listeners more deeply to the vibrant sonic traditions, people and content they love.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is Sonos Sound Suites?
A1. Sonos Sound Suites is an India-first initiative that creates intimate and immersive listening experiences in curated spaces. It is designed for artists, tastemakers, and music lovers to explore high-quality sound.
Q2. Who performed at the Sonos Sound Suites launch in Mumbai?
A2. Indian sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee and jazz pianist-composer Merlyn D’Souza performed a live jugalbandi at the launch event.
Q3. What is the Sonos Era 300?
A3. The Sonos Era 300 is a speaker from Sonos that features spatial audio technology for an immersive sound experience. Its capabilities were showcased during the Mumbai event.
Q4. What are Sonos?
A4. Sonos is a sound experience company based in Santa Barbara, California, known for inventing multi-room wireless home audio systems.
