Music today sits at an interesting intersection of technology, identity, and rapidly changing listening habits. But for many artists, the core idea of what makes music meaningful has stayed surprisingly constant. Whether it is playback singers, indie composers, DJs or singer-songwriters, women across India’s music landscape are reshaping the conversation around creativity, authenticity, and industry expectations. Music Day Special: Women artists on what defines good music, risk, creativity and India’s evolving soundscape. On World Music Day 2026, female voices from across genres—Shalmali Kholgade, Jasleen Royal, Kayan, DJ Nina Shah, Prateeksha Srivastava and Lisa Mishra—reflect on what good music means today, what the industry still misunderstands, and how artists are navigating a world shaped by both creativity and algorithms. Good music is still about feeling, not formulas Across all six artists, one idea comes up repeatedly: good music is not defined by trends or charts, but by how deeply it stays with you. For Shalmali Kholgade, the definition has remained steady over time. “I don’t think my idea of good music has changed since the time …