Beyond entertainment: Why music is emerging as a wellness ritual

How often do we plug in our earphones to calm the rush of thoughts in our minds? Whether it is a playlist to help us sleep, music to stay focused at work, or a classical raag after a tough day, many are increasingly falling back on music to attain some peace.

As the world marks World Music Day on Sunday, we find that relaxing sounds is emerging as one of music’s fastest-growing trends.

The shift comes amid a broader wellness boom taking place.According to the Global Wellness Institute the global wellness economy reached $6.8 trillion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $9.8 trillion by 2029.

Tapping on to the shift, we spoke to artists, listeners and industry insiders working at the intersection of music and wellbeing to understand why ragas, mantras and devotional music are finding new audiences in today’s wellness movement.‘Wellness music has always been part of our culture’American pianist Chad Lawson, who collaborated with Indian musicians Rasika Shekar, Purbayan Chatterjee, Nush Lewis and Paayal Lal, on his album Awakening: The Stillness Within, says music and spirituality were naturally woven into daily life in India. “When I was in India, what I kept hearing were stories about how music lived in people’s homes growing up.

A mantra in the early morning, a bhajan drifting in from the kitchen, a grandparent humming something they’d learned from their own grandparent.

Wellness music has always been part of their culture.”‘More than just a background sound’Known for presenting ragas through jazz ensembles and symphony orchestras, Charu Suri, a Grammy nominee and a New York-based pianist, composer and bandleader, says wellness music presents both an opportunity and a challenge. “Such crossover formats help bring Indian classical music to new audiences.

Indian classical melody and ragas presented in a modern format have helped people discover the music characteristics of helping our well-being.” At the same time, she worries that music is increasingly becoming background sound. “Many people spin jazz or classical music while doing household chores because our time is precious and limited.

But that further fractures our focus and ability to show sustained concentration on the piece of music we are listening to, which doesn’t allow you to connect with the sound.”‘India has a deep relationship with sound’The growth of wellness listening is creating opportunities for the music industry too.

Faustin Missier, Business Head at Vedam Records, believes India has the foundations to become a global leader in the category. “India has always had a deep relationship with sound.

Whether it is mantra, raga, chanting, devotional music, temple traditions, sound bowls or meditative practices, sound has always been part of how we pray, reflect, gather, regulate and return to ourselves,” he says.‘There is a sense of calm which music brings,’ says expertsAkash, a certified pranic and spiritual healer, agrees with the trend as he says, “Using sustained tones—tanpura drones, morning ragas like Bhairav, simple Sanskrit mantras, and slow breath‑synced bowls and chimes—we help the nervous system reorganize: breathing slows, the fight‑or‑flight alarm eases, and the mind steadies.

For anxiety and panic, repeated sacred sounds anchor attention and interrupt worry spirals; for insomnia, gentle drones and sleep ragas shift brainwaves toward rest; for trauma survivors, heartbeat‑like percussion, low frequencies, and vocal toning create a contained, safe space where emotions can be felt and released, helping restore wholeness that words alone often can’t reach.”I use music to clear mental clutter and make yoga a safe, slower space.

Raga Reethigowla brings a calm like the stillness after a storm.

In India, sound, from temple chants to birdsong, has long aided well-being.

Today we recreate that calm with music, and binaural beats can help shift brainwaves for deeper sleep— Jigyasa Panjwani, a yoga therapist ‘Taking the ancient music forward’For rapper and Bharatanatyam dancer Raja Kumari, whose recent work including Kashi to Kailash explores Sanskrit mantras and spiritual traditions, the growing popularity of wellness music reflects the enduring appeal of ancient traditions. “My journey in wellness music started with simply changing background vocals that would say ‘oh’ into ‘Aum’.

Repetition and sacred sound are among the most important things of wellness music that we, as musicians, can learn to apply to our music as we move from the ancient into the future.

I truly believe this powerful sonic tradition has healing properties that have been part of our ancient culture for a long time, and now it has just been contemporised into wellness music.”‘Indian music was never meant for entertainment alone’Siddhant Bhatia, Grammy-nominated musician who worked on Sounds of Kumbha, says that Indian traditions are uniquely positioned for wellness listening. “Our ragas, mantras, folk traditions and sacred chants were designed to influence consciousness, emotion and wellbeing long before the term ‘wellness music’ existed.

A morning raga, a simple mantra, the sound of a bansuri, a tanpura drone, or even traditional temple bells can create a sense of grounding that transcends language and culture.”For Bhatia, the connection between sound and wellbeing has always been embedded within Indian musical traditions. “In our tradition, music is not separate from spirituality, healing, devotion, or self-discovery.

Concepts such as Nada Brahma, the idea that the universe itself is sound, have existed in India for centuries.”Music as a retreat from mental noiseListeners agree that music has proactively helped them to pacify their mind as stress levels increase.

Arya Roy, 25, a marketing professional who regularly listens to soft music before sleeping, says it helps her unwind after a long day. “For years I struggled with sleep, but music changed that.

I listen to a Yoga Nidra guided playlist for about an hour before bed and it helps me escape negative thoughts and sleep,” she says.

For Deeksha Sawlani, 30, music eased pandemic anxiety: “I tried Om chants and they calm my mind—sometimes the sound keeps playing in my head and I drift off.

Mellow Sufi tracks also break anxious cycles and steady my breathing.

I even use soothing music during yoga warm-ups to relax.,” she says.-Amina AshrafGet the latest lifestyle news and trends.

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