The  London Mela returns to Southall Park for a weekend of South Asian music, dance, food and culture. 

Saturday (August 31) sees Canadian-pop-reggae-r&b-fusion artist Raghav headline the festival, performing his top tracks from his three studio albums including his smash hit Angel Eyes, whilst one of the biggest UK Asian artists Arjun will headline on Sunday. Born in Sri Lanka, his extensive online following and heartthrob status has secured his place as the most viewed UK Asian artist on YouTube in 2016. Joining them is Punjab singer Tasha Tah and Sonna Rele, who sang the title track from the 2017 hit Disney film Cinderella. 

Mela is also showcasing some of the best upcoming artists including BBC Future Sounds 2019 Amanjot Sangha, R&B, singer/ songwriter Manuka and Esha Maria.

Also included is leading UK-based international Qawwali and Bollywood group Chand Ali Khan Qawwal and Party, the young group whose leader was born in Pakistan have been continuing the 700 – year old genre of Qawwali having trained under the recognised Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Memorial Academy.

Every year the London Mela goes one further in order to create exceptional, one-off collaborations and exclusive unique experiences for festival go-ers and this year is no different. Specially commissioned by the London Mela, The Great British Desi Collaboration is a collective of the hottest current independent Asian artists including F1rstman, H-Dhami, Juggy D and Mumzy Stranger who will all be hitting up the mainstage with their hit single ‘Dance’ (that has had over two million views on YouTube) and many more.

In 2018 legendary producer, composer and musician Kuljit Bhamra MBE also known for his work on Bend it like Beckham, Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom, and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, explored the Sounds of Southall, looking at the origins of Bhangra Music through three generations. 2019 sees its second and final instalment with the Sounds of Smethwick, the UK’s second home of Bhangra sounds, featuring Shin (from the band DCS), Kulwant Bhambra & Sardara Gill (Apna Sangeet), Silinder Pardesi (Pump Up The Bhangra) and Balbir Bhujhangy (Bhujhangy).

Dhol Academy returns for another mighty finale. Founded in the 1980s as an outlet for young adults and children, it has nurtured hundreds of talented drummers that have graced Mela stages since the very first London Mela. 

This year they’re collaborating with award-winning digital artists Addictive TV whose mind-bending shows sample an enormous sound and image archive of hundreds of musicians they've filmed around the world playing all manner of instruments. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London Mela is a wonderful showcase of South Asian culture, with its wide range of music, dance, food and games. It’s a real celebration of the community’s impact on our city, a key date in the capital’s calendar and another great example of how London is open to all.”

Artistic Director Ajay Chhabra said “It is always such a pleasure to programme the London Mela as we welcome artists from all over the world, from so many different generations and representing such a diverse mix of genres, to perform on our stages. London is a colourful melting pot of cultures and ethnicities and we are proud to represent that at the London Mela every year, inviting everyone to come along and party with us. Every year the festival gets bigger and better – we can’t wait to get started! ” 

The London Mela is produced by Remarkable Productions and supported by Arts Council England, Mayor of London, Ealing Council and Nutkhut. And is sponsored by Let’s Go Southall, in association with BizAsia, Sunrise Radio, BBC Asian Network and ZEE TV.

The London Mela takes place on Saturday 31 August & Sunday 01 September 2019 from 1pm-8pm Saturday, 1pm-9pm Sunday at  Southall Park, Uxbridge Road, Southall, London UB1 3BT