Jananie, via Drishti MagazineJananie, via Drishti Magazine · Image source
What To Know
The South Asian Music Accelerator (SAMA) has named the 10 music creators in its 2026 cohort, Drishti Magazine reports, with the programme running October 18 to 24 at studios and ArtHaus spaces across Toronto. The cohort spans Vancouver, Surrey, Kitchener, Brampton, Toronto, Milton and Ottawa, working across country, Punjabi music, Tamil music, R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop and electronic production.
Three of the ten have direct Tamil-Canadian ties. Scarborough's Luksimi Sivaneswaralingam blends Carnatic and Western classical training with pop and R&B; an award-winning playback vocalist who has worked with composers including D. Imman and A.R. Rahman, she is now expanding her independent Tamil Canadian catalogue. Toronto-based Supaveen blends Tamil musical identity with R&B, hip-hop and pop, and reports more than 32 million catalogue streams, including through releases such as 'Trippila'. Scarborough-raised GETCHNAH, a multidisciplinary rapper, singer, songwriter, choreographer and director, released her 2026 debut album 'FEMME FOBIA', blending rap, EDM and South Asian influences.
SAMA pairs workshops, mentorship, collaborative songwriting and production sessions, live-performance development and business education with marketing, brand strategy, financial literacy and wellness support, according to Drishti. Co-founder Sandy Pandya said artist development is about more than making great music, adding that artists also need mentorship, industry knowledge, relationships and a community that understands the cultural and creative context of their work.
Background: now in its second year, SAMA was created to give South Asian music creators a dedicated space to develop their craft and build the professional networks behind sustainable careers. Alumni quoted by Drishti describe one-on-one mentorship and lasting connections: 2025 alumna Revay said she learned about both the business side and how to develop her creativity, while alumnus Ankur Sinha said the programme gave him a sense of belonging he had not always felt as a South Asian musician in the industry.
Summary based on Drishti Magazine .
Source checked Oct 24, 2026 · Added to Tamil Directory Oct 20, 2026. Updated Oct 24, 2026.