Tiger Baby Records, the music label founded by filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti in collaboration with musician Ankur Tewari, unveiled its debut album ‘City Sessions’ at an intimate evening hosted at Soho House, Mumbai. More than just an album release, the evening marked the beginning of an IP that reimagines the way music is created, performed and experienced.
In collaboration with Island City Studios, City Sessions is a singer-songwriter initiative that brings artists together in an immersive studio setting. In an age defined by digital shortcuts and AI-generated content, Tiger Baby Records embraces an analog, collaborative approach to music creation.
“In today’s AI driven world, with City Sessions we wanted to revisit a more personal & collaborative way of creating music. We believe that this organic process allows for a genuine connection, as singer songwriters are the storytellers of our generation” – Ankur Tewari, Co-founder Tiger Baby Records
The debut City Sessions album comprises six original tracks by independent artists Neel Adhikari, Pushan Kripalani (Slight Diversion), and Arijit Datta (Airport). Releasing on audio platforms on 9th May 2025, the album is divided into two parts: Side A and Side B, with music videos launching in two waves.
The three songs in Side A: Yahaan by Neel Adhikari, I Will Walk With You by Slight Diversion and Jaane Bhi Do Na by Airport capture the collective emotions of our times, reflecting anxiety, struggle, and quiet defiance. Side B, featuring Le Chale by Airport, I Will Hold You Close by Slight Diversion and Na Raha by Neel Adhikari, dives into the emotional aftermath that is the resolve and bittersweet act of moving forward. These songs are the introspective counterpart to Side A’s restless energy, like the flip of a vinyl record where the storm settles into a reflective hush.
“At Tiger Baby we have a soft spot for singer song writers and we wanted to present a new kind of musical story where the process of ‘making’ matters as much as the final song made” said Zoya Akhtar. “With City Sessions our endeavour is to champion a return to organic, emotion- driven artistry, by working with acoustic instruments, live recording methods and face to face collaboration” added Reema Kagti.
The property also brings a unique visual style that will continue to grow with future releases under the ‘City Sessions’ name, creating not just a music experience but a creative world built with purpose- with the songwriter at the heart of it.