Shillong, June 22′ Singer Reble was conferred with the Icon of the Year award at the first edition of the Hello Meghalaya Music Awards held in Shillong on June 20, as the state marked World Music Day with a celebration of its vibrant music scene and creative talent.
The awards honoured musicians, creators and music videos featured on the Hello Meghalaya OTT platform between April 2025 and March 2026, underscoring the increasing popularity of regional music and digital content emerging from the state.
A total of 16 awards were presented in categories such as Folk, Pop, Hip-Hop/Rap, Gospel, Original Soundtrack, Song of the Year, Best Female Artist and Best Male Artist.
One of the major attractions of the evening was Reble receiving the inaugural Icon of the Year title following her rising prominence through songs featured in the Bollywood film Dhurandhar.
The ceremony also recognised Eastern Brook, a group of visually impaired musicians, whose song Echoes of Unity earned the Best Inspirational Song award.
Organisers said the event, held as part of World Music Day celebrations, was intended to acknowledge the contribution of artists and content creators while promoting original music production in Meghalaya.
The programme featured performances by the Kids Tarari Choir, Steve Jyrwa, Amachi Sangma and several other local artistes. Cultural performances by Khmih Creative Society and a concluding show by Bending Waves, a band supported under the Chief Minister’s Grassroots Music Programme, added to the celebrations.
The awards coincided with the continued expansion of Hello Meghalaya, the state-supported OTT platform launched in 2024, which has surpassed five lakh downloads and currently hosts more than 1,000 pieces of content created by local talents.
