“After one show, a young girl approached us and simply said, ‘thank you.’ She told us that being like us had always been her dream, and that watching us perform made her proud.” It’s a memory the Indian pop girl group W.i.S.H. recalls with deep fondness and pride.

Consisting of sisters Ri and Sim, along with Zo and Suchi, W.i.S.H – who debuted in 2024 – is an ambitious creative vision brought to life by composer Mikey McCleary in collaboration with Sony Music India. In a country where the musical landscape has long been dominated by Bollywood and playback singing, the notion of homegrown female pop stars often felt like a distant dream. It’s little wonder, then, that W.i.S.H has come to represent the starry-eyed musical aspirations of countless Indian girls.

The group is the first of its kind since pop girl group Viva!, which formed in 2002 and remained active until 2005. Speaking about pioneering India’s girl band movement in a new era of music, they explained: “Before, bands like Euphoria and Viva! were label-led, and there was no internet and social media, so there were fewer channels to put your music out. It’s been 23 years, but in many ways, we are the first to bring it back. When we launched, it felt like the perfect time because India was ready for it. Hopefully, we are paving the way to revive band culture in this country so that more groups can come up.’”

On where Indian band culture stands today, Ri adds: “I don’t think band culture is mainstream yet, as there are still only a few bands in India at the moment. However, independent artists, solo singer-songwriters, and non-film music are on the rise. Indian independent artists – like Hanumankind and Diljit Dosanjh – are killing it right now, and hopefully band culture will follow soon.”

In today’s music scene, where borders and languages matter less than ever, W.i.S.H – with their blend of Indian and Western-pop influences – defines what it means to be a truly global act. On how they balance mainstream sounds with their cultural roots, Zo says: “It’s not something we consciously think about. We’re not trying to force the balance; it comes naturally to us. For example, I didn’t come from Bollywood music influences; unlike Ri and Sim, I grew up with a mix of Western pop like Ariana Grande or Backstreet Boys and Tamil music. However, we still share the same likes, and as a group, we try to make what feels true to ourselves. There is no real formula; we lead by what we like to make and what we like to hear.”

The strength of W.i.S.H lies in their diverse creative backgrounds. Drawing on Ri and Sim’s experience as the pop duo Simetri, Zo’s work in the musical duo Zoe & Urgen, and Suchi’s natural affinity for performance, the quartet has developed a sound built on equal parts experimentation and cohesion.

Whether it’s borrowing from their love of Afrobeats and mixing it with a desi touch for Bolo Bolo, or incorporating Indian elements like the sitar in Ishaare, every track from the group is shaped by the musical influences each member grew up with – a fact that’s abundantly clear in their recently released debut album, Sweetburn. They say, ‘We want to represent India on a global scale, so we try to bring in those influences. We infuse Indian instruments in a way that’s palatable globally. People can listen to it and not feel like this is something they aren’t used to.”

They are the kind of group that shapes every detail of their work, from the songs and choreography to styling, video editing, and colour grading. W.i.S.H don’t let the chaos of wearing various hats dampen the fun of their creative process. Zo says, “We have a lot of fun in our creative journey. Like our first single Lazeez came about because Ri was hungry and she wanted something to eat so came up with a song related to that.”

Their passion for music, combined with their close bond, makes them a strong team. When asked if they feel any pressure being one of the few Indian girl groups on the global stage, they say, “More than pressure, it’s been exciting from the beginning. We’ve been dreaming of this since we were young and that takes over everything. We’ve worked so hard to be here at this point, that more than pressure we are ready for it.We also have each other and that makes a difference. We have each other’s backs and we are going through it together.”

W.i.S.H finds inspiration from all around – from their upbringing, each other and other artists too. Speaking of how other girl groups like BLACKPINK and Little Mix have inspired them, the band says, “It’s easy to be inspired by so many artists and they push us to dream big as well. However, at the end of the day we are trying to do it here in India and there’s no blueprint for that, so we have to take what we’ve learnt and figure out how to make it our own and also take it global.”

Now, as the Indian music scene grows and more artists reach audiences abroad, W.i.S.H is working to become the first Indian girl group to make a global mark and bring recognition to Indian pop music. Within just a year and a half of their debut, the girls have made remarkable progress towards their dreams. They recall, “It’s been a really exciting journey so far, filled with small milestones. Performing with Sunidhi Chauhan was a dream come true, and writing the theme song Whatever It Takes for the 2024 ICC Women’s World Cup was amazing as well.

From collaborating with Maybelline and seeing the Bolo Bolo hookstep trend, to hosting their first fanmeet and releasing their much-awaited debut album, W.i.S.H is making their presence felt in every way. Yet, Suchi’s memory of a fan telling them, “Seeing an Indian girl group among all the girl groups around the world is a very proud feeling,” remains the most precious reminder of the impact they are making.

Moving from the impact they’ve made to the dreams they harbour for the future, the group has plenty to share. Beyond humorous fantasies of a Grammy, hopes for performing at global festivals, and wishes of sampling good food around the world, they add: ‘We want to tour our album. We haven’t performed all eight songs in one show yet. We have 90-minute sets that we want to take to the global stage. We also don’t get to see our online fans much, so we want to travel to different cities and meet them.”

Their steadily growing fanbase, the Wish Stars, is what keeps them going. They say, “Our friends and community are strong, supportive, and loyal. They’ve been building us from day one. Their fan pages, singing our songs back to us, and their small gestures and words constantly remind us that we are truly making a difference.”

And it’s a real difference they are making. When the girls say, “We are not just doing this for ourselves. We are doing it for so many other girls who dreamt the same,” it speaks to every Indian girl who once longed to perform on stage but had to step out of the spotlight because the world offered no opportunity to shine. For them, W.i.S.H is proof that what was once a far-fetched dream for Indian pop music is now a reality.

Written and interviewed by Malvika Padin

Featured image courtesy of Blake Dsilva

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}