Nagaland-based band Stereo Groove was named the overall winner at the grand finale of Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s (TKM) NE Star‑Ultimate Music Talent Hunt, which took place in Guwahati on September 27.
The band’s lineup includes Along Jamir on vocals, Wabangtoshi Jamir on bass, Ayoung Jamir and Wapang Walling on guitars, and I Lima Imsong on drums.
The finale featured 16 finalists from the eight Northeastern states, following more than 300 registrations and auditions held across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Pateng Band from Meghalaya and Naad Band from Sikkim were declared the first and second runners‑up, respectively, while Pateng Band also won the Mogo category. Special Judges’ Choice Awards were awarded to Samuel from Nagaland, Pallavi from Assam and Immanuel from Mizoram.
The judges panel included Subir Malik, founding member and keyboardist of Parikrama, and Kaushik Dutta, founder‑director of Music Connect. The event also featured a performance by celebrity singer Deeplina Deka. Sachin Sharma, Vice President‑East Region for Sales‑Service‑Used Car at TKM, said the talent hunt was designed to give young artists from the Northeast a platform to showcase their talent and potential, supporting youth aspirations and contributing to the cultural development of communities across the region.
