Bipul Chettri

Bipul Chettri is a Nepali singer-songwriter based in Darjeeling, India, who became one of the most influential voices in contemporary Nepali-language folk-pop. He began as a solo acoustic performer, releasing «Wildfire (Dadhelo)» on SoundCloud in February 2013 - a track whose warm reception convinced him to build a full record around it, the EP Sketches of Darjeeling.

That debut became one of the best-selling Nepali releases of its era and turned Chettri from a bedroom songwriter into a touring artist. On the road he expanded his sound with a full backing group, performing as Bipul Chettri & The Travelling Band, a lineup built around guitar, drums, bass, sarangi and tunga, and keys, giving his gentle folk melodies a fuller, more textured live arrangement.

His music blends acoustic folk instrumentation with pop and rock sensibilities, with lyrics drawing on everyday life, longing, and the landscapes of the Himalayan foothills. Songs such as «Asaar», «Aashish», and «Mountain High» carried forward the intimate songwriting of his debut, and his second album, Maya, released in 2016 with The Travelling Band, cemented his place as a defining figure in the modern Nepali indie scene.