By William Pais

Mangaluru, May 20: In an increasingly noisy world, the earthy hum of the didgeridoo stands as a grounding force—ancient, elemental, and transcendent. One Indian artist has embraced this rare instrument, breathed new life into it, and is now taking it to global stages. Brandon Colaco, a Mangaluru-born didgeridoo player, engineer, farmer, visual artist, and music producer, is capturing hearts across India and beyond with his unique sonic vision.

Earlier this May, Brandon performed at the prestigious World Audio Visual Summit (WAVES) 2025, held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. A winner of the Create in India Challenge 2025, Brandon was selected to represent India’s emerging talent and performed three high-energy sets on what he describes as "some of the biggest stages I've ever seen." With his didgeridoo in hand—a rare sight in Indian music—he delivered a soundscape that was earthy yet futuristic, rooted yet experimental.

But WAVES 2025 wasn’t the only highlight of Brandon's year. Back in January, he participated in a one-of-a-kind national music reality show, Symphony of India – “Bharat Ki Goonj.” This landmark TV show brought together over 250 musicians from across the country, offering a platform that evolved from solo performances to collaborative bands of up to ten members. Brandon stood out from the very beginning—not just for his mastery of the didgeridoo, but for his ability to fuse seamlessly with diverse musical styles.

Throughout the show, he received high praise from a distinguished panel of judges including Pt. Rakesh Chaurasia, Pt. Taufiq Qureshi, Pt. Dinesh, Pt. Tanmoy Bose, Leslie Lewis, and Shruti Pathak, among others. His adaptability and originality earned him a "Star Performer" award during the semi-finals, personally bestowed by Pt. Rakesh Chaurasia.

Brandon’s band, named G# (G Sharp)—featuring a drummer, pianist, Mohan Veena player, didgeridoo, and seven female vocalists—delivered a powerful finale performance based on the nine forms of Goddess Durga, knowBn as Navadurga. Their electrifying act won them the first runner-up title for the show Symphony of India. The group was later felicitated at WAVES 2025 by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, cementing their place as a rising force in the Indian music landscape.

Brandon’s journey into music was far from conventional. Born and raised in Mangaluru, he completed his schooling there before graduating as a mechanical engineer from NIE College, Mysuru, in 2009. He then worked in Bengaluru with top-tier companies like General Motors, Toyota, and Deloitte.

But in 2017, feeling the need for a deeper purpose, Brandon left his corporate career behind. He moved to Chikkamagaluru to support his father, a coffee planter, and to reconnect with nature. Inspired by the Western Ghats' serene environment, Brandon built his first music studio and began exploring the didgeridoo—a path few in India had taken seriously.

Immersing himself in sound, rhythm, and nature, Brandon launched his music project Two Eyed Wizard and released a debut album TUWAKITUWA in 2022, collaborating with several musicians from across the country. As “Two Eyed Wizard,” he began performing across India and slowly gained recognition for his distinct blend of tribal rhythms, Rich Synthesizers and Indian classical influences along with various world music influences.

His big international break came in 2024, when he was invited to perform at some of the world’s biggest didgeridoo festivals, including the Tribal Elek Festival in France and the FATT Festival in Portugal. These performances were a resounding success, introducing global audiences to his Indian-infused didgeridoo style. His performances earned some high praises and features in some of the most established music magazines in the country

Since then, Brandon has been exploring Carnatic music, folk traditions, and world rhythms, continually blending the ancient sound of the didgeridoo with new-age sonic landscapes. His return to Europe is already being planned, as demand for his unique style continues to grow.

Brandon is not only a musician—he is also a visual artist and professional video editor. His creativity spans mediums, and he believes that all his passions are interconnected. “I love creating,” he says. “Whether it’s sound, visuals, or storytelling, they all feed into each other and keep me inspired.”

Currently, Brandon is working on a new music single, set for release later this year, promising some big surprises and collaborations. “I want to put the Didgeridoo on the Indian Music scene and I want to do it with style’ he says. Taking up challenges of creating a cross cultural fusion through music.

Brandon also is one of the Pioneer and admin for the Didgeridoo India Community. Since the past 5 years he has been trying to connect didgeridoo players across the country and has created a space for them. As a part of Didgeridoo India he holds a number of community gatherings and workshops across India with an intention to spread this beautiful instrument to a larger crowd and to educate them about the same. Brandon Says “we have approx. 1000 members in our community and its just going to grow more in the days to come”

Brandon Colaco’s story is one of bold reinvention and artistic courage. From the boardrooms of Bangalore to the forests of Chikkamagaluru, and now to the global stage, he has redefined what it means to be a musician in India today. With every breath into the didgeridoo, he not only honours an ancient tradition but also creates space for its resonance in modern Indian music.

That a Mangalurean has brought this ancient instrument into the limelight of India’s vibrant music scene is a matter of pride. Brandon's journey serves as a reminder that music, in its purest form, is a universal language — one that transcends geography, tradition, and time.