Impact NextGen: Nidhish Varughese

Sometimes in sports, it’s the switch hitters (those who can bat lefty and righty) or two-way players (play offense and defense) who find the most success.

In a similar vein, Nidhish Varughese, a Global Tour Promoter at Live Nation, has helped take artists from opposite ends of the earth to the highest echelons of the live business both importing them from abroad and exporting domestic artists to international markets.

“It was rewarding to help grow Travis Scott into a stadium touring act,” Varughese says. “We put in a lot of work over the last two years to help execute his vision, so it has been amazing to see him perform in sold-out stadiums, most recently wrapping up his European leg of the ‘Circus Maximus Tour.’ He has such a clear understanding of where he sees himself in culture and music that we can all draw inspiration from.”

Varughese — who has been in the business for 15 years, starting at RCA/JIVE label group in the business and legal affairs department as a coordinator — adds that what’s been “equally gratifying” during the past year “was playing a role in putting South Asian music on the global stage, with artists like Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla embarking on worldwide tours this year. As a South Asian, it was especially meaningful to see our culture represented in arenas and stadiums across the globe. Watching the success of these tours has been deeply fulfilling.”

While Varughese is happy working on a global scale, his career began more modestly. “In college, I started out promoting DJs and booking smaller artists at parties,” he says. “After graduating, I got into tour management. This role allowed me to travel the world with artists and immerse myself in every facet of the live music industry. I became fascinated by the way music transcends borders as a universal language. I knew I wanted to be part of an artist’s journey as they expanded their live presence on a global scale.”

It’s only appropriate then that Varughese’s mentor is one of the best global promoters in the biz. “Omar Al-joulani [president of touring at Live Nation] hired me eight years ago,” he says. “He had a vision for me to navigate our artists and build global business and instilled trust in me to make an impact. He has a true global eye on the live business and helped me fine-tune my perspective of the global landscape.”

Looking at trends in the business, Varughese says, “It’s exciting to see the growing consumption and production of regional, non-English music, as it really highlights how music has no borders.”