Music of Goa - Definition and Overview

Goa is a part of India, and has had historically closer connections with Western classical music than the rest of the country. Indigenous Goan music was incorporated into European music. Goa has also produced several pop stars, most famously including Remo Fernandes.

Traditional Goan music includes religious music, theatrical music, art music, dance music and songs used to mark points like marriage. The most widespread kind of folk music in Goa was the mando, a kind of dance music that evolved out of wedding music, specifically the Ovi. Mando is meant for dancing, and, in contrast to the Ovi, uses a chorus. It probably evolved after the 1830s, when ballroom dance was introduced to the area.

In modern times, Goa has become a home for electronic music, especially a style called Goa trance. This genre began its evolution in the late 1960s, when hippies from the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere turned Goa into a tourist destination. When tourism began to die out, a smaller number of devotees stayed in the area, pursuing a specific style of trance music. Early pioneers included Mark Allen, Goa Gil and Fred Disko.