Nayab Midha Unveils ‘Rajkumari’ India Tour 2026, Announces First Stadium-Scale Spoken Word Show

Spoken word artist Nayab Midha has announced her most ambitious project yet — the Rajkumari India Tour 2026, a multi-city tour set to redefine the scale of spoken word poetry in the country.

The tour, spanning over 20 cities, will feature a landmark stadium performance at Talkatora Stadium, marking one of India’s first large-format spoken word events. Since its launch in 2023, Rajkumari has seen rapid growth. The debut tour attracted over 5,000 attendees across cities such as Ahmedabad, Indore, Chandigarh and Mumbai. By 2025, it expanded internationally, reaching over 10,000 attendees across Indian metros and global cities including London, Berlin and Sydney, positioning Midha among the few Indian spoken word artists to headline large-scale international shows. The 2026 India tour will run from May to October, covering cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai and Lucknow, among others, before heading to international markets such as the US, Canada, Singapore and the UK. Calling it a “full-circle moment,” Midha said the tour reflects both personal growth and a broader cultural shift. “This is no longer just about me — it’s about creating space for voices like ours.

We’re not waiting for recognition anymore; we’re building it,” she said, underscoring the need for spoken word poetry to receive the same visibility and investment as other performing arts. Parul Mundra, Founder and CEO of Tarashna Talent Management, noted that spoken word in India has long been confined to intimate venues like cafés and college spaces, often lacking formal industry categorisation. She said the Rajkumari tour aims to change that by scaling the format to mainstream audiences, drawing comparisons with the rise of stand-up comedy in India. Designed as a two-and-a-half-hour immersive experience, Rajkumari blends poetry, storytelling, live music and theatrical performance. Often described as a “gentle rebellion,” the show explores themes of love, identity, femininity and personal agency, positioning itself at the intersection of art and cultural commentary.