International pop and Latin singer/songwriter Melissa Otero accused the IIT Bombay Mood Indigo team of a “breach of trust” and “false promises” during her time with them. The Puerto Rican artist, who was booked to perform at the college festival, drafted a legal notice to the Dean of Student Affairs with her local Indian lawyer.
The ‘Angels and Demons’ singer’s room door was opened without her permission and personal belongings were moved. Talking about this incident to The Indian Music Diaries, she said, “My room was left completely open, anyone could’ve stolen all my important documents”. “My visa, passport, external hard drives with all my music files which are irreplaceable were in that room that someone opened and left wide open… they moved my belongings from one side to the other. The local police and campus security came to the room with me and the door had been reopened. They are aware of the situation.” she added.
As per her contract, Otero was supposed to get the mutually discussed technical requirements which included a baby grand piano. However, the Mood Indigo team provided her with a beginner’s Casio keyboard, which was “not in alignment with the kind of show” she was doing. “I was never informed prior that they could not find a piano until the morning of,” she added.
Furthermore, instead of the promised “best quality accommodation,” she was put in the unprepared dormitories away from her guitar player, “confined” to their rooms. “It didn’t feel like I was becoming welcomed at all,” she said. Otero also claimed the breakfast and lunch to be “absolutely subpar” and that she and her band were treated rudely.
She also claims that she was sold an “illusion of the headliner stage” as she was given a much smaller stage with just over an audience of 200 people to perform for in the afternoon (which was originally supposed to be an evening show).
With over 1,46,000 visitors, Mood Indigo is the annual cultural festival of IIT Bombay. Carrying over 52 years of legacy, it is widely acclaimed as ‘Asia’s largest college festival.’ With such a good reputation, it is indeed concerning that the team was not hospitable to the international artist and compromised her security.
