NEW DELHI: Kia India has expanded its partnership with Hybe India through the Hybe India Audition: Final Call, taking the talent-discovery initiative to additional Indian cities following the response to the Hybe India Pop-Up Parks held earlier this year.
The expanded programme will include on-ground auditions, Kia-branded engagement zones and extensions of the Kia Vibe Studio experience at select dealerships, as the two companies seek to connect with younger audiences through music, creativity and mobility.
The latest phase follows the Kolkata leg held on September 19. The initiative will next travel to Chennai on September 27, Chandigarh on October 4 and Kochi on October 17, with auditions planned in each city.
Kia said the 2026 Kia Syros EV and Kia Sorento will feature prominently at the events through a dedicated Kia Engagement Zone.
The setup will include an in-car content creation experience allowing participants and visitors to record and instantly create shareable performance videos. In effect, the vehicles will serve not only as transport displays but also as compact content studios — a sign of how carmakers are increasingly looking beyond horsepower and touchscreens when courting younger consumers.
Kia India will also extend the Kia Vibe Studio concept to select dealerships in participating cities, giving audiences another opportunity to experience the collaboration outside the Pop-Up Park venues.
Commenting on the next phase of the partnership, Atul Sood, Senior Vice President – Marketing & Sales, Kia India, said:
“The response to our partnership with Hybe India has been encouraging and has reinforced the relevance of creating experiences that go beyond traditional brand engagement. With Hybe India Audition: Final Call, we are taking this collaboration closer to the audition journey and to more young talent across India. At Kia, we believe that brand experience is not just limited to mobility; they are also about the aspirations, experiences and possibilities that shape where we go next. Through this partnership, we are happy to create a space where young people can express themselves and explore new opportunities.”
Hybe India is developing its artist discovery programme in India as part of Hybe’s broader “multi-home, multi-genre” strategy, which focuses on developing artists for different markets while retaining the company’s global artist-development framework.
The company said its Indian operations are focused on discovering and developing talent with the potential to reach international audiences. Hybe is known globally for its association with artists including BTS and global girl group KATSEYE.
Online auditions for Hybe India will continue alongside the physical events, allowing aspiring performers outside the participating cities to apply for the programme.
For Kia India, the initiative represents an extension of its efforts to engage younger consumers through cultural experiences rather than relying solely on conventional automotive marketing.
The partnership also reflects a wider shift in brand engagement, where mobility companies are increasingly placing themselves alongside music, entertainment and digital content creation. By combining auditions with vehicle-based experiences and dealership activations, Kia India and Hybe India are attempting to turn a traditional brand collaboration into a broader youth-focused platform — one where the next destination may be a showroom, a stage, or potentially both.
