MUMBAI: Hungama Artist Aloud, a platform that supports and promotes independent content, recently forayed into independent content distribution and artist representation in regional languages. It has signed-up artists across Punjabi, Tamil, Marathi, Bengali, Bhojpuri and Gujarati, and this includes Sujeet Sharad Patil, Vishal Srivastav, Tushar Arjun, Savayacrooz Gnanaprabhu, Ashi Tiwari, Ketan Patel among others.
Celebrating its eleventh anniversary, the platform also intends to initiate content creation, distribution and artist representation in other Indian languages like Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Assamese, Haryanvi etc.
Artist Aloud senior VP Soumini Sridhara Paul also spearheads the Hungama Kids app, which is tailored not just for children but also for parents and teachers to access content created and curated specifically for them. The destination will provide a comprehensive learning experience for tots of all age-groups, teachers and parents by offering relevant and targeted content across diverse academic and parental topics.
Speaking with indiantelevision.com’s Shikha Singh, Paul shed some light on the company’s journey, milestones, challenges and much more.
Edited Excerpts:
On the journey so far
In my opinion, Hungama Artist Aloud’s journey has just begun. We have been the first movers and innovators in numerous aspects of our business and that is always going to be our calling card. Whether it was the awards property for independent artists, event and digital IPs showcasing talent across the board, or marketing solutions for upcoming talent – we have had several wins. While some proved successful others couldn't reach the point that we wanted. The biggest milestone in the past ten years would be McDowell's No.1 Soda No1 Yaari Jam in November 2019.
However, we do understand that every success you have creates competition and hence you have to be on your feet and constantly innovate. I don’t really think I have faced any major challenges because the parent company has always been very supportive and patient. But I believe this decade will need to be a game-changer for us as well as the industry and we hope to be at the forefront of the same.
On the industry’s growth post-pandemic
Interestingly, we call the music industry an industry but for some reason, outside of the labels, there is hardly any recognition to other players or talent. The pandemic has hit the talent space drastically, but it has also seen a lot of new content release and originals on streaming services. The next two years are going to be a time to watch out for; while Bollywood will try to get back on its feet and the independent scene will try to take advantage of the lull caused by the lack of Bollywood releases. If the latter manages to strive, there will definitely be two parallel streams in the music space – Bollywood and independent; something I am personally waiting to see.
On the current challenges for artists
The physical markets closing has definitely affected the event space drastically. As for virtual gigs, it is very impressive how players have managed to innovate and get themselves digitally aligned. I am aware of many artists who have upped their ante, and are technically savvy, and manage to keep their careers alive. I am sure it has been tough for them but the fact that they have been able to do it and are getting paid for it, there is definitely a new opportunity for these artists and for others who can learn from their peers and improve their game. Being an artist means being creative and if that can be done with technology, it will only give them a better leverage point.
On how Hungama Artist Aloud helps find and nurture raw talent
Our approach to talent has always been about supporting them in what they believe is their creativity and hence give them the freedom to express themselves through their art. Hence, if an artist believes he or she is one, we also believe that they need to be part of their marketing and brand building as well. So, in turn we have built the ecosystem and marketing opportunities that we offer to artists as services that help them to not only create but also be in control of how they are promoted. One thing we have always been consistent about from the beginning is that we play our bit of A&R (artists and repertoire) only with the created content. We do not advice what the content should be and how it should be created but we do give our inputs on how we can support it.
On foraying into diverse businesses
While we have had content distributed by us across languages over the last 11 years, the acquisition process has not been so focused and most of it has come by the platform’s awareness. However, now we are proactively reaching out to the regional talent space and we aim to get even more aggressive in our approach. While most platforms aim to build their brand and popularity on the basis of the talent they have, my vision for Hungama Artist Aloud is to be a brand synonymous with quality and handpicked talent. The brand needs to be identified for the talent it brings in and not the other way round. The underlying objective is to say that we are a platform that is democratic and believes in access to and for all. Regional is today’s India and hence we want to be there for the talent.
On the scope of independent music in India
When we started Hungama Artist Aloud in 2010, we were the only players. While the Indi Pop scene had seen huge success in the late 90s, the 2000s pretty much saw it disappear. So, we were literally reviving something that everyone had washed their hands off. However, today the case is different. There are almost five to six players in the content aggregation space for Independent content, labels have gone back to Indi (non-film) music and Bollywood has seen a huge dip in new music for almost two to three years with 2020 being the biggest drop. So honestly, I think the time for the Independent category is here and now it is only going to get bigger.
On upcoming shows
We are currently in the process of completing our first edition of the Indian Independent Music Awards (IIMA) which includes nominations from the entire industry. There are a few more in the pipeline and will be announced soon.
On distribution and acquisition of content
We only distribute the content that we acquire and have the license for distribution.
On partnerships and IPs
Our IPs are currently going through a round of evolution and hence will be announced shortly. However, in the past we have done the following IPs:
· World Music Day Festival in partnership with Hard Rock Cafe
· Artist Aloud Music Awards now renamed as Indian Independent Music Awards
· Khazana Artist Aloud Talent Hunt - Ghazal Talent Hunt
· World Environment Day - in association with Bhamla Foundation
· No1 Yaari Jam - in association with McDowell’s No1 Soda
On growth numbers
Over the past 11 years, we have generated downloads and streams over 502 million across 6,500 content pieces.
Our app and website are currently going through a revamp and will be launched soon.
On plans for 2021
One of the things in the list is the upcoming grand finale of IIMA. Besides that, we aim to be an all-encompassing independent ecosystem. We are also presenting strong marketing offerings to our artists. We want to really support every artist that wants to put his or her content out. Therefore, we have made distribution completely free. We are also looking at creating new content and event IPs, looking at bigger partnerships and creating stronger social media focus.
