In this guest column, Priyanka Khimani explores how Women of Music India is building a more inclusive music industry through community, representation and access
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If you speak to young musicians in India today, you will find many of them searching for a space they can truly call their own. The industry has been built on individual hustle for so long that a sense of community often feels absent. The world we live in demands an artist to be a jack of all trades, possessing knowledge of both the business and creative aspects
However, with the rise of the digital age, the conversation has shifted to more community-based approaches across industries. Through WhatsApp groups, informal meet-ups, and a larger focus on creating one’s network, this shift has become more visible.
Keeping this in mind, Women of Music India (WoMI) has brought together women from the Indian diaspora from all facets of the music industry to collaborate and uplift talent across the country. The simple idea rooted in visibility, access, and support has now emerged as one of the stronger examples of transformation seen in the industry.
The Need For Community
Artists are often presented with an overwhelming amount of information, making it difficult to figure out a path that’s built for them, not just the industry at large. One of the first signs of change is seen in how information is streamlined in our community. Questions regarding the marketing aspects of the business, how to increase social media reach, or even how to negotiate manager fees were often shared only in broad terms. However, WoMI aims to give our community members the space to discuss these points freely with industry experts. For example, the WoMI Breakfast Club event is planned from the perspective and benefit of the artist. Instead of navigating through an extensive body of information, the community is able to get direct answers and access to professionals.
Why Representation Matters
Anyone in the entertainment industry knows the pattern all too well: a panel, a boardroom, a writers’ room with one woman as a symbol of representation. However, WoMI is trying to break the need for this spotlight in the first place. When capability and talent are put under the spotlight, it becomes effortless to see women everywhere: behind the console, behind the strategy, and behind the negotiations, making this kind of normalcy hold a lot of power.
The conversation also continues when looking at the business side of the music industry. While independent artists, brand partnerships, and regional releases are coming into the spotlight, there are still women who walk into rooms where the baseline of professionalism isn’t equal.
One often hears stories about the difference in how women in the music industry are addressed, compensated, or acknowledged. It is rarely a matter of intentional exclusion; more often, it stems from gaps in awareness shaped by differing lived experiences. Platforms like WoMI help create a space to talk about this without turning it into conflict. It becomes a collective effort to highlight what is still uneven in the industry and actively come up with solutions to navigate through it.
The days when opportunities in music began in a conference room are long gone. They begin in conversations, with offhand suggestions and quick introductions, saying, “You two should connect!” This is seen often in the WoMI WhatsApp community, with someone sharing their demo reel, producers looking for collaborators, and musicians reaching out to music technicians for work. The same collaborative community members come for our events, where newcomers are folded into conversations and reminded that the industry does not have to feel as inaccessible as it once did.
What This Means For The Industry in Future
With the Indian music industry expanding so quickly, inclusion becomes the need of the hour to create fresh sounds and bring in more perspectives. The real test is to see how we can grow this industry fairly. We must encourage honest conversations, safer rooms, transparent information, and networks that place talent at the forefront. If we continue in this direction, the future will belong to a community of artists that makes space for everyone to walk in.