Mumbai's Music Community Gathers For "My Music My Rights" Workshop

In an effort to promote awareness of intellectual property rights within the music industry and to educate music creators and independent artists about essential aspects of the music business and publishing, The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. (IPRS), representing authors, composers, and publishers of music, has initiated a nationwide campaign titled 'My Music My Rights'. As part of this campaign, IPRS conducted an interactive workshop, “My Music My Rights, Creators Connect” program, in collaboration with Dolby Labs in Mumbai. This marks a significant milestone in IPRS's commitment to supporting and empowering music creators across the country.

A recent study by EY, titled 'The Music Creator Economy: The Rise of Music Publishing in India', highlighted the challenges faced by music creators despite India's annual production of 20,000 original songs. Financial constraints and the need for improved music production skills and monetization strategies were common among creators, with only 60% achieving their goal of making a living solely from music. The "My Music, My Rights" campaign addresses these challenges by providing workshops, seminars, and other activities, both online and offline, to empower creators to navigate the music industry intricacies effectively.

The event featured engaging conversations with domain experts and fellow creators, and insights from leading artists and panelists. Atul Churamani, Managing Director, Turnkey Music & Publishing; Padmanabhan NS, Head of Artist and Label Partnership, Spotify India; Karan Grover, Senior Director- India, Middle East & Africa, Dolby Labs; Divya Bhatia, Fesival Director and Producer Jodhpur RIFF, Aayushman Sinha, Founder & CEO, Represent Management; Akhila Shankar, Head Tunecore South Asia; and Raghav Meattle, Singer-Songwriter, Founder-First.wav were present at the event.

Independent artists and music creators in and around Mumbai were present at the workshop, which offered them unique platform to gain insights on songwriting, managing rights and royalties, advanced sound production techniques with Dolby Atmos, and explored the journey of artists in the music industry. This event also facilitated networking opportunities for the attendees, fostering potential collaborations and future opportunities. This immersive experience left participants equipped with the tools and inspiration necessary to thrive in the ever-evolving world of music.

Raghav Meattle, Singer-Songwriter, Founder-First.wav “I realise the struggles and dreams of fellow musicians, and joining forces with IPRS in the My Music My Rights campaign is a step towards that. Initiatives like 'My Music My Rights' aren't just about educating us to safeguard our rights as creators but also about promoting an ecosystem where artists can thrive. IPRS's commitment to supporting talent and standing up for creators' rights is admirable, and I'm happy to be part of something that's paving the way for a better future in the music scene."

Sharing his views, on the campaign Rakesh Nigam, CEO, IPRS mentioned, "As the music industry reaches new heights, songwriters, composers, and independent creators must be well-versed in their rights and equipped to build sustainable careers. At IPRS, we prioritize empowering music creators through education and expertise. Recognizing the rich musical heritage and the immense value of music in our lives, let's acknowledge our collective responsibility as a nation to support, nurture and foster the music of our land towards a thriving and enduring future."

The "My Music My Rights" campaign reaffirms IPRS's commitment to supporting and empowering music creators across India. With upcoming workshops planned in cities such as Kolkata, Delhi and Pune in the coming weeks, IPRS aims to reach a wider audience and foster a more inclusive and equitable music ecosystem.