"Regional Music Streams Surge Ahead With A Remarkable 34% Growth Over The Years"-Ram Mishra, Managing Director, Damroo

Having started as an Executive, he swiftly went up the ladder to not just produce and manage grand-scale TV Reality shows, LIVE Events & top Artists, but also spearhead leading music labels & Media Production companies across India and middle east, before introducing Damroo, India’s first and only regional & independent music-oriented ecosystem that caters to the Poorly-served Richest Bharat.

An entrepreneur and a creative thinker, Ram Mishra has traversed through different geographies in India as well as internationally to gather manifold experience across music, media & entertainment space.

In an Exclusive Chat With Loudest.in,he talks about Damroo and his music journey so far.Here are edited exerpts:

Q1. Congratulations on securing seed funding for Damroo! Could you tell us a bit more about the company's mission and vision in the regional music industry?

Thank You! This funding has cemented our belief that there are people who are ready to invest in our vision of bringing the rich independent and regional music of the country on world map. At the core of this latest seed funding have been marquee investors such as startup accelerator Marwari Catalysts, renowned poet and litterateur Dr. Kumar Vishvas, revered Jagadguru Nimbarkacharya Shriji Maharaj along with corporate leaders Ratnawali Singh and Umed Singh. We set out to foster a 360-degree ecosystem for the regional and independent singers, musicians, artists of the nation. This serves the regional audience too, which conventionally did not get access to the best of independent music from their region. With an aim to serve the poorly-served richest Bharat, Damroo has further connected the artists with localized businesses, which is a win-win proposition for all. Damroo is filling the void and the faith shown by our investors has inspired us to take further strides.

Q2. With the regional music industry holding a significant market share in India, what unique opportunities and challenges do you see for Damroo in this space?

The regional music industry caters to a wide range of languages, cultures, and musical preferences and we are aiming to capitalise on this diversity by offering a vast library of regional and independent music, attracting a large and diverse user base from different parts of the country. Regional music lovers deserve equal attention to their preferences and being the only regional music focussed platform, we are fully committed to serving our audience with Localised content curation, personalised playlists and recommendations, discovery of hidden gems of their region, customised playlists for different cultural and festival celebrations, collaboration with local artists to make unique and exclusive music. We also understand the challenges lies in licensing and rights management, quality and authenticity, cultural contexts and to deal with such complexities we are working very closely with our industry partners to ensure a smooth and legally compliant operation.

Q3. How do you plan to utilize the recently secured seed funding to further enhance Damroo's offerings and expand its reach?

We plan to use the additional funding for platform upgradation and performance, branding and promotion, user acquisition and retention, exclusive content production, team building and structuring along with security and compliance.

Q4. Could you provide some insights into Damroo's platform and how it benefits talented artists and localized businesses in remote parts of the country?

Damroo comprises of four specialized verticals- Damroo Streaming Service, Damroo Distribution Service, Damroo for Brands and Damroo Live. These four contribute towards discovery of artists and amplifying their reach, which also puts them on a stage where they have unlimited opportunities before them to present their art, and also reach brands and consumers who will need regional music. We provide local businesses with easy access to more than 250,000 regional songs that are part of our vast library. Available at one place and at an affordable price, we provide a wide selection where brands can find the perfect music to enhance their product and brand campaigns and also engage with the local consumers. Damroo also ensures quick delivery by granting brands the freedom to use them without any hassles or worries through copyright protected songs.

Q5.What sets Damroo apart from other players in the Indian music market? What is your unique value proposition?

Early 90s saw the rise of regional and independent talents like Daler Mehendi, Mika, Shaan, Lucky Ali, Hariharan, Papon, Malini Awasthi, Ila Arun, Lopamudra Mitra, Jubin Garg etc. who became globally popular with the help of some of the leading music labels. Now we have even more amazing talents making music, but their discovery and reach is missing. We are proud to say that Damroo is the first of its kind and also the only platform which has created a music-oriented ecosystem for the regional and independent artists. This one stop solution empowers the creators by directly distributing original content for fair royalty income. The brand gets equipped with a seamless channel to license or buy music that directly comes from the actual copyright owners. Damroo’s 360 degree approach aims to make the music market democratic and this disruptive approach will bridge the gap between Artist- Audience and Brands. And it is this unique feature of Damroo that sets us apart from others.

Q6. How do you plan to leverage the expertise and support of the marquee investors who participated in the seed funding round, such as Marwari Catalysts and Kumar Vishvas?

Marwari Catalysts and Dr. Kumar Vishvas joined us as respectable investors, Damroo's business approach and potential got that stamp of credibility by their mere presence. We seek their strategic direction and advice on many parts of the business based on their domain experience. We also gain access to resources like mentorship, talent, content, and additional fundraising rounds, which can help Damroo grow and expand.

Q7. As the Founder and Managing Director of Damroo, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced in establishing and growing the company? How did you overcome them?

The entrepreneurial journey undoubtedly comes with its share of difficulties, and as a founder, I have personally encountered various problems associated with launching and growing a company. It was a strategic move to retain control and demonstrate the viability of the concept before looking for external investment in a funding round, I first chose to bootstrap the firm and get it to a fundable stage.

I have been blessed to have my esteemed content partners and my cherished family, who provide constant support and ongoing inspiration throughout this transformative process. Their support has been a pillar of strength that drives me ahead with unwavering determination.

But amidst this journey, I encountered an enormous barrier that demanded my astute focus: to identify the ideal tech provider who will spearhead the development of the platform. Since I am from a non-technical background, finding this right technological expertise was the biggest challenge that also required a judicious approach.

I adopted several strategic measures to address this challenge. The thorough market research and extensive due diligence to assess potential tech providers, we meticulously scrutinized their domain expertise, capabilities and track record. We sought recommendations from industry peers and established entrepreneurs who helped immensely in the decision-making process.

Q8. What is your long-term vision for Damroo? How do you see the company evolving and making an impact in the music industry?

As my long -term vision for Damroo I want to take our Indian regional music, rooted in our culture to a global platform. We are constantly working towards it. We set out with a vision to elevate the independent music industry into a major player, and surpass film music, eventually becoming the biggest platform for audio streaming and distribution for Indian independent and regional content globally. Over the years it has been seen that regional music streams have grown the fastest, accounting to an astounding 34%. The pay subscriber base is growing as well to more than 7 million. With our eyes set firmly on our goals, we are focused on vision to evolve and increase our artist collaborations, making us ready for the immediate future. We are also foraying into podcasts as we are set to build a gateway to the real Indian talent where regional and independent creators can showcase their stories.

Q9. How do you plan to maintain a balance between preserving regional music traditions and embracing innovation and technological advancements through Damroo?

While the regional music is in itself rooted in our culture and tradition, it goes a long way in showcasing it as well as preserving it for the future generations. The technological advancements through Damroo will enable artists from remote parts to showcase their songs to people sitting in different parts of the world. As this art becomes popular, the global brands will reach out to them to buy their music, all through a digital platform.  

 Q10. Please let us know about your latest partnership with Horus Music. What is the objective behind this partnership?

We have just partnered with Horus Music, a UK headquartered award-winning music distribution company that has a global presence and provides artist and label services. For Damroo, this partnership has widened our content offering, where more languages and genres have been added. This has taken the regional and independent music to the next level. As we work in close coordination, we will be pursuing multiple marketing opportunities which include genre page banners, editorial playlist placements and playlist cover mounts. The objective is to increase our international fan base and listenership in an organic manner. Horus Music will provide our musicians with resources, exposure and most importantly the support that we need to thrive in this music industry and make a place for ourselves. The dream of taking our artists to the global level is almost about to come true.