“The Internet Has Democratised Access To Information, But Not Learning”: Rohith Sobti On The Future Of Music Education

Rohith Sobti, Founder & CEO of The Shakti Collective, is working to reshape how independent artists learn, create and build sustainable careers in the music industry. With a focus on music education, mentorship and artist development, Sobti believes that access to information alone is not enough,artists also need direction, community and real-world opportunities to turn their talent into a profession. Through The Shakti Collective and TSC Academy, Sobti is building an ecosystem that brings together learning, creativity and the business of music.

In an exclusive interview with Loudest.in, Rohith Sobti discusses music education, mentorship, AI and building sustainable careers for independent artists.

Here are edited excerpts:

The internet has made music education more accessible, but much of it remains passive and fragmented. What do you believe is missing from how independent artists are learning today, and how is TSC Academy addressing that gap?

Music was always taught through Guru Shishya Parampara because learning music needs to be personalised. The relationship between the Guru and the artist allows the learning to be shaped around the uniqueness of the artist.

Today, about 95% of artists are learning through online content. The internet has democratised access to information, but it hasn't democratised learning. Artists are consuming a lot of content, but most of them are learning in fragments. They learn production from one place, composition from another and singing from somewhere else. There is very little understanding of how all of this comes together to Unfold their craft to their optimum best.

The biggest gap wasn't talent. It was continuity, direction and an environment or community where an artist can grow in a safe space.

That is what we are trying to build through TSC Academy. We want to democratise professional music learning, much like Physics Wallah democratised professional coaching. Our objective is not to create another library of videos. It is to bring structured learning, practitioners, mentorship, interaction and community together at a stage where it can genuinely help an artist grow.

With artists able to learn production, composition and music business online, where does structured, mentor-led education still have an edge?

The internet has democratised access to knowledge, but it hasn't democratised learning. There is a difference. Most online content is designed to answer a question. But an artist needs someone who can understand the person asking the question.

Every artist is different. One artist may need technical guidance, another may need creative direction and another may simply need someone to tell them what they should focus on next. That is where a mentor makes a difference.

A mentor brings lived experience. They have made mistakes, worked with different artists, dealt with audiences, deadlines, technology and commercial realities. They can tell you not only what works, but why it works and whether it is right for you.

I don't think structured learning and online learning need to compete with each other. Technology gives us access. But mentorship gives us direction.

At TSC Academy, we are trying to bring back that personalisation of learning through practitioners who can help Unfold the craft in the respective artist rather than teach everyone in a linear way.

TSC Academy brings classical music, composition and contemporary production under one ecosystem. How important is it for independent artists to understand both India’s musical heritage and modern music-making?

I think it is extremely important because roots and technology need to work together. India has an incredible musical heritage. Hindustani and Carnatic music give an artist an understanding of discipline, listening, musicality and the depth of our traditions. But today's independent artist also needs to understand how to take that knowledge and use it to create something that is relevant to today's audience.

A singer needs to understand composition. A composer benefits enormously from understanding production. A producer who understands melody and musicality will make very different creative decisions. That is why we brought composition, roots of Hindustani classical music and music production together in The Complete Artist Foundation Program.

The objective is not to make every artist an expert in every discipline. The objective is to give them the 360 understanding and tools that allow them to discover where their own uniqueness lies. The future is not about choosing between tradition and technology. It is about knowing your roots and using today's tools to create something that only you can create.

You have spoken about talent being more evenly distributed than opportunity. Beyond education, what are the biggest barriers preventing talented Indian artists from building sustainable careers, and can an academy help address them?

There are more than one million artists in development across India, but the opportunity and resources available to them are not distributed equally. Education is one part of the problem, but it is not the entire problem. An artist needs knowledge, mentorship, community, opportunities, audience and eventually monetisation. We have a saying at The Shakti Collective: “It takes a village to grow an Artist.”

An artist cannot build a sustainable career in isolation. They need collaborators, mentors, audiences, industry relationships and an environment where they can continue to evolve. An academy can provide the foundation, but it cannot be the entire journey.

That is why TSC Academy is only the first step of our ecosystem. We are building The Artist Path, a practical program where selected artists can apply what they have learnt to real projects and work towards exposure, fandom and monetisation. So yes, education can address a very important part of the gap. But education has to lead to opportunity.

With AI and accessible production tools making music creation easier, what skills will the next generation of artists need to stand out, and how should music education evolve to prepare them?

I think AI is going to make originality more important than ever. Today, technology has made it possible for almost anyone to create a song. Production tools are becoming easier, AI is becoming more accessible and the barriers to publishing music are extremely low.

So the question is no longer, “Can you make music?”
The question is, “Why should anyone listen to your music?”

That is where the artist's uniqueness becomes extremely important. Artists will need technical skills, but they will also need taste, judgement, storytelling, curiosity, audience understanding and creative identity. You can use AI to create a sound. But AI cannot decide what your personal experience, culture, emotion or point of view should mean. At TSC, we work on Human First, then the Artist, and the art is the outcome. I think that philosophy becomes even more relevant in an AI world.

When everyone has access to the same tools, your voice, your story and your ability to connect with an audience become your biggest competitive advantage.

How is TSC helping artists turn music education into sustainable business and revenue opportunities?

We don't believe that the outcome of education should be a certificate. The outcome should be a more capable artist.

An artist today needs to understand the 360 ecosystem around music. They need to understand their craft, but also audiences, storytelling, intellectual property, distribution, partnerships, promotion and monetisation. That is why TSC Academy is not designed to operate in isolation. It is the first step of a larger artist journey.

Through TSC Academy, artists learn and build their foundations. Through The Artist Path, selected artists can take those learnings into real projects and work on their exposure, fandom and monetisation potential. And through TSC Artists, exceptional talent can receive longer-term support to build their careers.

So the journey is not simply Learn and finish. It is Learn → Apply → Build → Grow. We are still building this ecosystem, but our belief is very clear: if an artist learns something from us and it doesn't help them create better work, build an audience or create a sustainable career, then we haven't done our job. Education should give an artist the tools. What they build with those tools is their journey.