"The Music Industry Runs On Three Pillars: Technology, People And Capital"-Rohan Nesho Jain

Rohan Nesho Jain is the Founder and CEO of Madverse Music Group, one of India's fastest-growing music technology companies. Driven by a vision to simplify the business of music for independent artists, Nesho has built an artist-first ecosystem spanning distribution, publishing, royalty management, AI-powered tools and global opportunities.

Under his leadership, Madverse is redefining how creators build, monetise and scale their careers while taking Indian music to audiences around the world.

In this exclusive interview with Loudest.in, Rohan Jain talks about building Madverse from the ground up, empowering independent artists through technology, AI and transparency, India's ambitions as a global music powerhouse, and why education is the industry's biggest missing piece.

Here are edited excerpts:

Madverse Music Group has emerged at a time when the music business is evolving rapidly. What gap in the ecosystem did you set out to solve, and how has that vision evolved since the company’s launch?

Over the last four years of building Madverse, my understanding of the music industry has evolved through personal experience, countless conversations, attending conferences in India and abroad, and studying the music business in Los Angeles.

My journey into the music industry actually began with a candid conversation in 2020. At the time, I was building businesses in finance and recycling and had no plans to enter music. A friend of mine, who is a rapper in Delhi, shared his experiences navigating the industry. That conversation sparked my curiosity and led me to research the music business in depth. Eventually, I went to Los Angeles to study music business and began closely examining the Indian music ecosystem.

What stood out immediately was how incredibly complex and nuanced the industry is. If I were starting almost any other business,whether it was manufacturing two-wheelers or paint,I could probably begin with online research and figure things out as I went. But the music industry was different. It was so intricate that I felt the need to spend six months formally studying music business just to understand how it worked.

While going through that process, I kept thinking: if it takes someone whose job is to understand businesses this much time, effort, and resources to grasp the ecosystem, how difficult must it be for creators? Artists are supposed to focus on making music, not on navigating contracts, royalties, distribution, and rights management.

That realization started a much bigger conversation. The industry was, and in many ways still is, highly fragmented. Artists have to deal with multiple revenue streams,streaming royalties, sync, performance royalties, mechanical royalties, offline licensing and every one of them involves different stakeholders, collection societies, and intermediaries.

The process seems endless. By the time the money reaches the artist, they're often receiving only a fraction of what they're actually owed. In many cases, they're not even collecting 100% of their rightful earnings because there are simply too many players and pipelines involved.

That's when we asked ourselves: what if we could build a one-stop solution for artists?

The first challenge was distribution. At the time, music distribution infrastructure in India was still underdeveloped. Independent artists often had to go through multiple intermediaries just to release a song, and even then, they weren't receiving the full value of their work. Once a song was finally available across platforms and artists started collecting the royalties they were entitled to, another challenge emerged,growth.

So our focus shifted from simply helping artists distribute music to helping them scale their careers.

We didn't want to build just another record label serving a handful of artists. We wanted to create the infrastructure that could empower the next million independent artists India is going to produce. That's the vision that led to the creation of Madverse.

Independent artists today have more opportunities than ever, yet breaking through remains a challenge. What, in your view, separates artists who build sustainable careers from those who simply go viral?

I think that's the biggest realization.

A viral hit can change everything, and we see that happen all the time. But what comes after that viral moment is far more important than the hit itself.

I've spoken about this at conferences and in countless conversations. I always tell artists that a viral moment is just the starting point. It's great if your song takes off,you've had a bit of luck, and social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube have made it possible for songs to go viral overnight. But sustaining that momentum is what really matters.

The real question is: what happens next?

Have you planned your follow-up release? Have you lined up a tour? Have you created opportunities for fan engagement? Have you thought about how you'll convert listeners into a loyal community?

The reality is that nearly 80% of artists don't capitalize on their breakthrough moment. They fail to build on their success, and over time they become known for just one song rather than as artists with lasting careers.

In other words, they've built a fanbase for a song, but they've failed to build a fanbase for themselves as artists.

That's where I believe the biggest infrastructure and education gap exists. The most common question I get from artists is, "Ron, I've released a single. What do I do next?"

That's exactly the problem we're trying to solve. We're not just helping artists release music,we're helping them understand what comes after the release and how to build a sustainable career.

As someone building a next-generation music company, how do you balance commercial success with nurturing original talent and long-term artist development in an increasingly data-driven business?

I think the biggest shift in mindset comes from having a long-term vision.

It all comes down to one question: are you looking for short-term returns from everything you do, or do you have the patience to build something that creates value over the long run?

People often ask me how Madverse differentiates itself from other companies. My answer is simple: they're building for the next five years; we're building for the next fifty.

That's our biggest point of differentiation.

Every decision we make at Madverse is guided by a long-term perspective. We constantly ask ourselves: Will this create value over the next two decades? Will it strengthen the ecosystem? Or is it simply a decision that delivers returns tomorrow?

That mindset is what helps us strike the right balance. It allows us to avoid making short-sighted or uninformed decisions.

At the same time, data plays a critical role. Today, data is one of the most powerful assets in the music industry. If you have the right data and the ability to interpret it thoughtfully, you can make informed decisions that aren't just beneficial in the short term, but continue to create value for years to come.

For us, that's what building a sustainable business is all about.

The platform now works with artists like Nucleya, Neeti Mohan and Karan Kanchan while also supporting emerging talent. How do you balance serving established names with discovering and nurturing the next generation of independent artists?

Honestly, for us, it doesn't make a difference whether an artist is just starting out or already well established. It's the same platform, the same services, and the same team for everyone.

Our goal is to create value for every artist because, regardless of where they are in their journey, they all need a one-stop platform that can support every aspect of their career.

Take an artist like Villain, for example. I think he's one of the most underrated artists from a brand perspective, despite being an exceptional independent artist with a strong fanbase and impressive numbers. For him, we act as a complete partner. We help him with music distribution, royalty collection, publishing royalties, and everything else across the ecosystem so that he can focus on what he does best,making music.

At the end of the day, the biggest need for every artist, irrespective of their stage in their career, is transparency backed by reliable infrastructure.

An emerging artist needs access to data. An established artist like Nukleya also needs access to data. Both need timely royalty payments. Both need clear reporting. Both need dependable infrastructure.

That's why we don't differentiate our services, products, or teams based on an artist's size or popularity. Our approach is consistent and uniform, and it will continue to remain that way.

Too often, the industry treats transparency and robust infrastructure as luxuries. We don't. We believe they're fundamental necessities that every artist deserves.

Many artists still struggle with monetisation despite growing streaming numbers. How is Madverse rethinking distribution, rights management and fan engagement to help creators build sustainable careers?

I think the first and most important aspect is metadata. In India, we've historically underestimated its importance. Many people assume that a distributor's job is simply to take a song from Point A to Point B and make it available on streaming platforms. That's only one part of the job.

The more important responsibility is ensuring that every contributor to a song receives the correct credit before it's delivered to streaming services. If platforms like Spotify don't know who the composer is, who the lyricist is, who owns the C-line, or who owns the P-line, they simply can't pay royalties correctly.

That's why metadata is so critical.

Even today, when artists migrate their catalogues from other distributors to us, we often find complete chaos in the metadata. Sometimes the C-line includes the name of someone who merely financed the project or invested in it. That's not how copyright ownership works. The legal rights holder's name has to be correctly reflected because that's what enables streaming platforms and rights organizations to ensure artists receive 100% of the royalties they're owed.

From day one, we've been extremely stringent about metadata. We make sure the legal names of composers, lyricists, performers, producers, and every contributor associated with a song are accurately captured and delivered to streaming platforms exactly as they should be.

The second part begins after distribution,publishing and mechanical royalties.

We've partnered with Kobalt, one of the most respected publishing administrators globally, to ensure royalty collection happens transparently. Whether your song is played in Canada, Australia, a café, or on Spotify anywhere in the world, those royalties need to be collected and traced back to the rightful creators.

Through Kobalt's global network, we ensure every songwriter who registers with us for publishing is properly onboarded for worldwide royalty collection. At the same time, we work closely with IPRS to collect royalties generated within India. Through these partnerships and our dashboard, we help artists collect 100% of their mechanical and performance royalties.

One of the biggest challenges we see in publishing isn't collection,it's registration.

Many independent artists believe that once they've registered themselves with a Performing Rights Organisation (PRO), the job is done. But that's only half the process. Every individual musical work also needs to be registered with the PRO.

This is one of the biggest knowledge gaps in the independent music ecosystem. We've seen countless artists who are registered with a PRO, but only two out of ten of their songs have actually been registered. As a result, they're leaving significant royalties unclaimed.

We make sure every work is properly registered with the correct ownership splits,whether that's 25% to the lyricist, 25% to the composer, or any other agreed allocation. Once those registrations are complete, we collect royalties through the relevant societies and partners and ensure they reach the artists transparently.

Beyond royalties, our responsibility is also to help artists unlock new opportunities. Whether it's sync licensing, brand partnerships, live performances, or other commercial avenues, our goal is to create an ecosystem where artists can focus on making music while we take care of the business behind it.

Tell us more about your recent collaboration with Kobalt?

Kobalt, as you know, is one of the world's largest independent music publishers and is home to many of the industry's most successful songwriters.

When we started building our publishing offering, the key question for us was simple: What real value can we provide to artists in India, and how can we do it in the most transparent way possible? Publishing income should account for at least 15–20% of an artist's overall revenue, so we wanted to create a one-stop solution that made accessing those royalties simple and transparent.

That's where Kobalt came in.

We believe Kobalt has one of the most transparent, technology-first publishing infrastructures in the world. Transparency has been at the core of its approach from day one.

Before partnering with Kobalt, we spoke with several publishing companies. What ultimately stood out was the technology they had built. As a tech-first company ourselves, it was important for us to work with a partner that shared the same philosophy.

Kobalt provides detailed reporting, transparent royalty tracking, and a seamless registration process. Everything,from onboarding to work registration,is designed to be simple and efficient, making it much easier for artists to understand and manage their publishing rights.

The partnership also aligned strategically. Kobalt wanted to strengthen its presence in India, while we wanted to help Indian artists expand globally. Together, we've been able to create far more than a royalty collection service.

Through our partnership with Kobalt, artists receive publishing administration, global royalty collection, and work registration, but they also gain access to international songwriting camps, sync opportunities, and publishing advances. We're increasingly helping artists secure publishing advances through Kobalt while also opening doors to international collaborations and opportunities.

A core part of Madverse's vision has always been to take Indian music to the global stage. Our partnership with Kobalt plays a significant role in that mission by connecting Indian artists with the global publishing ecosystem and helping export Indian music to audiences around the world.

Willard Ahdritz is one of the most influential figures in the independent music business globally. Beyond the capital, what does his backing mean for Madverse and for India’s independent music ecosystem?

Beyond the capital he has invested, he's also joined Madverse as a board member, and I believe that's even more significant for India's independent music ecosystem.

What he has built internationally has fundamentally shaped the modern independent music industry in the West. He has been at the forefront of developing music technology and infrastructure since the early 2000s, long before most people were thinking about these challenges.

As the founder and driving force behind companies like Kobalt, AMRA, and AWAL, he has helped build the modern independent music ecosystem that serves artists across global markets today. That experience is incredibly valuable, and it's exactly the kind of expertise we want to bring to India.

Our goal is to use those learnings to help build a modern, technology-driven independent music ecosystem here because that's what the Indian market needs.

So while his investment is certainly important, I believe his role as a board member is even more valuable. He'll be actively involved in our journey, helping us make the right strategic decisions, identify the right long-term opportunities, and build the infrastructure needed to strengthen India's independent music ecosystem through technology.

You have said that ‘the next independent wave will be led from India.’ What needs to happen for India to become a global hub for independent music rather than just a large streaming market?

I think there are three major priorities that I often talk about.

The first is that Indian music companies need to think globally. History has shown us that for any country's creative exports to succeed, its companies have to go first,only then does the capital and opportunity follow.

That's why Madverse's vision has always been to become a global music company built out of India. If we want to take Indian music to the world, Indian music companies need to establish a presence in international markets. Setting up offices outside India enables them to build stronger relationships, create meaningful exchanges between India and global music markets, and become bridges connecting artists, businesses, and audiences across borders.

The second priority is creating more global opportunities for Indian artists, and there's a lot we can learn from the Korean music industry. The South Korean government has played an instrumental role in taking K-pop and Korean music companies to the world. It has actively funded music technology companies, supported international showcases, and created opportunities for Korean businesses to participate in major global events.

I experienced this firsthand at Music Tectonics in Los Angeles, where the Korean government sponsored an entire exhibition space for Korean music companies to showcase their innovations. That's the kind of ecosystem support that makes a difference.

Governments can play a much more active role in exporting music by supporting artists, backing music technology companies, enabling participation in international trade events, and even sponsoring global touring opportunities. That kind of institutional support can significantly accelerate India's music exports.

The third priority is collaboration.

I believe India still has a long way to go when it comes to international collaborations. I've always been a strong advocate for Indian artists working with artists from other parts of the world,not because collaborations are trendy, but because they're one of the most effective ways to build lasting global audiences.

These collaborations shouldn't feel forced or transactional. They need to happen organically between artists in India and creators from markets like the US, Mexico, Africa, or anywhere else where there's genuine creative chemistry.

When collaborations are authentic, they resonate with audiences, and both artists benefit from shared fanbases. That's how cultural exchange happens, and that's how music travels across borders.

For me, these are the three things that need to happen: Indian music companies expanding globally, stronger institutional support for music exports, and more meaningful international collaborations between artists. Together, they can play a transformative role in taking Indian music to the world.

How do you ensure AI empowers creators instead of replacing the human creativity that defines music?

At Madverse, we see AI as a workflow solution rather than a generative AI offering. We don't believe AI should replace creativity; we believe it should simplify the operational side of an artist's career.

Today's artists have to manage far more than just making music. They have to think about distribution, publishing, marketing, rights management, collaborations, audience growth, and much more. We believe AI can help streamline these workflows and remove much of the operational burden.

As a founder, I use AI extensively to manage my team, track KPIs, monitor dashboards, and make decisions. So the obvious question for us was: why shouldn't artists have access to the same kind of productivity tools? More importantly, who is building those tools specifically for them?

That's exactly what we're doing at Madverse.

We're building AI-powered tools that integrate seamlessly into an artist's daily workflow. For example, our AI Studio helps artists generate cover artwork and enhance the quality of their audio. We also introduced the industry's first AI-powered Quality Control (AI QC) system.

Traditionally, when an artist uploads a song to a distribution platform, it goes through a manual review process that can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, often involving multiple rounds of back-and-forth before approval. With our AI QC system, songs are automatically reviewed and approved in as little as three minutes.

That gives artists the speed and scale they need to release music more efficiently.

Our AI also performs fingerprinting checks, allowing artists to know upfront if their music matches existing content or if someone else may have used their work. This helps protect their rights and enables quicker action when necessary.

That's why we believe AI should be a problem solver, not a replacement for artists.

Another example is Oxy, our AI-powered navigator built into the Madverse platform.

One of the biggest questions artists ask is, "I've released my song,what do I do next?" Oxy is designed to answer exactly that.

Once an artist distributes a track, Oxy begins guiding them through the next steps. It might recommend creating a pre-save campaign, launching a social media strategy, or running digital advertising at the right time.

We've also integrated AI-powered marketing tools that help artists run campaigns on platforms like Meta. Instead of requiring deep advertising expertise, artists can simply define the kind of audience they want to reach,for example, fans with listening habits similar to Arijit Singh's audience and the platform helps optimise targeting accordingly.

The broader vision is to automate the day-to-day workflows that often slow artists down, allowing them to focus on creating music rather than managing operations.

Today, artists have access to enormous amounts of data from platforms like Spotify and YouTube. But data alone isn't enough. The real challenge is understanding what to do with it.

That's where Oxy adds value.

Rather than simply displaying analytics, it interprets the data and recommends actionable next steps. For example, if it detects growing listenership in Brazil, it might suggest running a marketing campaign in that market or increasing promotional efforts there.

Ultimately, our goal is to remove friction from an artist's journey. By automating workflows and turning data into clear actions, AI can help artists make better decisions, grow faster, and spend more time doing what they do best,creating music.

If you could change one thing about India’s music ecosystem today,whether it’s rights, investment, infrastructure, or global positioning,what would it be, and why do you believe it’s the industry’s biggest priority?

I believe everything starts with education. It is the foundation of a healthy music ecosystem.

Every artist needs to understand their rights, what they're entitled to, and how the industry works. Even today, I see far too many artists falling victim to fraudulent platforms, misleading labels, and unfair agreements simply because they don't have the necessary knowledge. We need to build an ecosystem where everyone clearly understands what they're signing up for and what they're entitled to.

That's why I believe the first and most important fix the Indian music industry needs is education.

And this isn't just about artists. It extends to the entire ecosystem. I see managers, label owners, and other industry professionals grappling with many of the same challenges.

If India wants to move from being the world's 16th-largest music market to becoming one of the top five, it has to begin with education. That's where I see the biggest gap today.Across the industry, people are asking the same questions: How do I collect my royalties? Who should I reach out to? Which company can I trust? Who are the right partners to work with?

All of those questions stem from one fundamental issue: awareness.

Am I aware of my rights? Do I know what royalties I'm entitled to? Do I understand how the ecosystem functions? Do I know which organisations and partners are credible?

Once people have that knowledge, they begin asking the right questions. And when you start asking the right questions, the wrong people have far less opportunity to take advantage of you.Education empowers creators to make informed decisions, avoid bad actors, and build sustainable careers. That's where I believe the industry's transformation needs to begin.

With over 200,000 artists and labels across 45 countries now on the platform, what has been the biggest driver behind Madverse’s rapid growth, and what does global expansion look like from here?

I think the biggest driver of our growth has been trust and transparency.

From day one, we've always told artists the same thing: we're here for you, no matter what happens. There will be successes and setbacks along the way, but our commitment is to consistently deliver the best possible service and ensure that you're collecting everything you're entitled to.

Word-of-mouth has been our strongest form of marketing. When artists recommend us to other artists, that's the biggest validation we can receive. We want people to say, "If you're looking for a transparent company to work with, go to Madverse."

Our goal is for transparency and scalability to become synonymous with the Madverse brand. If an artist is looking for sustainable growth and complete transparency, we want Madverse to be the first company that comes to mind.

That reputation has helped us become what we are today, and we continue to build on that trust every single day.

At the end of the day, artists need a company that feels like home. That's what our team of 35 people works towards every day. We constantly ask ourselves: Does the artist feel comfortable working with us? Do they trust us enough to share their music, their ideas, and their intellectual property? Do they feel supported throughout their journey?

Because ultimately, artists are building their careers with us. If they don't trust us, they won't choose to be part of our ecosystem.

I believe that's been our biggest differentiator. Once artists become part of the community, they naturally share their experiences with others, and that trust continues to grow through word of mouth.

From an international perspective, our focus has primarily been South Asia. To date, we haven't spent a single dollar on marketing outside the region, yet we've continued to grow organically.

Going forward, that's changing.

From this quarter onward, we're expanding into Southeast Asia, and we have several exciting developments planned for the region. We'll continue to grow step by step, entering new markets thoughtfully and building our presence across different geographies over time.

With this fresh funding, what are Madverse's top three priorities over the next 18–24 months, and what upcoming collaborations or milestones should the industry watch for?

Our biggest focus going forward is expanding into new regions. We believe artists in emerging markets deserve access to the same world-class infrastructure we've built at Madverse, and international expansion will be a key priority for us.

Another major focus is unlocking capital for independent artists. At a certain stage in their careers, artists need funding to accelerate their growth. Too often, the only way they can access that capital is by giving up ownership of their rights. We want to change that.

Our vision is for Madverse to become a platform where independent artists can access the capital they need while retaining control of their music. Since we're already helping artists with monetisation and growth, providing growth capital is the natural next step. We believe the music industry is built on three key pillars: technology, people, and capital. We've built the technology, we've created the right team and ecosystem, and now we're focused on unlocking the capital artists need to scale their careers.

Over the next 18 to 24 months, our priorities are clear.

First is international expansion, as we continue taking the Madverse platform into new markets.

Second is creating more opportunities for the independent community. Over the next few months, you'll see us launch several new initiatives that go beyond distribution and publishing. We recently hosted our first seven-day songwriting camp in Goa, bringing together independent artists from across India to collaborate and create new music. Going forward, we'll continue to build opportunities around songwriting camps, sync placements, brand partnerships, international collaborations, and other initiatives that help artists grow both creatively and commercially.

The third priority is helping artists maximise their earnings. We're expanding our royalty collection capabilities so artists can access revenue streams they may not have collected before, including offline performance royalties, neighbouring rights, and other income sources that are often overlooked.

As for collaborations, I can't reveal everything just yet because several partnerships are still under wraps. However, we've recently begun working with artists such as Osho on publishing, Shabbir Kumar on distribution, and Villain across both distribution and publishing. These partnerships reflect our broader vision of supporting artists across every aspect of their careers and helping them grow sustainably.