Kobalt Partners With Madverse Music To Empower Indian Independent Artists

Independent music publisher Kobalt has entered a global partnership with Madverse Music Group, a leading India-based company serving South Asia’s independent music sector with distribution, publishing, and marketing services.

Through the collaboration, Madverse’s network of over 150,000 independent songwriters, composers, and producers will gain access to Kobalt’s publishing administration services, including royalty collection across 180+ markets, enhanced metadata tracking, and expanded sync licensing opportunities. The move aims to address long-standing gaps in international royalty collection that have limited South Asian creators from capturing earnings abroad.

Madverse CEO Rohan Nesho Jain said the deal is a “pivotal moment” for India’s independent music community, noting that publishing royalties act as a musician’s long-term income and can sustain careers for generations. “Through this partnership, Indian artists can finally access and protect these earnings seamlessly, no matter where their music is played,” Jain added, emphasizing that fair compensation strengthens the entire music ecosystem.

The partnership aligns with Madverse’s “Independent, Not Alone” philosophy, prioritizing creator ownership, transparency, and operational efficiency while allowing artists to retain their rights.

Simon Moor, Kobalt’s Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, highlighted that combining Madverse’s creator-first approach with Kobalt’s global infrastructure will give independent South Asian songwriters and producers the accuracy, resources, and reach needed to succeed internationally.

Kobalt currently administers publishing for over 1 million compositions across 10 global offices, representing artists like Roddy Ricch, Max Martin, Karol G, Phoebe Bridgers, and Paul McCartney, with roughly 35% of the top 100 U.S. and U.K. songs and albums under its catalog.

This partnership signals a significant step in empowering South Asian independent artists to fully monetize their work on a global scale while building sustainable, creator-driven careers.