CISAC member society IPRS launches #HERMUSIC Initiative : a gender equality movement to encourage the participation of women in the Indian music industry
The Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS), a representative body of music composers, lyricists, and publishers of music in India announces the #HERmusic initiative in collaboration with Dolby Laboratories, (a leader in immersive entertainment experiences) and Hungama Artist Aloud, (platform for talent and independent content) to empower women in the music industry. The association aims to promote the representation of women musicians in India in terms of identifying the probable barriers and creating a conducive environment to express and flourish. Together they will kick-start a movement this International Women’s Day on 8th March with manifold activities under the umbrella #HERmusic further spread-out in the form of initiatives #UnleashHERmusic, #EmpowerHERmusic, and #CelebrateHERmusic as three legs of the campaign.
The first leg of the campaign #UnleashHERMusic will congregate a music roundtable on International Women’s Day - 8th March, having all leading women on the panel from creators, composers, industry insiders, and media head honchos. The panel will include Sneha Khanwalkar (Music Director), Anushka Manchanda (Singer, Composer, Music Producer), Natania Lalwani (Indie Pop Musician), Hiral Viradia (Sound Engineer), Anwesha (Singer & Composer), Soumini Sridhara Paul (Senior Vice President, Hungama Artist Aloud), along with Nirmika Singh (Editor, Rolling Stone) who will moderate the session. The second initiative of the campaign #EmpowerHERMusic consists of extensive outreach, talent hunt, and knowledge series with Dolby, Hungama Artist Aloud, and industry stalwarts, wherein female creators will learn the know-how of creatively and technologically enhancing their art-form further helping the artists/creators to expand their creative palette. The Third leg of the campaign #CelebrateHERMUSIC will acclaim and commemorate ‘HER creation’ in the form of ‘All women music concert’, a first of its kind in India.
As per statistics from a study conducted between 2016 to 2018 by international arts, collective FEMWAV revealed the ratio of women composers and producers to male composers and producers in Bollywood was 1:80. While on the Indian indie front (between 2015-2018), the number was 1:71. The numbers are dismal on the management front too with women making up only 10% of artist managers in the industry. Production and music creation aren’t the only areas where there appears to be a definite lack of females. Underrepresentation is evident in the case of decision-makers, publishers, talent managers, instrumentalists, A&Rs, sound engineers, DJs, and many others related to the music industry. Thus, IPRS, Hungama Artist Aloud, and Dolby Laboratories. have come together to drive a positive change and encourage more participation from women in the music industry in India.
The absence of female songwriters and producers is nothing short of an epidemic in the industry. The business must make a cathartic change and pave the path for participation from female creators in encouraging numbers. This movement proposes to create a conducive, collaborative space for women to uphold their talent and share their experiences; a space to inspire, empower and celebrate women in music.