For two years now, IndiEarth, an initiative of EarthSync, has proved to be a boon to independent artists in India. “We don’t bind the artists; but empower them instead,” says Sonya Mazumdar, founder and CEO of EarthSync, a world music label and an award-winning film producer.
EarthSync, procreator of IndiEarth, established its roots in Chennai in 2004. Its unique collaborative projects not only bring together the cultures of different countries, but different genres of music and filmmaking too. Talking about the parent company, Sonya says, “We’ve worked with folk artists, besides musicians from Carnatic, Hindustani, jazz, electronic and other genres. It’s a wide spectrum.”
Sonya Mazumdar from India and Yotam Agam from Israeli met in 2004. Being independent musicians, they had their own struggles in the industry. But, over the years, they have been successful in creating a strong network among artists.
IndiEarth, a scaffold that provides an opportunity to independent Indian artists, helps them hone their calibre through the online space (indiearth.com). This exclusive B2B platform connects the artists to the media and, in turn, the media to worldwide audiences. “Websites that provide public access to videos and tracks uploaded by artists have helped unearth new talent. Such websites are like an ocean. But, IndiEarth has a strong search engine that can zero in on specific artists, genres, language and style,” says Sonya.
A nominal fee is charged for every track or film trailer an artist uploads. “I find so many music managers, who either work on a commission basis or don’t get paid at all. To professionalise an industry, it has to be economically viable for everyone,” says Sonya.
“The platform works such that the artists can only access their work, whereas the media has open access to all tracks, film trailers, new releases and newsletters put up in the online space. Unlike other sites, IndiEarth gives real-time reports to the artists every time the media accesses its work,” says Yotam, technical officer of EarthSync. When the media registers artists, there is a multi-tier verification process that protects the content they provide to avoid replication. The other functionality is that only the media can contact the artists directly and interact with them as well as request for permission to use their content in different mediums.
“We want the industry to be dynamic, strong, and really creative because at the end of the day we want it to grow,” adds Sonya. According to them, the current stage of IndiEarth focuses on the relationship between artists and the media.
Business-driven value-added services such as digital distribution, networking and gig opportunities are also offered. “If an artist desires to put his work out in digital stores, we have access to about 600 stores such as iTunes and Amazon,” says Sonya.
“The other side of the scaffold is the on-ground effects where we organise community screenings, gigs and concerts, and work with various festivals and venues in Chennai as well as internationally,” adds Sonya, talking about the other opportunities IndiEarth provides. Some of its global partners include the Australasian World Music Expo (AWME), EarthMoments, Nada Brahma, Kolektif Mizik Moris and more. Recently, IndieEarth had taken four bands to Reunion, the French island located in the Indian Ocean.
IndiEarth XChange, an annual trade event for independent music, film and media, brings together delegates and experts from all over the world for global exchanges, collaborations and provides opportunities for artists and professionals. “It includes showcases, single-window business opportunities for international buyers, as well as Indian buyers,” explains Sonya. The third consecutive Xchange will take place at The Park hotel this year and will feature workshops for the media that are for and by the media.
Laya Project, a maiden EarthSync project, was a journey through six Tsunami-affected countries. A one-hour long docu-feature, a double album and a live show comprised the project. “We're about to release our third documentary in a couple of months,” says Sonya.
Two music festivals organised by IndiEarth will take place in September and December this year, revolving around music and films and indie music. IndieEarth was also the online partner for the Indian Recording Arts (IRA) Awards 2014 that took place in Mumbai recently.
The entire concept works like a collective of sorts: artists, venues, festivals and business ops where every individual’s role is vital for a supportive infrastructure. “We have already built a strong network in Europe and North America and our focus right now is to explore the markets in the Indian Ocean and Asian regions,” concludes the duo.
