Akhila Shankar promoted to Director of Artist Services for India and South Asia at Believe

Mediate [601 articles]” href=”https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/companies/deem/”>Mediate has elevated Akhila Shankar to the role of Director of Artist Services for India and South Asia, with the executive continuing to handbook TuneCore [340 articles]” href=”https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/companies/deem/tunecore/”>TuneCore within the position alongside the expanded remit.

Essentially primarily based in Mumbai, Shankar will draw end on the recent build of living straight while continuing to oversee TuneCore India and South Asia. In her expanded remit, she’s going to focal level on artist pattern, deepening worth and artist partnerships, and strengthening local capabilities, with an emphasis on building pathways for regional and international progress.

The appointment follows the departure of Shilpa Sharda, Mediate India’s outgoing Director of Artist Services, who’s leaving the firm after 12 years “to pursue other interests,” the firm mentioned.

“Constructing TuneCore in India has been a deeply rewarding slump. It’s fashioned how I contemplate the systems impartial artists want for his or her progress and prolonged-term profession sustainability,” mentioned Shankar.

“This next chapter with Mediate feels fancy a natural extension of that work. I’m wrathful to like more linked pathways for artists, from discovery to pattern and strengthen them more holistically as they grow. There’s plenty to be executed, and I’m expecting what we can like together.”

“Constructing TuneCore in India has been a deeply rewarding slump. It’s fashioned how I contemplate the systems impartial artists want for his or her progress and prolonged-term profession sustainability.”

Akhila Shankar, BELIEVE

Vivek Raina, Managing Director of Mediate India, added: “Because the music panorama in India and South Asia evolves, our focal level stays on building a sturdy ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their slump.

“Akhila’s deep working out of the market, blended with her song file of execution, makes her smartly positioned to handbook this next section of progress for our Artist Services enterprise.”

Shankar was once named Head of TuneCore, South Asia in January 2024, succeeding Heena Kriplani, who had constructed the distributor’s South Asia enterprise from its launch in 2020. Sooner than becoming a member of TuneCore, Shankar served as Director, World at subscription podcast and audio firm Luminary, and previously spent more than seven years at Indian streaming platform JioSaavn [100 articles]” href=”https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/companies/jiosaavn/”>JioSaavn, where she held roles including Director and Head of Brand, Comms and Marketing.

“Because the music panorama in India and South Asia evolves, our focal level stays on building a sturdy ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their slump.”

Vivek Raina, Mediate 

Essentially primarily based on Mediate, TuneCore’s impartial releases within the position consist of music from artists equivalent to Ritviz and Talwiinder, in addition to initiatives with Eminent Studios for Diljit Dosanjh.

The Mediate Artist Services roster within the position, meanwhile, consists of artists equivalent to Sanju Rathod, Cheema Y and Gur Sidhu.

Mediate has operated in India since 2013 and has expanded its footprint through a series of acquisitions, at the side of its 2019 aquire of Venus Music — rebranded as Ishtar in 2021 — and its 2021 acquisition of a 76% stake in Tamil-language soundtrack worth Mediate Music for €13 million (roughly $14.6 million at the time). In early 2024, Mediate also obtained a Punjabi-language catalog from India-primarily based White Hill Music, and in June 2025 the firm launched Mahra Tora, an attach dedicated to Haryanvi music.

In a June 2024 interview with MBW, Mediate Founder and CEO Denis Ladegaillerie [130 articles]” href=”https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/of us/denis-ladegaillerie/”>Denis Ladegaillerie described the firm as “the supreme participant” in India on local repertoire, and identified India as one of the most necessary High 10 markets the build Mediate intends to defend a prominent build of living.Music Industry Worldwide