In the ‘90s, the indipop scene was at its peak in India. Several artists like Sonu Nigam, Alisha Chinai, Adnan Sami and bands like Euphoria and Indian Ocean rose to fame by partnering with Magnasound and other music labels that were keen on promoting releasing non-film music. As cassettes and CDs made way for digital downloads, the album culture died down. Now, the digital revolution and the emergence of music streaming apps have resulted in the resurgence of independent music. DJ and music producer Akash Das echoes this statement.
Talking about the same, he says, “Independent music has helped in empowering musicians in India. There were many artists who were great at what they were doing but not getting the support of any big music label. Now, they can create the music they want to and release it on YouTube and all the audio streaming apps. Many of the popular musicians we know of today have gained recognition for the work they have created and released themselves. The Independent music industry will get bigger with time and that will help everybody who wants to create good music from the heart”.
The 22-year-old musician, who grew up in Jaipur, has several hit singles to his credit. Apart from becoming popular in India, his music has also reached out to listeners based in different parts of the world. Akash has made a name for himself as a musician who creates music in India that appeals to a global audience. As an artist, he has worked with big labels and has released a lot of music independently as well. In 2020, the maverick musician was signed by an international label.
“Working with a big music label and releasing music independently are two different processes. I enjoy both processes equally. When you are making music independently, you have all the freedom in the world. When you work with a big record label, you have to work according to the brief given by them and what they are expecting from you. However, they also spend a lot of money on promoting the song and ensure you get a lot of visibility. In the next few years, independent music will become a proper industry and there would be a good budget for marketing as well”, he says.
While Akash loves the feeling of performing in front of an audience and touring extensively, he spent the last few months in his studio working on tracks that he plans to release this year, one after another. His immediate release would be ‘Unity’, a single which, he promises, will surprise his fans pleasantly. His motto for 2023 is to create music that will strike a chord with people of all age groups and stand the test of time.
Akash on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0H8ZlJyYYNaNltuQtDeZnD?si=jmwx58aWSHuv8IlSVQWjxg
Akash on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/akashxofficial.in/
Akash on Facebook: