The Women of Music India (WOMI) has officially opened its doors for membership. The foundation is a women-led community that aims to make the Indian music industry more accessible to women across the globe. In addition to artists across genres, WoMI also caters to the music workforce, from artist managers, executives, label heads to photographers, stylists, hair and make-up artists, journalists and more.
Set up with the goal of amplifying voices of women from the ecosystem and open the door for the next generation of women entering the music industry. The membership will be free of cost to all persons who identify as women. On 23rd November, they launched a campaign which has garnered support across the board with the first cohort of members including artists like Jonita Gandhi, Jasleen Royal, Kamakshi Khanna and business executives Preeti Nayyar (SVP- Brand Partnerships, Universal Music Group), Ankita Maheshwari (GM – People Manager, Sony Music India), Shreya Khaladkar (Comms Lead, Believe).
Speaking about the need for organizations like WOMI, early supporter and member, Rapper Raja Kumari said, “It’s time for the mic to be passed on and let women take the lead too”.
Singer-songwriter Jasleen Royal, another member of the community, expands, “We should remove the barriers faced by women in the music industry, and that can only happen if we bring in more women ”.
Execs and professionals from the music industry have pledged their support to help members get access to an extensive community of professionals, early-access to opportunities, job listings, mentorship programs, industry-led workshops, and events across the country for networking.
Preeti Nayyar, Senior Vice President, Brand Partnerships, Universal Music Group said, “We’re pooling in our resources, ideas and experience to allow more women to obtain the skills required to join the industry”.
Bluprint Co-Founder, Sweta Ojha said, “This initiative gives us the chance to build a community that can support each other and get more women a seat at the table across all areas of the music business”.
As the Indian music industry is receiving more attention across global markets and continues to diversify, Women of Music India, is emerging as an outcome of this transforming landscape. With the purpose of making more voices in the industry heard, WoMI is a step towards change.
Women of Music India (WOMI) is a women-led community emerging from the Indian music industry, with the intention of holding meaningful dialogue, unlocking opportunities, and building networks, to make the Indian music industry a safe, inclusive and more equitable space for all. The foundation has been set up by Priyanka Khimani as a not-for-profit under section 8 of The Companies Act, 2013.
