Southern Gospel - Indie Grrrl
- Abdul Manaf
- Jun 6, 2024
- 5 min read
Southern Gospel will be a series about people and organizations with matching agendas. We are building our ally network one gig at a time.
Can I get a hallelujah?
Indie Grrrl
Indie Grrrl is a grassroots-level organization aiming to bring more visibility to female artists in the independent space. Today, we are talking to one of its founders, Sanoli Chowdhury, an artist and producer based in Bangalore.
Read on.
1. What is Indie Grrrl?
"Indie Grrrl" is a term that emerged in the music scene in the US and Europe in the 80s, associated particularly with indie rock and punk genres. It typically refers to female musicians who embrace an ethos of empowerment and independence, often producing and distributing their own music. Our aim with this brand is to create an independent female artists movement in India. We will coordinate, share, and help each other further our careers and learn to lobby our interests with national music organisations. We aim to create self-help with social media platforms that will keep us informed and help us to promote various events, such as ‘Indie Grrrl – all-female tours, one-off concerts, festivals, and meetings.
2. Who are the current members of Indie Grrrl?
Vinod Gadher and I (Sanoli Chowdhury) are the Co-Founders of Indie Grrrl. Our team is slowly growing. We have a social media manager (Shruti Bhamidipaty) and are also working with Krantinaari and Sahana Naresh.
3. Beyond upcoming gigs, what changes do the organisation plan to implement to bring more female artists to the forefront in the industry?
Gigs are one of the many things Indie Grrrl plans to do for the female independent community. We want to determine what and where the independent industry lacks, and help give artists a voice and platform. We will soon reach out to artists and create Google Docs to understand what the community wants and needs.
We are working towards creating podcasts, collaborating with Roland India, and creating contract templates that will be available on our website for artists to download and use.
We are also trying to make a list of all female artists from India to catalogue the talent in our country, hoping to work with them in the future. We are talking to Amit Gurbaxani and trying to collaborate on his current list of female musicians.
We also want to promote talent at a grassroots level. Right now, it’s a popularity contest with most festivals and labels who only want to support artists with the “right” streaming numbers and followers, and it is not so much about talent specifically.
At Indie Grrrl, we want to support indie female artists making great music without judging them on these popularity analytics.
4. What is the single biggest hurdle female artists face when entering the indie scene?
Artists need a mentor or guidance when they enter the industry, and being a woman makes it more complex and susceptible. Today's world has made many things accessible, but being nudged in the right direction is perhaps essential.
5. What can be done to overcome this hurdle and improve the situation for female artists?
It’s as simple as showing your support, sharing, and passing on knowledge, giving feedback, helping one another out, attending our shows, not gatekeeping information and realising that we are all here aiming for the same thing.
6. As an organization, what will Indie Grrrl do differently than other music organisations to promote its artists?
Indie Grrrl is not a record label, but we do have a record label called ‘Indian Grrrl’ where we aim to make a compilation of different female artists’ music, which caters to help Indian independent music be heard worldwide. We are talking with distribution companies to determine which best fits the motive and have worked out a deal with PRS.
7. What can the larger community do to support Indie Grrrl and its mission?
It does not have to be complicated, really. Come to our shows, share our work if you like it, and listen to our music.
8. What are Indie Grrrl's goals for the future, and is there a timeline for achieving your goals?
Indie Grrrl intends to offer more educational resources and workshops to help artists navigate the music industry effectively. We also aim to have our festival or a stage at festivals to showcase these talented indie artists.
Indian Grrrl Records aims to support independent female artists by providing a comprehensive distribution platform. Their goals include expanding their artist roster, enhancing marketing and promotional support, and utilising advanced analytics to help artists understand their audience better. They are focused on offering a nurturing and empowering environment for female musicians in a male-dominated industry.
As for their timeline, Indian Grrrl Records has a phased approach. In the next few years, they plan to increase their digital footprint, integrate more advanced marketing tools, and form strategic partnerships to boost the visibility of their artists.
9. A lot of indie artists give up on their music because the struggle doesn’t seem worth it after so many years of very slow, incremental success. What can Indie Grrrl do to help the artists they work with regarding this very real existential dilemma?
Indie Grrrl can adopt several strategies.
A Supportive Community: Foster a strong sense of community among artists, where they can share their experiences, challenges, and successes. Regular virtual and in-person meet-ups can help artists feel less isolated.
Mentorship Programs: Pair more experienced artists with newer ones for mentorship. This can provide guidance, encouragement, and practical advice for those navigating similar challenges.
Tailored Marketing Strategies: Offer personalized marketing and promotion plans to help artists reach wider audiences. This can include social media marketing, playlist placements, and press coverage.
Collaborations and Features: Encourage and facilitate collaborations among artists within the Indie Grrrl community to expand their reach and introduce them to new audiences.
Highlight Success Stories: Regularly share success stories of indie artists who have overcome challenges and achieved their goals. This can inspire and motivate other artists to keep pursuing their dreams.
Celebrating Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate the small victories and milestones artists achieve along the way, reinforcing the value of their progress.
By implementing these strategies, Indie Grrrl can provide comprehensive support to indie artists, helping them navigate their existential dilemmas and encouraging them to persevere in their musical journeys.
10. How can other female artists join the Indie Grrrl community?
If you are an independent artist, you are already a part of Indie Grrrl. It is an ever-growing community built from a grassroots level to help the independent community.
Please contact Saloni for any collaborations with Indie Grrrl.
