68% of South Asian musicians and professionals feel poorly represented or invisible in the UK music industry. That’s the sobering finding of a report, The South Asian Soundcheck, published by non-profit organisation Lila.
Based on a survey of 349 people, the report found that 45% face stereotypes about what kind of music they should be making; 40% have to deal with family concerns that music is not a stable career; and 32% have experienced direct racial discrimination.
The report makes three main recommendations to improve things. First, more industry mentorship and networking programs. Second, increased representation: more South Asians on stages but also in roles at labels, festivals, venues and streaming services. And third, dedicated funding and investment opportunities for South Asian artists who feel shut out of existing schemes.
“We encourage the wider music industry to use this data and are excited to see what solutions the community comes up with together,” said Lila founder Vikram Gudi. You can read the full report here.
