Artists as entrepreneurs is the model of today: Zeb Bangash

Singer and other artists discuss solutions to music industry crisis

KARACHI: Pakistan’s music industry has been through its glory days and hit rock bottom, only to survive and climb back. The lack of support, worsening security situation and the technological shift has all affected it.

In the past decade, artists have turned to the internet for self-distribution. That one-man-team model has worked out for many of them, such as Taimoor Salahuddin, better known as Mooroo, Peshawar-based band Khumariyaan, and others. While the internet phenomenon is global, Pakistani artists’ sole reliance on it has concerned the record labels in Pakistan, who seek to justify their existence.

FocusPK16, a two-day production and entertainment conference organised by Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), included a session on the music industry of Pakistan where panelists discussed the technological shift and various hindrances to its growth.



The panelists included record label EMI general manager Zeeshan Chaudhry, singer Zeb Bangash, guitarist Omran Shafique, ARY Musik senior vice president Danish Khawaja, and Fuzon band front-man Shallum Asher Xavier.

“Artists as entrepreneurs, is the model of today,” Bangash remarked. She added she has everything today because of the internet. “After labels stopped us, piracy helped us stay afloat and reach audiences. I want to question who’s keeping an eye on the labels when they exploit the artists. It’s not about only copyrights, but also payments and protecting artists.”

The role of record labels in Pakistan has been disputed for a while now. The labels are supposed to manage artists and coordinate with production, distribution, marketing, copyrights management and scouting talent. Xavier argued musicians don’t need them anymore as they don’t fulfill their roles. “We have music releasing companies, not record labels.”

While Chaudhry argued that musicians should focus on creating music rather than managing companies. “If everyone does each other’s jobs, then what’s the point?” he questioned.

If musicians were to start self-managing, promoting and distributing, they would have less time for producing music. However, he admitted the inefficiency of record labels in Pakistan. “Yes, record labels don’t function here as they must. Their role is vast and a lot of times, they don’t fulfill it. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need them.”

Interestingly, while the panelists continued to go back and forth about the new entrepreneurial model and the fact that consumers should pay for the music rather than download it illegally, an audience member, who was previously associated with Lips Records, brought up the point that music should be free. “The artist is the brand and the promoter himself. If record labels can’t survive on their own, how will they support the artists?”

Another point raised was how musicians are forced to sell all copyrights by companies. Umer Shaikh, former head of EMI informed that a new government policy is going to be implemented soon to stop artists being forced to give up all rights to their music.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2016.

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