When management consultant Siddharth Bhargav returned to Hyderabad after a 10-year stint in Dubai, his passion for music made him embark on a journey that opened new vistas to independent music artistes. With a seven-member team, he is set to launch the Independent Music Platform (IMP), a social networking music streaming platform exclusively for independent music, on October 7, 2023.
IMP-X is a platform that has been a live music hub, and the launch of the app will be marked by a live concert by the fusion rock band Indian Ocean at Odeum By Prism.
When he returned from Dubai in 2021, Siddharth found people’s obsession with film music was unwavering; he felt independent music was still underrated. “However, at an event at Moonshine, I witnessed over 50 talented rappers performing their original tracks. This experience sparked my interest in the Indian independent music market, which I found to be an untapped ocean of talent. This led to the idea of creating a digital streaming platform exclusively for independent music,” says Siddharth, who reached out to his friends, rapper Pramod and producer Bharat from the Telugu rap group Nawab Gang. A brainstorming session led to the building of the platform, and their first project, Battle of Beats at Moonshine, in April 2022 was an indication of the right step the team was taking.
Siddharth was joined by Suparna Vontair, as the manager, Aakriti Bhargav as marketing manager with Pramod Seshi Roy and Bharat Mupanna, as co-founders
As an events platform, IMP-X picked up remarkable pace by holding nearly 40 shows successfully by the end of 2022 and, for the first time, facilitating shows in Sydney and Australia in March 2023, featuring groups Chowraasta and Nawab Gang. Says Siddharth, “The ‘X’ in IMP-X signifies ‘experience’ . We have been curating independent music events for over a year and a half, collaborating with more than 250 artistes.”
Turning tides with app
IMP, which showcases indie artistes’ works to the world, represents a groundbreaking leap in the Indian music scene, says Siddharth. “With extensive research, we’ve amalgamated essential features tailored to the needs of artistes. Our mission is to construct a sustainable ecosystem for them nationwide, where they don’t rely on the film industry to thrive. Our app allows artistes to access a comprehensive learning module, discover cutting-edge concepts to enhance their craft, connect with their target audience, and find fresh talent for collaborative endeavours”.
Upon registration, artistes need to submit an original track created by them. These tracks will undergo checks for plagiarism and copyright issues to ensure their authenticity. Once verified, artistes will gain access to their automatically generated artiste profiles, ready for them to personalise and share with their audience.
Indie way to go
Looking ahead, Siddharth says, their goal is to maintain the pace and expand further. “We aim to reach a tally of 10-15 monthly events, each thoughtfully curated to showcase the diverse tapestry of Independent music. We believe that independent music offers many unique experiences, and our mission is to uncover and celebrate them all. This expansion provides a larger stage for artistes and offers music enthusiasts a rich array of genres and styles to explore and enjoy.”
Meanwhile, this weekend’s event promises to be one of the city’s most significant independent music nights. “We are bringing together renowned and emerging local artists from Hyderabad to open for Indian Ocean, who will headline the show with a two-hour performance. During the event, our team will take just 15 minutes on stage to introduce and launch the app. Plus, we’re setting up an artiste registration booth, so they can get verified on the spot and start sharing their music,” informs Siddharth.
