Amplify Music Incubator (AMI) has launched AMI South, its first artist development programme dedicated to independent musicians from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The not-for-profit initiative, which supports emerging artists through professional development and industry training, has selected 10 artists for the three-week programme. Running from 13 July to 7 August, AMI South combines two weeks of online sessions with a 10-day residency in Goa, culminating in a public showcase. The residency also includes a three-day songwriting camp and a performance workshop.
The inaugural cohort comprises Ashwin Syam, Arjun Dev, Sahana Naresh, Goutham Vasu Venkatesan, Shakti Sivamani, Saras Menon, STIC, Vaasi, Simmo, Venom Miss and Vaisakh Somanath.
According to AMI, this is the first time the incubator has developed a programme focused on a specific region. The organisation said the move reflects the growing momentum of Tamil and Malayalam independent music, alongside increasing interest in regional-language artists from audiences within India and overseas.
Explaining the rationale behind the programme, Tanish Thakker, Founder of Amplify Music Incubator, said, “South India carries one of the richest musical heritages in the world. The artists coming out of Tamil Nadu and Kerala right now are carrying that legacy forward with their own interpretation and doing it at a level that can travel anywhere.”
He added, “But while many know what they want for their careers, they don’t have a clear path to get there. Some want to perform more but aren’t sure how to build an audience or get booked for shows. A lot of them also feel isolated, without a network of artists to collaborate with or learn from. And almost everyone is tormented by the same question: how do you build a financially sustainable career without compromising your art? That’s the artist AMI South is built for. There’s never been a bridge between the South and the wider Indian indie scene — with AMI, we’re building it.”
The programme covers subjects including creative collaboration, music marketing, public relations, copyright, royalties, streaming and artist entrepreneurship. Participants will also take part in a new songwriting camp, where they will work in groups to write and record original material under the guidance of mentors, alongside sessions focused on live performance and audience engagement.
Amplify Music Incubator has previously worked with artists including T.ill Apes, Easy Wanderlings, RANJ + Clifr, Anoushka Maskey, sudan, Abdon Mech and Sheherazaad.
AMI South is supported by Believe through its Shaping Music for Good CSR initiative, alongside TuneCore and Think Music.
Commenting on the partnership, Vivek Raina, Managing Director, Believe India & South Asia, said, “India’s next wave of music success will be driven by independent artists who have the freedom, knowledge and opportunities to build sustainable and resilient careers on their own terms, and at Believe, we’re committed to helping shape that future by investing in initiatives that strengthen the music ecosystem like Amplify Music Incubator.”
