Music licensing platform Hoopr and Universal Music India (UMI) have partnered to roll out what they describe as an industry-first Artist Accelerator Programme aimed at emerging independent artists in India.
The programme is positioned as a structured pathway for artists to create and release music with built-in monetisation support—spanning publishing, distribution, sync and micro-sync, and brand opportunities. A key output will be a catalogue of new original compositions, slated for release via Hoopr’s YouTube channel Songfest, and publishing through Hoopr’s music-tech platform Hoopr Smash. Hoopr noted that Songfest has previously collaborated with artists including Monali Thakur, Shalmali Kholgade, Nikhil D’Souza and Ash King, alongside brand music projects.
Alongside originals, participating artists will also get access to a selection of UMI catalogue classics to reimagine and recreate. A collection of these recreations is expected to be released on UMG India’s Revibe YouTube channel.
Hoopr and UMI said the programme will combine Universal’s distribution and global marketing infrastructure with Hoopr’s independent-artist community, with the aim of giving new releases stronger visibility and more direct commercial pathways.
Selection and support
Participants will be identified through curated auditions opened to Hoopr’s artist community and conducted by UMG. Selected artists will receive end-to-end support including A&R guidance, studio access, mixing and mastering, music video production, and sync opportunities facilitated through Hoopr.
The programme is open across genres and languages, with the companies positioning it against the backdrop of growing indie consumption in India and expanding brand-sync demand.
Viral Jani, Chief Revenue Officer at Universal Music Group in India and South Asia, said: “Our partnership with Hoopr is a strategic and creative one… their significant network of emerging independent artists will have the chance to create new music the way they want – especially in the case of recreating classics from the UMG catalogue… these new artists will have the chance to reach audiences all around the world.”
Gaurav Dagaonkar, Co-Founder & CEO, Hoopr, said: “This program represents an essential breakthrough for India’s independent artist community… to produce high-quality music, launch their music on an international scale, and make money doing it using transparent means such as sync or microsync… We believe that this program will define how we identify, develop, and grow talent going forward.”
