New initiative Lila charts a new path for South Asians in UK music industry

Lila, a newly launched initiative designed to reshape the equities of South Asian participation in the UK music industry and bridge the gap in representation and support, was launched in partnership with the Center for Music Ecosystems, a global research and development organisation.

Lila's first venture sees it as a funding partner of Bobby Friction’s cultural platform, Going South, a key player in curating the Arrivals stage at Glastonbury's Shangri-La, showcasing South Asian talent.

Music producer and entrepreneur Vikram Gudi founded Lila (Sanskrit: divine play) with a mission to bridge the gap between South Asian talent and inclusion in the UK music industry. Lila believes that South Asian artists and industry professionals should be able to thrive at the forefront of the UK music industry.

Lila’s willingness to confront inequities and uplift artists directly has helped deliver the first-ever dedicated South Asian space at Glastonbury’s Shangri-La, the festival's radical area known for celebrating underrepresented art and culture. The 'Arrivals' stage, programmed by cultural organisations Dialled In, Going South, and Daytimers, will showcase over 50 hours of South Asian live music and DJs including Bobby Friction, Anish Kumar, Nabihah Iqbal, Raji Rags, and Nikki Nair. Lila is a proud funding partner of Bobby Friction’s Going South’s showcase of South Asian creativity. This collaboration represents an important first step towards platforming South Asian voices and talents within the music industry.

Increasing diversity in the music industry has been a refrain for decades. However, the gap in representation remains, particularly for South Asians. Lila's founder, Vikram Gudi, is tackling this issue head-on with the passion of an artist-inspired, and a global team of experts. In partnership with the international nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems, Lila will develop research-backed initiatives to narrow the participation gap. Increasing access to professional development resources, scholarships, recognition, and collaborations will enable South Asian musicians and industry professionals to reach new heights within the industry. The result is a more inclusive industry that benefits everyone.

Lila intends to deliver:

• Quantitative research and analysis on South Asian participation in the industry.
• More recognition in the UK for South Asian cultural heritage.
• A central resource and catalyst to support South Asian music.
• Increased global opportunities for South Asian artists, including at showcase events that feature UK artists.
• Developing research and monitoring tools to understand Lila’s impact in real-time, in partnership with the Center for Music Ecosystems.

Vikram Gudi, Entrepreneur and Founder of Lila, says: “The idea of Lila has been in the back of my mind throughout my music career. I’ve always known that I wanted to do something more, after seeing a distinct lack of funding, initiatives, and infrastructure for South Asian musicians and music professionals. I had few role models from my own background to look up to, and I sensed that there was more I could do in the future. There’s an overwhelming amount of South Asian talent in the UK, and we want Lila to act as an accelerator. I’m excited to work with CME; and have the wealth of experience and passion of Shain behind us. There’s a sense of optimism around the South Asian music community and now is our opportunity to move the needle significantly.”

Shain Shapiro, PhD - Founder and Executive Director of Center for Music Ecosystems adds: “The more diverse our music industry is, the better it will be financially, socially and holistically. This means intentionally working to enhance all forms of diversity. It is a privilege to be working with Vik on this initiative, which we hope will start in the UK and evolve to include many more countries and industries around the world.”

Bobby Friction, Founder of Going South says: “It's been an epic journey and a joy working with Lila & Vikram. Vikram and I are so obviously aligned with what we want for South Asian music in the UK and globally; plus his boundless optimism is infectious. Organisations like Lila are sorely needed at the moment and its timing couldn't be better. So much of the structure around charities and NGOs within the music ecosystem doesn't focus on the British Asian music community, but Lila’s efforts for equality across the entire music industry can change that.”

Ammo Talwar CEO Punch Records / Chair UK Music Diversity Taskforce says, “The South Asian diaspora has always had deep cultural and creative musical sounds.  I’m very excited about Lila’s mission around supporting the next wave of UK talent and how that manifests.”