Femme Music on Building a Vibrant Space for Female Artists in India’s Music Scene
Ahead of the release of ‘Nyima Vol. 1,’ showcasing eleven women artists from across India, we had a chat with Sanoli Chowdhury and Vinod Gadher, the founders of Femme Music, about the inspiration behind launching a…
Ahead of the release of ‘Nyima Vol. 1,’ showcasing eleven women artists from across India, we had a chat with Sanoli Chowdhury and Vinod Gadher, the founders of Femme Music, about the inspiration behind launching a female-led label, the making of the release, and what the industry needs to change to better support women in music.
Record labels in India don’t get enough weight in India’s indie and underground ecosystem, which is the very foundation of any healthy music scene. While India has produced its fair share of quality independent labels that deliver great music despite their small numbers, none have focused exclusively on supporting female artists until Femme Music and its flagship sub-imprint, Nyima Records.
Founded by music producer and audio engineer Sanoli Chowdhury and music industry veteran Vinod Gadher, Femme Music’s motto is to reshape the narrative around South Asian female artists and establish pathways for Indian talent into the global music ecosystem. Taking inspiration from the feminist ethos of the ’90s Riot Grrrl movement, Femme Music was created to build an ecosystem where female voices lead and develop sustainable careers both in India and internationally.
Femme Music has also secured partnerships with AWAL for global distribution and PRS for Music in the UK, while handling mixing and mastering internally. Their first major release, ‘Nyima Vol. 1,’ arrives on November 28, a compilation that champions English-language singer-songwriters from India who want to reach audiences both at home and abroad.
The ‘Nyima Vol. 1‘ compilation features Aanchal Bordoloi, Aadya Jaswal, Anjali Manoharan, kokum, Meera Desai, Ro Maiti, ruhdabeh, Sahana Naresh, Tabitha Kagoo, Tiana Tara and Zahrah. Leading up to the release, Nyima Records has launched a four-city India tour starting in Bangalore, followed by Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai.
Now, as we edge closer to the release, we talk with Sanoli Chowdhury and Vinod Gadher about the creation of Femme Music and Nyima Records, the significance of a label dedicated to female artists, and what audiences can expect from the ‘Nyima Vol.1’ compilation; and here’s what they had to say.
TFword: Let’s start at the beginning. How did the idea for Femme Music first take shape? What were some of the conversations or moments that made you realize there was a need for a label like this in India?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: Vin and I have been working together as artist/manager for a little over 5 years, with Vin based in London and me in Bangalore. In April of 2024, we created an NGO called Indie Grrrl when we realised that India needed help understanding the music industry. With this in motion, we realised that to help build a movement, we needed a music label that would allow these artists to release their music and support them. We are also helping this artist to develop their social media, music production, PR and live shows. Between Vin and I, we have a lot of knowledge and experience that we would love to share to help artists in this industry.
TF: Were there any defining moments that pushed you toward launching a women-led label?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: The more we dive deeper into the industry, the more we see the need for it, especially, as mentioned, after we started Indie Grrrl, we noticed the lack of support and direction for women artists. We want to be able to help artists navigate their careers and share as much as we can with them. India, in our experience, has a lot of gatekeepers and that is a trend we want to be able to break.
TF: You’ve mentioned that Femme Music is inspired by the feminist ethos of the Riot Grrrl movement. In what ways does that energy translate into what you’re building today?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: Femme Music channels the Riot Grrrl spirit by creating space for women artists to take control of their music careers. Like that movement, we focus on DIY culture, community, and education. We’re building a platform where artists support each other, own their work, and have the tools to succeed on their own terms.
TF: India’s independent scene has grown exponentially over the last few years, but how would you describe the space for female artists right now?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: The indie scene has grown tremendously, which is incredible to witness. Even before Vin and I crossed paths, he always believed, and still does, that India is on its way to becoming the next big destination for indie music. However, we still feel the absence of women-only music festivals, or even festivals that commit to having a minimum percentage of women artists on their lineups. That is a dream we hope to bring to life someday. Venues and platforms could do more to support and amplify women in music. While we’re beginning to see change, there is still immense potential for growth. What we need now is a genuine movement, one where women feel empowered, confident, and encouraged to take up space.
TF: What are some of the biggest structural or cultural challenges that you think still exist for female musicians in India?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: There is casual sexism on the daily. I know I face it and I know a lot of women I know in the industry who face it. It can range from something like “Oh, you’re so good for a woman” to being assumed you’re the singer and not the FOH engineer on the day of a show.
Most of the indie artists in the industry have little knowledge of how the industry works, even something as simple as making sure their music is registered via a publishing rights society. We had the majority of our artists join PRS (for free, courtesy of PRS helping us).
TF: Let’s talk about Nyima Records. How did the concept for this sub-label emerge? What made you decide that this would be the first major release under Femme Music?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: From the start, Femme Music wanted all music genres to have a sub-label. So, Nyima Records explores the genres of indie/pop/singer-songwriters. Solna Records for urban music (hip-hop, rap & EDM), and Nokta for world music/lo-fi.
We just found that there are so many outstanding female singer-songwriters making great music and it would be the best start.
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TF: ‘Nyima Vol. 1′ brings together eleven singer-songwriters from across India. What was the process of selecting these artists like?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: For this particular release, it was honestly just their voice and the pure potential we see in their voice. Their music, the production, the engineering, etc., can always be helped with and will grow over time. But their natural and organic voice was what we were drawn to.
TF: Was there a certain sound, mood, or story you wanted the compilation to capture?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: Not really, we gave the artists the freedom to make the song as they wanted. We just wanted to make sure their talent is being showcased in the right way.
TF: Some of the artists are established names, while others are newer voices. What kind of balance were you hoping to strike with this mix?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: We were looking for artists who we saw potential in from a global perspective. None of the artists are globally known; some are known well in the Indie India scene. But we are not chasing numbers. If we see talent, we want to be able to help bring that to life.
TF: Sanoli, as a producer and engineer yourself, how does your own journey influence the way you mentor or sign artists under Femme Music?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: Oh, there is so much to this because I genuinely love being a producer and engineer, and the reason I got into this field is because I have pure love for music and, at the end of the day, from a larger perspective, that’s all that it is and that is all that should matter in my opinion. Music will always thrive and being able to help anyone within that regard would be my absolute pleasure. I am also learning and growing myself, of course. But starting a label has also given me such a fresh new perceptive and allowed me to grow far more holistically.
TF: Vinod, having worked across various parts of the industry, from management to distribution, what did you feel was missing in India’s infrastructure for women in music?
VINOD GADHER: India lacks management skills, and there are many gatekeepers. I have always felt that music making needs a society where we exchange knowledge and help each other to develop a way to help female musicians/artists make a living from music.
TF: How do you both see the future of India’s female indie artists five years from now, and what role do you hope Femme Music will have played in shaping that?
SANOLI CHOWDHURY: From day one, our goal at Femme Music has been to support female artists in releasing their music professionally, with the backing of our PR, social media, and design teams.
We aim to help them build visibility through high-quality releases and live performances across India.
Select artists will also be offered label deals, giving them access to deeper support, including production, artwork, and promotional strategy. Ultimately, we hope Femme Music has played a meaningful role in changing the narrative, opening industry doors, and inspiring the next generation of women in music to dream bigger.
Head to Femme Music’s official website for more information about the ‘Nyima Vol.1’ compilation and tour dates.
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