In Part 2 of Chapter 3 of The Evolution of South Asian Music, Akhila Shankar and Roochay Shukla continue their conversation with Jaddan Comerford, Founder & CEO of UNIFIED Music Group, and Sidhartha (Sid) Todi, Founder of STARtist Management and 7Entertainment.

Together, they explore how the audience for South Asian music is evolving—from the global curiosity around Indian culture to the rise of new live music markets beyond India's metros. They discuss why regions like Northeast India are reshaping the live music landscape, how Gen Z is redefining community and music discovery, and why authenticity has become one of the industry's most valuable currencies. The episode closes with a conversation on creativity in the age of AI and why putting music back at the centre of the music industry has never been more important.

Here is what to expect in part 2 as we continue the discussion on the rise of global spirituality, partnerships and the future of South Asian music.

In Part 1 of Chapter 3 of The Evolution of South Asian Music, Akhila Shankar and Roochay Shukla unpack the people, partnerships and cultural exchange shaping the future of South Asian music.

Joining them are Jaddan Comerford, Founder & CEO of UNIFIED Music Group, and Sidhartha Todi, Founder of STARtist Management and 7Entertainment. Together, they discuss how an Australia–India partnership evolved into UNI7IED, why artist development matters more than ever, and what it really takes to build music that travels across borders.

The conversation also explores Jaddan's personal connection to India, the role of cultural curiosity in building international businesses, and why unexpected artists and genres are beginning to reshape the global music landscape.

It's time for a new chapter, here is what you can expect. Part one drops 23rd September 2026!

Guests: Jadden Comerford (CEO, Unified Music Group), Siddharth Todi (Head STARtist Management, Unified India)

In Chapter 2 of The Evolution of South Asian Music, Akhila and Roochay continue exploring how South Asian sounds are shaping global music.

In Part 2, they go deeper into the strategy behind global growth — from how artists prepare to enter markets like India, to the role of A&Rs and cultural leaders in building exportable talent. In this episode

• The difference between cultural moments and long‑term global strategy

• How artists prepare for music export into markets like India

• What A&Rs and industry leaders look for before entering new territories

• How Australia and APAC have approached global music expansion

• Building infrastructure for South Asian and international artist growth

This conversation was recorded live in Mumbai.

About the Guests

They are joined by Petrina Convey, founder of UNITY.Mgmt and a cultural strategist behind campaigns for artists like Beyoncé and SZA across APAC, and Mohamed “Mo” Komba, A&R and artist development executive who has worked with Oliver Cronin, Kaiit and Stan Walker.

Credits

Live Sound: Neel Waghela

Audio Editor: Soham Sengupta

Sound and Venue support: https://www.instagram.com/dreamachine.wtf

In Chapter 2 of The Evolution of South Asian Music, Akhila and Roochay explore how South Asian sounds are increasingly shaping global music.

They are joined by Petrina Convey, founder of UNITY.Mgmt and a cultural strategist behind campaigns for artists like Beyoncé and SZA across APAC, and Mohamed “Mo” Komba, A&R and artist development executive who has worked with Oliver Cronin, Kaiit and Stan Walker and is currently Founder, COO and A&R at New Levels Distribution.

In part one, they discuss the rise of Indian hip‑hop, why global music companies have long looked to APAC markets, and how artists think about entering South Asia today. They also explore why live shows, local collaborations and on‑ground presence are critical for building audiences in India.

This conversation was recorded live in Mumbai.

Credits

Live Sound: Neel Waghela

Audio Editor: Soham Sengupta

Sound and Venue support: https://www.instagram.com/dreamachine.wtf

Welcome to The Evolution of South Asian Music! Hosted by Akhila Shankar and Roochay Shukla, this podcast chronicles where South Asian music is today and decipher where its heading. Here is what you can expect from the show

In Part Two of The Evolution of South Asian Music, recorded live at SXSW Sydney, hosts Akhila Shankar and Roochay explore what it really takes to understand and enter India’s music market.

Featuring Jade Nazareth (manager for Australian artist Matthew Ifield) and Jashima (founder of multicultural agency Ode), this episode dives into:

• The gap between music charts and on-ground realities in India.
  

• The live music scene, including the underrated opportunity in the college circuit.

• How international artists can successfully build audiences in India, with case studies from Matthew Ifield and the remix of Netflix’s Mismatched “Ishq Hai (This Is Love)” ft. Craig David.

• The opportunities and challenges of entering the Indian market and why investing in South Asia should be treated with the same intent as Western markets.

Shout out to our friends, it takes a village:

Sound by Soham

Photograph by Roydon

Video edit by Philip

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If you like The Evolution of South Asian Music, you will also enjoy The Indian Music Charts Podcast, a show where Akhila and her co-host Amit use the charts as a springboard for a larger conversation on what’s happening in the Indian music industry: https://podfollow.com/the-indian-music-charts-podcast/view