New Survey to Spotlight South Asians in UK Music

Non-profit initiative Lila has launched The South Asian Soundcheck, a landmark survey designed to capture the experiences of South Asians in the UK music industry.

The online survey is backed by major industry bodies including UK Music, the BPI, Musicians’ Union (MU), and Music Managers Forum (MMF).

It is the first survey of its kind to gather data on representation, career barriers, pay, and the influence of cultural identity.

Organisers hope the results will drive long-term change across all areas of the industry.

Bobby Friction said: “This is the moment. In March, Canada’s Juno Awards celebrated a transformational shift by adding a dedicated South Asian Music Recording of the Year category.

“Last year, we created Arrivals in the Shangri-La area of Glastonbury; this was the festival’s first-ever dedicated South Asian space, something we’ll be continuing in 2025 with the recently announced Azaadi.

“Change, recognition and representation are happening in small but vital steps, but to make a real and lasting difference, we need the knowledge and the stats to back it up, and The South Asian Soundcheck will deliver this.”

The survey aims to examine who works in music and in what roles, what South Asians are earning, and what support they receive.

It will also investigate how identity affects music careers, and the extent of access to funding.

Vikram Gudi, founder of Lila, said: “This isn’t a South Asian topic, it’s an industry-wide issue.

“South Asian artists and professionals have contributed to the UK’s music landscape for decades, but it’s widely acknowledged that we remain underrepresented across all areas of the industry, from artist rosters to executive roles, festival lineups to award panels.

“Our aim is to get to a place where there is South Asian representation at major industry events, where we have clear pathways to industry, and there is support and celebration.

“The South Asian Soundcheck is the first step in making that change.”

The Soundcheck has been developed in collaboration with Sania Haq, a music and market research expert.

Haq has previously worked on surveys for UK Music, the Intellectual Property Office, and major streaming platforms including Spotify and SoundCloud.

The survey is designed to align with UK industry standards, allowing comparisons with existing data while adding a detailed South Asian perspective.

Key partners have helped shape the initiative and will support outreach across the industry.

Eunice Obianagha, Head of Diversity at UK Music, said: “UK Music are proud to have supported with shaping this important survey.

“It marks a vital step in understanding the experiences and opportunities for South Asian music artists and professionals in the UK.

“We believe it will spark important conversations while helping drive change within our industry.”

BPI DEI Manager Hailey Willington said: “The Five-Year DEI Strategy the BPI launched last year is based on the fundamental belief that the more diverse and inclusive our music community is, the greater its prospects for success.

“Anecdotally, we can see that South Asian music is growing in its appeal and becoming increasingly influential, but it is important that South Asian members of our industry are supported and given opportunities to thrive whether they work in front of, or as industry professionals, behind the mic.

“Because of this, it is essential that we build a more complete picture of the experiences of South Asian members of our music community, supported by proper data and insights.

“At the BPI, we welcome the South Asian Music Soundcheck survey and encourage everyone to engage with it.”

Dr Diljeet Kaur Bhachu, EDI Officer at the MU, said: “We are really pleased to see this survey of South Asian musicians in the UK music industries being launched, and excited for its findings.

“Data is a key element in mapping and progressing representation, as the MU has found with the Musicians’ Census.

“We are glad to have contributed to shaping this new survey by Lila.”

“South Asian communities across the globe hold pluralistic, nuanced and diverse identities and experiences.

“The South Asian Soundcheck has the power to highlight these nuances within the music industries context, and enhance the experiences of South Asian music creators and professionals.”

MMF Chief Executive Annabella Coldrick said: “The MMF are fully behind this timely initiative from Lila.

“We’ve contributed to The South Asian Soundcheck and will be promoting the survey through our networks.

“A key strength of the UK’s music culture is our diversity, and this collection of evidence and data will help build an effective strategy to ensure all South Asian managers in our community are recognised and represented.”

South Asian music creators, managers, producers, and professionals across the UK are encouraged to take part.