Spotify’s EQUAL is pushing for safer and fairer music spaces

At Spotify’s first EQUAL Day in India, popular Hindustani vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, reflecting on how women performers continue to navigate a male-dominated music industry, recalled an incident during a video shoot where she was asked to wear something more glamorous to garner views. “I refused,” she said, adding that despite coming from a musical lineage, carving a space for herself has not been easy. “The lineage is usually passed on from a father to a son. Why don’t we talk about a ‘mothership’ in the industry?” she asked. “There are so many talented women who don’t always receive the visibility or opportunities they deserve, especially in an industry where being seen and heard can be challenging,” said Shillong-based musician Meba Ofilia. “Representation matters, particularly in an industry where many voices remain underrepresented,” added Nagaland-based musician Temsu Clover.